The Next Best Thing (2000)

Sadly Over-hyped

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Well, for my 1st crush as a teen, this Madonna is not any more a dream for sure : this Californian yoga practicer who fights for the custody of a child is faraway of the big apple carefree crazy girl ! This modern incarnation seems particularly anxious, not really a loving happy mother and more interested in pursuing men. About her first gay companion, i don't know what to think. Actually, i'm a bit tired to see that romances in the new millennium mean a gay story. However, this one asks a much controversial question which is can gay be parents ? However the movie organizes a stupid plot for answer with having this gay making love to a woman ! Worse, the movie begins as a comedy and ends like a drama. This kind of mixed content is generally not convincing. The only good surprise here was the song « American pie » and their young son who was full of life and looks like the son of Pénelope.

one of films only for lead actors fans. a confuse story with a high potential . a lot of events without purpose. Madonna and Rupert Everett. strange choices, too many characters without precise status, a baby like project and ball - in same measure, and something else, very obscure. the acting seems be result of hard improvisation and the roles are just images discovered on train window. a strange movie who could be only occasion for the two actors to note another characters in CV. sure, the good intentions are not little. but the message of film is obvious only a fog wall. and it is the essential bad thing. because it demonstrates a not inspired script, a director who do not know what he want, a large improvisation who has not beginning or end.

I think that this movie is definitely intended for Madonna's target audience...The gay's, her fans, and girls. Overall I think the movie is a chick flick but it definitely keeps your attention. I liked it. Not the best acting, especially on Madonnna's part. But hey you can't get experience without bettering yourself as a performer. The result was this movies acting. It's a fun, young, fresh movie and I would encourage people to be open minded and go rent it. It's worth a try! If you like Madnna's music and you're a fan, in general I would like to think that you would probably like to see this movie. I know I sure did. Remember, be open minded...

A pleasant comedy in the first part and a sad drama in the last one, it's an enjoyable movie with two good main characters ( Madonna and Everett ) but the problem is that it doesn't achieve the problem: what to do with the fathers of the child? Even the director (the great John Schlesinger who certainly isn't at the levels of the 70's) isn't able to give an answer and this is really the point. Why making a movie if you can't achieve it? I find it incomplete and well, a bit surreal… Luckily there are nice actors ( the boy is the best ) and a wonderful soundtrack. Two of the songs ( time stood still and a cover of McLean's American pie) are sang by Madonna with Rupert Everett and this is no doubt what Madonna can do the best: choosing the songs to sing. What a pity she can't choose as well her roles! Even a genius like Schlesinger can't help her