Review of The Banger Sisters (2002) by Jesse T — 08 May 2012

Written and directed by Bob Dolman, (who did the screenplays for Willow (1988) and Far and Away (1992)), this is a light hearted comedy-drama about reunion and catching up on old times. It's got a good pairing, but sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it has it's moments of fun throughout.

Suzette (Goldie Hawn) is an ex-groupie who works behind the bar at Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles, a famous rock venue back in the day. When Suzette is sacked for drinking on the job, she ends up penniless, and in a moment of nostalgia, she decides to drive out to Phoenix, Arizona to meet up with her old groupie friend Vinnie (Susan Sarandon).

At a gas station, with an empty tank and no money for fuel, she picks up neurotic writer Harry Plummer (Geoffrey Rush), who is on his way home after failing to make it big in LA. In Phoenix, Suzette is reunited with Vinnie, and finds out she is a conservative mother with two spoilt, obnoxious daughters Hannah (Erika Christensen) and Ginger (Eva Amurri Martino), and is in a rut.

But, Suzette seems to come along at the right time. It's gently amusing with some good laughs and good rock and roll anecdotes, it's like Almost Famous for the middle aged generation. The sad thing about the film is that Goldie Hawn hasn't made another one since this came out, whereas Sarandon and Rush's careers have gone from strength to strength.

Let's hope Hawn returns soon.