Calendar Girls (2003) - Movie Review

Helen Mirren and Julie Walters star in the delightful comedy Calendar Girls, a movie based on the true story about a group of middle-aged women that posed nude for a calendar to raise money to pay for a bench to celebrate the memory of one of their husbands who had recently died.

First off, let's take note that I am a 22-year old straight male, and so I am not exactly in the target audience. Nonetheless, I can easily say that Calendar Girls is funny and enjoyable from beginning to end, with great performances and a wonderful script. I must admit that I fall hard for these middle-aged British comedies (Waking Ned Devine being another one), and this one can most easily be called a female version of The Full Monty.

Getting back to the plot, this calendar ends up making worldwide news as well as making a whole lot of money, topping their previous record of 60-something pounds. The women soon become small-time celebrities, and, low-and-behold, get flown to Hollywood for a movie to be made about them. Who would have guessed?

The film will still appeal more to women than to men, but - let me just make this clear - thankfully no more than just a butt crack is shown. Men should still find Calendar Girls enjoyable, and at the very least it works as a very tolerable date movie.

Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.