What I liked about the film "Beautiful Creatures" is that the lead female characters, Petula and Dorothy, are not strong women initially. They have allowed themselves to be dominated by physically, mentally and sexually abusive men. Neither seem to be capable of helping themselves out of these relationships. But, ironically, they each have the ability to help the other. And in helping each-other, they find the strength that had been beaten out of them. Even though the film addresses a serious subject, I found it to be very funny without making light of the domestic abuse issue. Susan Lynch is terrific as Dorothy, the fed-up heroine who comes to the aid of a stranger and finds herself facing murder charges. And "Mummy" fans will hardly recognize Rachel Weisz from her most familiar role as "Evie." Weisz is proving herself to be one of the most versatile actors making films today. There is an uninhibited quality about her performances that make every character she takes on totally believable.Beautiful Creatures was real fun to watch. It won't really change your outlook on life but will make you happier with the one you have. The plot is ridiculous, the coincidence make you feel like buying a lottery ticket, but it gets you involved. It moves on a pace and the humor is very non-PC but the naughtiness makes it more enjoyable. Susan Lynch and Rachael Weisz are superb actresses and seemed to enjoy the filming and this comes over. It is, however, morally corrupt but that is part of the fun once you switch your morals and brain off (don't try this at home).Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

It's an odd movie that my TV Guide gave too low a rating in my opinion. But the low rating is understandable because the movie IS so odd. Some may take it for a failed comedy. Others may see it as a murder story gone haywire.Mostly, it resembles Lina Wertmuller's "Seven Beauties" in that it's most serious moments are treated lightly, backed up by a score of period music that tells us not to take the events seriously. It's as if someone had tried to turn "Streetcar Named Desire" into a funny movie. And it partially succeeds.Dorothy is Susan Lynch, who comes to the aid of Petula (Rachel Weisz). Weisz's drunken boyfriend is beating the hell out of her -- don't worry, no blood -- and after downing him, Weisz and Lynch take him to Weisz's flat where they leave him in the bath tub, puking. He accidentally falls and dies. For various reasons, all of them specious, the two strangers don't want to go to the police, so they stash the body out on the balcony while they deliberate. Pluto, the sizable dog, acts genuinely in love with Lynch, and has a pivotal role in the story. No, kidding; either that dog is a damned good actor or Susan Lynch's pheromones are inordinately powerful.I won't bother going through the rather complicated plot except to say that everyone winds up mincemeat except for Lynch and Weisz, who run off with a couple of million pounds, plus Pluto who is minus an ear.The acting is fine on everyone's part. Weisz is all gussied up like a blond tart but she looks striking, with her black eyebrows, dark gypsy eyes, and flattish nose in that wan environment.Nobody acts quite the way you'd expect them to, and if they try, the trick often fails. There's the dispassionate Detective Inspector, Alex Norton, for instance. Suspecting that the disappearance of Weisz's boy friend is part of a kidnapping plot he visits her at home while she has only a bath towel wrapped around her. She bends over and most of her breasts are exposed for a moment. Norton notices it but pays no attention. A cold-blooded cop, right? Except that he sneaks into her flat one night leans over her bed and while whispering about the vile things he'll do to her, he slips a shotgun under the covers between her knees. Gulp. Where did THIS guy come from? It's rather like that, all the way through, so I can understand TV Guide's not quite knowing how to handle the movie. I, for one, enjoyed it despite it's occasional sluggish moments.

I am surprised this has got as low a rating as it has, I thought the movie was quite enjoyable. I doubt men would like it as much as I do though, it is a bit of a chick flickI don't normally like chick flicks, but this one had more than enough substance and wasn't cheesy or boring at all. It has a great cast. A feel-good movie with an interesting plot and ending. Also, the drug scene was very well done IMO. I don't know what movie I could say it is similar to, but his movie is about two women, taking charge of their lives despite controlling, detrimental male influences. I guess the closest would be Thelma and Louise? They commit and attempt to cover up a crime.

We sat through "Beautiful Creatures" in the hope that it would get funny or at least get better. It did neither. On DVD in Australia it's rated MA15+ but probably should be R for violence and drug use. What a waste of two great female leads! The scenes of physical abuse, threatened violence and forced drug taking are appalling. This film has absolutely no redeeming features and is a waste of film stock. It adds nothing to the human condition - not that every film has to do that by any means, but it doesn't entertain or amuse either Take my tip, just don't bother. An this is coming from someone who can usually find something good in any film.