The Fabulous Four, a film aimed at the historically underserved older female demographic, provides us with a more recent quandary. It’s a comedy that provides four women over the age of 65 with more screen time than they have become accustomed to, part of the post-Book Club boom that serves to remind the industry of the great many actors who have been sidelined as they’ve done the most unforgivable thing a woman can do in Hollywood: grow old.
Its mere existence is therefore a good thing, backs to be patted and applause to be given, but that’s where the cheering starts and ends. Because, like Poms and 80 for Brady and the Book Club sequel and May’s Summer Camp, it’s easier to admire its purpose than it is to actually enjoy it, good will depleting with every eye-rolling minute. It’s another example of a talented cast – Susan Sarandon, Bette Midler, Megan Mullally and Sheryl Lee Ralph – trying their very, very best with hopelessly sub-par material that they should be in the position to easily turn down yet something is understandably seen as better than nothing.
