Plot: What’s it about?
Cody (Madeline Stowe) is a beautiful women who earns her living as a prostitute, but she isn’t just a whore, not even close. She is a smart woman, one with passion and conviction, not to mention loyalty, a trait she shows in spades. When her friend and fellow prostitute Anita (Mary Stuart Masterson) is attacked by a savage client, her life is in mortal danger. This won’t be just a beating, as the man seems out of control and as such, Cody takes action to save her friend. But the only way to fend him off and save Anita’s life to kill the man, which is just what happens, ensuring serious trouble. Cody is soon sentenced to hang for the man’s murder, a fate she resigns herself to, until Anita storms in to return the favor. She is joined by friends Eileen (Andie MacDowell) and Lilly (Crew Barrymore), in bold rescue attempt that spares Cody’s life, but lands the four friends in deep trouble, as wanted fugitives. So with all the heat on them, the women decide to head out and look for a new place to settle down, perhaps start a better life for themselves. As if an angry posse, Pinkerton detectives, and the assorted officers of the law aren’t enough, the women run afoul of one Kid Jarrett (James Russo), who takes their cash. Now they’re on the run to recover the money, in order to fund their new lives. But can they do so, while keeping one step ahead of their numerous pursuers?
I know Bad Girls isn’t a good movie, at least not in the technical sense, but I think it is a lot of fun and was very pleased to see it released. The story is a mishmash of Western conventions and cliches, not to mention riddled with plot holes and hard to believe moments. I’ve seen countless criticisms of the lead quartet, who critics claims look too good, like some Old West models, instead of rough and tumble roses. I admit, those are all valid issues, but even so, I really like Bad Girls. I like that the leading ladies look like models, as all four look awesome and I never turn down this kind of eye candy. I know realism is important, but in a fluff movie like this one, who wants to see haggard, worn down women, instead of these beautiful ladies? Madeline Stowe (Short Cuts, Twelve Monkeys), Drew Barrymore (Charlie’s Angels, 50 First Dates), Andie MacDowell (Multiplicity, Groundhog Day), and Mary Stuart Masterson (Benny & Joon, The Florentine) comprise the four leads, with more than solid performances and quite impressive visual presence. It is hard to swallow some of the tricks and stunts the women engage in, but you just have to remember this isn’t trying to be a historical record, just a fun little Western. So yes, this movie is laden with leaps of faith and plot holes, but those issues are balanced out by the over the top nature of the experience, which provides solid entertainment. This extended cut restores some footage not shown in theaters, including some added skin. Fox’s treatment isn’t that impressive, but the movie deserves a look and as such, Bad Girls is well recommended.
Video: How does it look?
Bad Girls is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, with a full frame version also included on the disc’s flip side. The image here shows more grain than expected, but still looks terrific and should please viewers. The grain is only evident in a few scenes and isn’t too thick even then, so I won’t knock the score too much, by any means. The contrast is even and never obscures detail, which is impressive, as this movie has a lot of darker scenes to contend with. No issues on the color side, as the hues look bright, but always with a natural, realistic scope. A few flaws aside, this transfer is very good and I doubt anyone will be let down.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included Dolby Digital 5.1 option is more than solid, but due to the material, never gets to take much of a foothold. Bad Girls has action elements and action flicks have good audio potential, but this isn’t a total action movie, so those expectations go out the window. A few scenes have good use of the surround to enforce atmosphere and tension, but this is a pretty conservative mix, as I think it should be. The musical soundtrack also kicks in the surrounds at times, so this is not a dead audio experience however, not even close. The dialogue never falters and is clean throughout, with no volume errors in the slightest to mention. This disc also includes French and Spanish language tracks, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes two of the film’s theatrical trailers.
