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.

This is my favorite film of all time. It has everything you want in a film.It is funny and has plenty of action throughout. It is also so sad, anyone who doesn't cry must be emotionally retarded. I especially love Mary Jane Parker in this film even though all the actors are great.The film has so many great lines in it too and who would have known Whoopi Goldberg has a decent singing voice. I strongly recommend everyone to watch this. Its just a shame i cant get this on region 2 DVD anywhere so i have to watch it on video which is not great.

This film is about the friendship of three women who goes onto a road trip, after an accident that goes horribly wrong.I find the film incredibly plain and dull. The characters are not likable, and I do not care much for them. Holly, in particular, is annoying and stupid. The domestic violence part gains her some sympathy, but confessing it to the wrong person is plain silly. As a result, the plot becomes contrived. The way the story is told is plain, with almost no emotional ups and downs. The only thing that holds my interest is Robin's illness, but even that is not so well developed. Her condition could have been a lot more dramatic and touching, but the whole subplot fails to engage or captivate. In short, I find "Boys on the Side" boring. I can only say I am not the target audience of this film.

Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker and Drew Barrymore may initially sound like the casting idea if one wanted to make a film with some really strong miscasting. However, the chemistry between the three actresses works a little better than one might expect in this 1994 Warner Brothers release. It all has to do with the sometimes comedic and sometimes dramatic adventures of a lesbian singer (Goldberg) who's currently unemployed, her real estate agent new lover (Parker) and a drug addled friend (Barrymore) who leads them all on the run after she fatally assaults her abusive boyfriend. Through it all, they form an inseparable bond as they go on a cross country road trip to evade the cops. Not a classic by any means but worthwhile viewing.