It's very easy to criticise a film like "for the boys", after all it is sentimental and there is singing, a sure fire vote killer. Despite this I liked it, in fact I more than liked it. Why because it has a heart it may be sentimental sometimes but it works, the singing works, and there isn't that much of it.<br /><br />The reason this film really works is Bette Midler that age old phrase a tour de force is the only thing that you can say, the woman is fantastic. Sassy, vulnerable, moving. She brings to the part a great depth and an impressive range of emotions, most of which are underplayed, making them all the more powerful for it. Well deserving of her Oscar nomination and a little robbed not being chosen as the winner. James Cann is also very good and the production values are high well written and all in all much better than you might think.<br /><br />Yes there are some dodgy bits like the old age make up, though the makeup in the sixties was better, the ending is weak and it was a pity to go out with a whimper considering the rest of the film had such balls. These though are not enough to spoil the film.