Beaches Lifetime Edition Review
Just a few days ago, Lifetime premiered their remastered version of the classic film Beaches. The plot revolves around the strength of the relationship between a pair of best friends. The pair seem
to always be there to support and lean on the other no matter what obstacles they face in their separate lives. The original feature film was released in 1988 and starred Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey with the now famous song Wind Beneath My Wings song by Bette Midler.
The new Lifetime adaptation starred, movie-maven, Nia Long and Broadway-belle, Idina Menzel. Thankfully, Lifetime stayed pretty true to the original with only minor difference.
If we look at the very opening scene between the new adaptation and the original they are quiet different. The original shows CC stuck in fog and traffic trying to get to Hillary in time. She then has a flashback to the first time they met and thus the movie is sparked. In contrast, the Lifetime adaptation shows the girls looking out onto the beach while playing a crossword. This sparks a flashback which unravels the entire story and journey of their intense friendship.
Other minor differences include the job C.C gets after Hillary moves in with her. In the original she performs telegrams, but in the Lifetime version she does an off-broad show, but both versions include her and Hillary developing feelings for a John that works with CC.
There are only a few other contrasting facts, but otherwise the movie stays true to form. Overall, I think the movie was good not great but good. While the movie did well to portray this endless love of friendship I think it failed to truly connect with the audience. The acting between the two main characters was great, but it seemed the depth of their connection was only as long as filming the movie. It just wasn't all that believable.
I think by recreating a beloved story line Lifetime did their job. I also believe that overall the story may just not be meant for a younger, millennial generation because it was harder to connect to.