Titled after the fictitious morning TV talk show that pervades much of its plot, as well as the demands that society and women in general put on themselves to be round-the-clock superwomen, "The 24 Hour Woman" is presumably supposed to be a funny and thought-provoking look at balancing a career with being a parent.
Unfortunately, it's an increasingly irritating and decidedly non-humorous look at that "blessed event" that can cause many parents to pull out their own -- or their partner's -- hair. While the old saying goes, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," that certainly doesn't take into account what a child screaming in the middle of night, coupled with still raging hormones and a serious case of sleep deprivation can do to a parent. Throw in the strains of trying to cope with all of that while still holding down a job and you've got an interesting dilemma.
Of course, countless parents have gone through all of that and more. While many mothers and fathers will easily be able to identify with what occurs in this film, that doesn't mean that they want or need to, or better yet, will enjoy it. More likely to stir up memories of the occasional "horrors" of parenthood (and to be fair, the joys as well) than many laughs at what occurs on screen, "The 24 Hour Woman" is a classic case of bungled potential.
Although there are some apparent attempts at humor scattered throughout the production -- including the morning TV talk show that's presumably supposed to be satirizing "Regis & Kathy Lee" and the like (with story teases about "Pantyhose Victims," "Lugers for Ladies," etc...) as well as the string of frustrating complications the characters must endure -- little of it's truly amusing, let alone outright hilarious.
Even the climatic encounter that occurs in the middle of a cross-dressing sequence on the TV show -- presumably meant to be funny (we hope) -- comes off more as curiously inane than brilliantly executed. In fact, it nearly seems as if writer/director Nancy Savoca ("True Love") and cowriter Richard Guay thought that just dressing the talent and crew of that show in drag would be funny, but how many times has that worn-out bit been used over the years?
To make matters worse and despite the obvious attempts to impress the audience, the "behind the scenes" TV moments are about as lame as those found in last year's "Holy Man" and certainly never come close to the brilliant ones found in "Broadcast News."
Additionally, as much fun as it is to watch Rosie Perez inhabit her character, she's no Holly Hunter (who played the producer in "Broadcast News") and the comparison between their characters -- on many differing levels -- is like night and day.
That said, Perez ("Fearless," "White Men Can't Jump") does deliver a believable performance as the strained working mom. Anyone who's been in similar circumstances can easily sympathize with her battle to love her child while trying to protect her sanity and her relationship with her husband.
Supporting performances from Marianne Jean-Baptiste ("Secrets and Lies") and Wendell Pierce ("Get on the Bus") are strong and equally believable as they portray another couple who've already been through similar paces. The rest of the performers, however, play characters who are less developed, including Diego Serrano whose "husband wanting to be an actor" character often comes off as more of a caricature than a real person.
Despite perfectly representing what becoming a parent -- especially one who wishes to continue to hold down a career -- can do to some people if they don't change their standards, the film doesn't offer such moments with enough humor to make them bearable. As such, and although many will recognize and remember themselves in similar circumstances, the proceedings come off as more irritating than insightfully funny.
While one can readily see what the filmmakers were trying to achieve with this picture, it just doesn't work. Don't be surprised to see this one delivered to the video stores much faster than the duration of a normal pregnancy. We give "The 24 Hour Woman" a 3 out of 10.