Steel yourself. You’re about to laugh ’til you cry and cry ’til you laugh.
OK, that was as corny a line as I’ve ever written, but that’s exactly what happened to me while watching Lifetime’s remake of “Steel Magnolias.”
For the most part, it’s very difficult to remake a classic that women, in particular, hold near and dear. Messing with a classic like “Steel Magnolias” — which originally hit the big screen in 1989 with stars including Shirley MacLaine and Julie Roberts — is tantamount to running over the town Christmas tree.
But Lifetime has assembled one of the finest casts of actresses—maybe the finest cast of actresses—ever put together for a TV movie.
If you remember the original, and you wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t, this is the story of a group of Southern women whose strong lives unfold during their weekly beauty parlor visits, holiday parties and other celebrations.
The women are played by Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad, Condola Rashad, Jill Scott, Alfre Woodard and Adepero Oduye.
The story has been changed up a bit—for one thing it’s an all-African-American ensemble with Queen Latifah playing M’Lynn, the mother of Shelby (Condola Rashad), who — despite warnings never to have a baby because of her diabetes — wants to have one not just for her husband, but for herself.
By the time the baby is a year old, Shelby is ill and needs a kidney transplant. Even though we all know what happens, somehow in the hands of these magnificent women, you’ll be wishing and hoping for a different ending.
It’s a year early, I know, but there’s no doubt that Queen Latifah just nailed herself an Emmy. No one else need apply. Now I’ve got to go put on new eye makeup. I’m a mess.