Once again, Mel Gibson proves that he can take sub par material to an entirely new level. He did it with the kidnapping caper Ransom, and he did it earlier this year with the over-bloated revolution epic The Patriot. With What Women Want, Gibson gives his female fans what they've been clamoring for. He finally takes part in a romantic comedy.

In What Women Want, Gibson plays an ad executive who has a way with ladies. He knows what women want, or at least he thinks he does. Following a freak accident in the bathtub, Gibson soon realizes that he never knew a thing, when he discovers he can hear women's thoughts. What follows is a harmless, charming film, in which Gibson begins to observe the women he took advantage of. He also finds himself falling for Helen Hunt, a new ad exec who got the job he desperately wanted.

The film was directed by Nancy Meyers (Father of the Bride), and she gives the film an old fashioned vibe that echoes classics featuring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. In fact, if it weren't for a couple of sex scenes, you'd swear that this film came out in the 40's.

As stated earlier in this review, it is the charisma and effortless ease in which Gibson manages to carry himself through this picture, that really makes What Women Want work. He's never afraid to go out on a limb here (such as when he samples various female products). There's also a terrific scene in which he dances solo in his apartment to the tunes of Frank Sinatra. Complimenting Gibson, is Helen Hunt (the ex-Mad About You co-star seems to be everywhere these days) as the intelligent love interest. The stars have great rapport with one another and that's very important in a film like this. Some of the "Look Who's Talking" type dialogue did get a on my nerves a bit.

Some of it lacked the insightfulness of the baby picture, but I did think the timing here was impeccable. Much of the time, the actresses in this film are thinking the dialogue rather than speaking it, and facial reactions and timing are of the utmost importance. Thankfully, everyone is up to the challenge. I also liked that as the picture progresses, you begin to hear less and less of the women's thoughts, indicating that Gibson's character has begun to grow and really understands the opposite sex without use of his special gift.

On the negative side, there is a lot of unnecessary stuff going on here as well. Most notably, an intrusive sub plot featuring a shy, and reclusive desk clerk who may or may not be on the verge of suicide. I guess she was put into the film to further Gibson along in his transformation from chauvinist to man in shining armor, but I really could have done without it. It made the film a little too dark and dreary. I was annoyed by Ashley Johnson (Growing Pains). She plays Gibson's daughter in the film, and while she tries to create a true portrait of the American teen, she came across as a brat to me. I was also put off by how Gibson handles his relationship with an on-edge Marisa Tomei. In the end, she gets the worst end of the stick, and the resolution of their relationship felt like a cop-out. It goes against everything the new and improved Gibson stands for. The whole film is capped off by an ending that's...well...just sort of there. It just ends. It seemed a bit unfullfilling to me.

For the most part, What Women Want does what it sets out to do. It is a great date movie in the sense that it will really make a guy think twice about the girl he's sitting with in the theater. And in the hands of the suave and endearing Mel Gibson, it's a picture that ends up being far better than it could have been.