Barbra's 'transformation' - The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996) Discussion

[–] gossip_gurl_89 18 years ago

hahahaha, no its not just you, I always thought that every time i watch this movie. I actually think she looked better before LOL

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[–] R0fanJessie 18 years ago

I think part of the problem is that she's...Barbra. We know what she looks like. I think if we'd never seen her before, then the transformation would have seemed greater.

I used to not think there was a difference, but having seen the movie a bjillion times, I now DO think there is a significant difference.

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[–] stonehaven_lad 18 years ago

Like what, she got a perm? Big whoop. You still wouldn't. She looked like a bitter divorcee.

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[–] R0fanJessie 18 years ago

What do you mean bitter divorcee?? She wasn't divorced in the movie....

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[–] kharabear97 18 years ago

I don't think there is that much of a transformation. It's just her, only in color. ;0-D

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[–] R0fanJessie 18 years ago

hahaha

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[–] timothy-5 12 years ago

Exactly. If you had never seen her before, it would have been "Wow - she's much prettier." But since you already know what her usual appearance looks like, it's just "Oh, that's Barbra." I've gone through many alterations to my appearance, for over 20 years, and women are crawling all over the new me, so I understand Barbra's character. When she was in the classroom, and her students were flabbergasted over her new look, I thought she was going to say, "It's OK. I'm one of the 8 beautiful girls 8. The makeup helps - really! Where's my eyeliner? Has anybody seen my eyeliner?"

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[–] anastasiabeaverhausen1 18 years ago

While I do think she looks a little better after, I do agree that the big moment was pretty anticlimactic. A drastic makeover requires more than dying your hair and wearing tight clothes. She never looked fat, she just looked like she was wearing really baggy clothes. Not to mention I think her auburn hair was a more interesting colour.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] mathmaniac 16 years ago

Not much difference at all. I think it's funny that whenever a female character is attempting a transformation, she is shown on a treadmill or in an aerobics class.

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[–] SugarFreeSheila 11 years ago

I love that she was eating celery sticks ON the weight machines.

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[–] ValkyrieOakenshield74 15 years ago

Great point there.

A woman is the same with and without makeup and sexy clothes.

You are ugly, you are ugly dude, no matter the make up or fantastic clothes.

Society force women to make up and dress to look absolutely fine, gorgeous, OK thats fine, it doens makes you to looks decent, clean, fashion.. But Isn´t it a CHEATING?
You are ugly anyway, looks decent but ugly.

If you are a man and loves women with those make ups and gorgeous dresses, be honest YOU like it:: But then when you look at the real woman, then you say "Ugly bitch" and dump her.

But that´s so empty, completely empty.

Unfortunately society DEMANDS women to be like that, you can´t even work if your appeareance is not good enough, if you are not gorgeous at least in amke up and appeareance.

Its a man´s world, unfair world.

"Hey, do ya love me. I'm untouchable darkness!"

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[–] LordGaGa 14 years ago

:( i actually thought it was a great transformation. I saw the movie for the first time today and when i saw barbra at the beginning of the movie i knew at some point there was gonna be a makeover montage a la moonstruck. and i was kind of thinking...well its barbra, shes not ugly but how much better can it get. and i was pleasantly surprised lol. i thought she looked stunning. then again im gay and this is barbra were talking about, so it might just me be xD

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[–] markedjuan 14 years ago

It appears as if she transformed back into the hooker she played in Nuts. She should have gone for a classier, more elegant look.

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[–] thistledown-2 13 years ago

If she finally had her nose "done" she would have looked better....

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[–] strugglesthebear 13 years ago

It reminded me of Joan Crawford playing herself 20 years younger at the beginning of Strait-Jacket

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[–] InherentlyYours 8 years ago

If she finally had her nose "done" she would have looked better....

Indirectly, that was the premise of 69's ME, NATALIE (Al Pacino's first bit role) starring Patty Duke as an ugly-duckling who used prosthetics on her nose and upper lip to make herself look less attractive --though there was no physical transformation in the film, only a psychological one.

Streisand could had done the same thing with prosthetics, but she is too vain, or it never occurred to her.

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[–] rascal67 8 years ago

Streisand could had done the same thing with prosthetics, but she is too vain, or it never occurred to her.
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Hasn't Streisand always been ridiculed for her large Jewish proboscis though? Duke didn't have a large nose to begin with, Streisand didn't need to use prosthetics on hers to make it larger in this film, when it already was.

Her transformation in this film, is also more about how her character presents herself and she dresses like a frump to begin with and when not a frump, not in the best sense of style. She was also living in the shadow of a more confident sister, who appeared to make more headway in her life regarding men. She never thought she was attractive enough compared to her sister, or had the same sense of self-worth about herself. Not to mention living in the shadow of a mother who was a show pony and a bit of a narcissist herself. Interesting that, considering Streisand's own narcissism and it can make one wonder what her intention about her character in this film was, as enjoyable as it is. Did she want us to think that this is how the "real" Streisand feels about herself, or did as an ugly duckling?

Don't eat the whole ones! Those are for the guests. 🍪

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] crazymommyof4 12 years ago

I know this thread is old but it had been awhil since I had seen the movie and watched it last night. I think the transformation was more that she just need a boost to feel beautiful. I think she just became more confident in the way she looked and doing those things help give her the boost she needed.

I am slowly going crazy 123456 switch

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[–] susansmoose 12 years ago

i totally agree....

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[–] InherentlyYours 8 years ago

Dear: "I am a stay at home mommy to 4 beautiful kids":

No, I do not agree. People do not have significant self-esteem problems (with long talks with mom over it) because they need a "boost". That is how the whole plot is undermined. Either she needed a real transformation, or no transformation. At her age, she would know how to dye her hair and wear tighter clothes long beforehand.

But Miss Barbra compromised and lit herself too flatteringly in the before-dept. And she assumes she looks better in blonde hair.

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