Charlie's Angels is one of those TV series that was just a shade before my time. It finished in 1981, and while I don't doubt that repeats were shown for a while afterwards, I have no real memory of watching them. Even the iconic opening credits and theme tune aren't something I recall except as material for parody.
I actually don't remember much about the initial release of the 2000 movie, possibly because I was up to my eyeballs in university work, but possibly because it just didn't appeal all that much. I could say it was because the fundamental premise was sexist and just a little bit creepy, but honestly? This was a point in time when my self-esteem was shot, and all the bounding about and hair-flicking seemed like nothing so much as a personal insult and a reminder of all the wonderful things my life didn't hold and never would.
Time passed, however, and my world filled up with a lot of other great stuff, and so when it showed up on TV and Mr. B expressed the desire to watch, I reluctantly agreed.
In case you're unfamiliar with the central premise, just like the TV series, the film centres around three super-hot super-agents working for the mysterious Charlie, an ex-army man whose motives are mysterious but apparently largely benevolent. Here, our angels are ditzy Natalie (Cameron Diaz), overachiever Alex (Lucy Liu) and rock chick Dylan (Drew Barrymore). The plot - such as it is - involves them trying to protect a talented software engineer (Sam Rockwell) and his latest invention from the attentions of Tim Curry's shady millionaire Roger Corwin whilst dealing with the relationship troubles that inevitably arise when you lead a double life as an ass-kicking crimefighter.
The good
This is actually a really well-judged piece that nimbly walks the tightrope between homage and parody. Oh, it's ludicrous, but affectionately so, with a genuine sense of mischief and a playfully angel-themed soundtrack (that thankfully doesn't include any Robbie Williams). Everything is done with a nod and a wink and a hairflick to camera, and there's plenty of explosions for the girls to escape from in slow motion.Oh, and there's outfits! So very many outfits! Roughly one per girl per scene, I think, with a few more for Bill Murray's Bosley. His selection for the role was one of a number of really good casting decisions; Barrymore, Diaz and Liu also all have great comedy pedigrees, while Sam Rockwell was already displaying a singular talent for playing the slimeball. Matt LeBlanc has great fun playing a dim, self-absorbed actor, while an early role for Steve Carell sees him playing it straight whilst displaying genuine charm.
Everything is a little bit pantomime, of course, but then that's how it should be; it's all larger than life, including the action scenes, where the wirework is definitely played for laughs. I did laugh, too, or at least I giggled, eventually succumbing entirely to the film's relentless, candy-coloured good humour.
The bad
Watching Charlie's Angels with my critic's head on, however, I did notice a few things I wished I hadn't. The use of blackface, for instance, which occurs twice - once, arguably more acceptably, with the use of a black actor and a CGI trick with a rubber mask, but once when one of the actresses uses dark makeup to imitate a waitress at a belly-dancing club. No matter how nudge-nudge-wink-wink it was played, I still think this was a really dubious decision.My other problem is with the film's central premise - three gifted females who not only take orders from an older man they know nothing about, but squeal and giggle with joy whenever they hear his voice. It demonstrates a rather creepy level of infantilisation, and I found myself cringing whenever the girls (definitely girls, not women) and Charlie interacted. For a movie that ostensibly espouses female empowerment, that's some pretty hefty sexism right there.
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