Underrated, well-performed comedy from Fay Weldon's book (previously filmed as a British mini-series for television) about a common housewife who connives to get even with the self-absorbed romance novelist who stole her husband. Some of the jokes have a mean-spirited tone, but it was an interesting idea to have Roseanne Barr play her role (as the put-upon wife-turned-she devil) in a relatively low-key and allow Meryl Streep (as the colorful villainess) to ham it up. Sylvia Miles and Linda Hunt are lively in supporting roles, though both simply evaporate from the film's narrative after the midway point, this due to the film's episodic structure. Ed Begley Jr. isn't quite right as Roseanne's cheating husband--he looks like Streep's brother, not her lover--yet the film is funny and entertaining, if not always right on track. **1/2 from ****

Ruth Patchett (Roseanne Barr) is no trophy wife and she's desperate to impress her accountant husband Bob (Ed Begley Jr.). They have two kids. Mary Fisher (Meryl Streep) is a best selling romance novelist. Bob and Mary fall over each other at first glance. Ruth suspects it immediately. Bob has enough of Ruth and moves out calling her a "She-Devil". She makes a list of Bob's Assets; home, family, career, and freedom. She then sets off to destroy each item on the list. She starts work at a nursing home to get close to Mary's mother and befriends downtrodden nurse Hooper (Linda Hunt).

Roseanne is pushing her unpleasantness to the limits. This is a dark comedy that is concentrating on the dark and leaving the comedy to find its own way. It's a movie full of unpleasant characters being unpleasant. To its credit, somebody thought Roseanne couldn't do this unless she has a prominent mole on her face. There is no need to fear. Roseanne can be really be annoying with or without the mole. She does need more glee in her revenge. The comedy never truly takes off. It's a matter of tone and it's too down to be funny.

Both films are worth seeing, but the British TV version is much darker and takes the storyline to levels that are shocking when compared to the very Hollywood-ized version with Meryl Streep in her first comedy and TV star Roseanne Barr in her film debut. The idea of those quite opposite women starring opposite each other is a strange sight to even envision, but they only share a few scenes together. They do, however, share the leading man, and that is Ed Begley Jr. as an amoral accountant. He humiliates Barr at a dinner party to which Roseanne announces (in front of his parents and children) that he is having an affair. Begley storms out and Barr lets out a loud scream, her plans of revenge covering every important aspect of her no-good husband's life.

Reviews were sensational for Streep as the vain Mary Fisher who even gets a "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" spot while Barr spends time cooking her son's gerbil in a casserole and fuming over Begley's infidelity. Streep is thrilled when Begley moves in with her, but Barr's revenge has her dumping off the kids on them while she goes to work in the nursing home where Streep's mother (a very funny Sylvia Miles) resides. Once Roseanne takes Miles off her medication, mouthy Sylvia is ready to return to her daughter's mansion on the hill and adds more turmoil to Streep's already growing frustration.

The film also includes Academy Award Winning Linda Hunt as Barr's initial foe at the nursing home who becomes her best pal after Barr goes out of her way to start an employment agency for Manhattan wives abandoned by their husbands. This aides in her quest for revenge, and boy, for Barr, is it sweet. The film unfolds all of Begley's evils towards both women in his life, and before you know it, Barr is smirking and Begley prepares to learn a great lesson.

Reviews were not so sensational, however, for Roseanne, who in spite of her dead-pan acting (already famous for her starring role on her own TV series) but in retrospect, she makes this role more than just a revenge-seeking harpy. The sight of Barr trying to squeeze her way into a glamorous strapless evening dress is humiliating visually but many women could probably identify, and while they might not seek the same time of "War of the Roses" style revenge, enjoyed it on screen. Daytime soap star A. Martinez adds comic Latin sexuality to the studly butler tossed aside by Streep, while another soap veteran, Doris Belack, is memorable as Streep's agent. Mary Louise Wilson is delightfully imperious as Barr's boss at the retirement home.

If the film focuses mainly on Streep, Barr and Begley, the real credit thought must go to Susan Seidelman, the film's director, who prevents the film from becoming a man-bashing women's lib fest. Men can see the growing frustration in Barr's sometimes grossly dowdy character, and in the end, you really can see why she might all of a sudden quote Peter Finch in "Network" and scream, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"