Jane (Whoopi Goldberg) is a gay night club singer looking to get out of NYC to LA. Real estate agent Robin (Mary-Louise Parker) puts an ad in the papers looking to drive to San Diego with somebody. At first, Jane doesn't get along with Robin, the whitest woman in the world but her car gets towed and she doesn't have many choices. They stop at Pittsburgh to see Jane's flirtatious friend Holly (Drew Barrymore). Holly's boyfriend Nick gets violent and she hits him with a bat. They tie up Nick and go on the road. Nick is found dead and Holly reveals that she's pregnant. Robin is sick with AIDS. The trio settle in Tucson 3 months later. The very pregnant Holly goes out with police officer Abe Lincoln (Matthew McConaughey). Bar owner Alex falls for Robin.

The first half is a road trip like 'Thelma & Louise'. It seems to be going for the same outlaw vibe but then they settled in Tucson. The movie has to restart over again for the second half. I don't like the reboot in the middle of the movie. The missing three months should have some compelling drama. The three actresses are great performers. That's why they do so well together. The second half is not quite so compelling. There are new characters. The trio doesn't always stay together. The trial is like a side trip. The tension from the first half fizzles out in the second half.

This film by The Sunshine Boys director Herbert Ross is quite a good drama with very small elements of comedy. Basically lesbian Jane (Whoopi Goldberg) is a night club singer, out of work. AIDS suffering Robin (Mary-Louise Parker) is a quirky real estate agent looking for a ride-share to accompany her to California, this is answered by at first unsure Jane. In Pittsburgh they pick up a third, one-night stand and man loving Holly (Drew Barrymore),escaping a violent and drug-dealing partner. It starts as a road trip, and focuses on reaching understanding, respect, and care for each other. I did trail off in a few places, but when I was paying attention, it was a very pleasant film. Good!

You can't say there aren't good roles written for women after having seen Boys On The Side. Three plumb parts are written here for Mary Louise Parker, Whoopi Goldberg, and Drew Barrymore and another good one for Anita Gillette as Parker's mother.

Parker is in need of someone to share road expenses on a move west and Goldberg answers an advertisement in New York. When they get to Pittsburgh they add on a pregnant Drew Barrymore fleeing from an abusive drug dealing boyfriend Billy Wirth.

The last time I saw a film with a plot premise like this was Kalifornia where David Duchovny takes on a psychotic Brad Pitt as a traveling companion with their respective women. That one was deadly serious and I do mean deadly film. In a much lighter vein Charlie Ruggles and Mary Boland got Burns&Allen and a large great dane in Six Of A Kind.

Boys On The Side falls between these other films in its humor ratio. The trenchant observations the women have about life and love are the best part of the film. All three have secrets we all learn, one of them is dying.

Best two scenes in the film are Goldberg on the stand giving as good as she gets with prosecutor Dennis Boutsikaris and Parker and Gillette having a good mother and daughter hair letting down.

Matthew McConaughey got some early attention here as a deputy sheriff who falls for Barrymore. It's a real difficult part and I'm not sure McConaughey avoided being too much a Dudley Do-Right.

Still more than just cast member fans will find something to like with Boys On The Side. It will grow on you.