Two aging rock groupies rekindle their friendship in The Banger Sisters, a frivolous little comedy starring Goldie Hawn and Susan Sarandon. When these former pals get together after 20 years apart, everything changes for each of them. Unfortunately, their reunion is more painful than funny to watch. 

After being fired from her job as a bartender, Suzette (Hawn) decides to visit old friend Vinnie (Sarandon). She recalls how close they were in the Sixties. Because they bedded so many rock stars back then, they were called the "banger sisters." Surely, Vinnie will help Suzette through her current financial crisis. But Vinnie has turned over a new leaf and wants to forget her past. Now married to a wealthy lawyer, she has two teenage daughters played by Erika Christensen and Eva Amurri (her real-life daughter, who is a riot in a very funny performance here), does social charity work, and always wears beige. When Suzette shows up in a colorful and outrageously sexy outfit, Vinnie, who demands to be called "Lavinia," refuses to welcome her with open arms. "You’re so uptight," Suzette observes.

"I’ll give you $5,000 to stay out of my life," says Lavinia. Insulted, Suzette turns down the offer. She also feels sorry for Vinnie -- not only because of her inability to deal with her spoiled daughters but also because of the lack of joy in her new life. Not to worry. Suzette works her magic by bringing the old dancin’ Vinnie back – complete with spiky hair, tight pants, and crude behavior. Does this shock Vinnie’s husband and children? Not as much as it disturbed me.

Yes, I know the message here is "be true to yourself." But why emphasize it by glorifying promiscuity? Watching gifted actresses like Hawn and Sarandon (both Academy Award winners) lower themselves to such material put me in a deep funk.

Still, a side story in The Banger Sisters did provide some intriguing moments for me. On her way to visit Vinnie, Suzette picks up a depressed writer intent on shooting someone when he reaches his destination. Geoffrey Rush (Oscar-winner for Shine) gives the most outstanding  performance of his career in this challenging role, thereby earning a spot on my short list for Best Supporting Actor of 2002. His character goes through tremendous emotional changes during the course of the movie, and Rush shows every nuance of the man’s feelings in his expressive face.

At the end of The Banger Sisters, my husband asked sarcastically, "Don’t you feel uplifted?" And I replied, "Only because this movie is over."

(Released by Fox Searchlight and rated "R" for sexual content, language, and some drug use.)