Watch Beaches
- PG-13
- 1988
- 2 hr 3 min
-
7.0 (29,257)
Beaches is a 1988 drama directed by Garry Marshall that explores the friendship between two women from different backgrounds who meet as young girls on the boardwalk of Atlantic City. The movie stars Bette Midler as CC Bloom, a talented but struggling performer from New York City, and Barbara Hershey as Hillary Whitney, a privileged but sheltered girl from San Francisco.
The film opens with CC Bloom performing at a Hollywood Bowl concert, where she dedicates a song to her friend Hillary, who she hasn't seen in years. Through a series of flashbacks, we see the two girls meet on the beach in Atlantic City when they are both 11 years old. CC is there with her father, who is a struggling musician, and Hillary is there with her family, who are celebrating her father's success as a lawyer.
Despite their different upbringings and personalities, the two girls become inseparable and vow to stay friends forever. They exchange letters and gifts over the years, and we see them as teenagers, college students, and young adults. During this time, CC pursues her dream of becoming a singer and eventually gets a job as a backup singer for a famous pop star. Meanwhile, Hillary graduates from law school and becomes a successful attorney.
As the years go by, the two friends face various challenges and obstacles. CC struggles with her career and personal relationships, while Hillary deals with a failed marriage and health issues. Despite these setbacks, they continue to support each other and remain close friends.
The movie culminates with a heartbreaking scene that takes place on a beach in Nantucket. Here, CC and Hillary confront each other about a misunderstanding and have a falling out that threatens their friendship. The scene is emotional and poignant, and both actresses deliver powerful performances.
Overall, Beaches is a touching and bittersweet film that explores the complexities of female friendship. Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey have great chemistry and bring depth and nuance to their roles. The film's themes of loyalty, love, and loss resonate deeply, and the movie's memorable songs, including "Wind Beneath My Wings," have become classics.
Beaches is a 1988 comedy with a runtime of 2 hours and 3 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.0 and a MetaScore of 46.