The Powder Room

Sisterhood ain't what it used to be. I've been in plenty of women's rooms and have never been treated to the bountiful wisdom offered here. In the first few minutes of this fly-on-the-wall take of what we talk about when men aren't around, women discuss orgasms, sex and orgasms, virgins, penetration, orgasms, unfaithful husbands, touching penises, orgasms, the fact that all men are dogs, orgasms, the horrors of childbirth, masturbation, and oh yeah, did I mention orgasms? Filmed at various restaurants, a sauna, and sundry bathrooms (usually at very loud karaoke bars), women (often interrupting one another or talking all at once) spill their guts as they each self-consciously try to ignore the film crew. Darting around, the camera occasionally focuses on graffiti ridden walls with blaring sentences like "I GOT DUMPED" and "I CAUGHT MY HUSBAND WITH THE BABYSITTER," or stages some artful camera shot, like the one over the top of a stall as a woman demonstrates where legs and arms go during a lesbian quickie. It's disappointing that this filmmaker had such potentially great subject matter and chose to portray women as unhappy, bitter, sex-starved females who can't seem to think of anything else. I don't expect to walk into a restroom where the topic of conversation is chaos theory or the NASDAQ index, but I don't for a second believe that the average bathroom conversation is this potty-mouthed. Not recommended. Note: While the video jacket places the audience at "Grade 11 to Adult," strong language, subject matter, and some nudity make high school viewing somewhat inappropriate. Aud: C, P. (N. Plympton)