Boys on the Side is a women's road picture with the unlikely (which makes it funny) combination of Whoopi Goldberg, Mary Louise Parker, and Drew Barrymore, directed by Herb Ross. The three set out, all for different reasons, to go across country in Parker's vehicle. Whoopi is a lesbian musician, Mary Louise is a yuppie hetero with AIDS and Drew is a free spirit, sexually and otherwise, who may have killed off her abusive drugged-out male paramour.
The performances are wonderful. Whoopi is better than ever, more subdued at times, and as always, very likable. Mary Louise goes from prim and compulsive to free and impulsive and engenders a lot of audience tears in the bargain. Drew is a delight with a knack for comedy that we haven't seen before. Had this been released earlier, there undoubtedly would have been Academy Award nominations for the actors.
I can't wait to go back a second time and we all should go at least once if only to show Hollywood that we will support films dealing with issues with which women can identify.
--Peg Yorkin