Paul Magne Haakonsen I can't claim to be a fan of Bette Midler, and I bought this DVD solely because of David Hyde Pierce being in it. So I didn't have too high expectations for it. But the movie actually turned out to be quite alright.The story is about Jacqueline (played by Bette Midler) whose acting career is at a slump when she marries Irving (played by Nathan Lane) and her luck is about to change as he persists to push her forward to achieve more.What makes the movie good is the combination of good cast, the acting and the storyline. It is a nice warm story that does have some really good moments. And I am glad that there was more focus on the storytelling and the characters than it was on having Bette Midler perform various songs, show tunes and dances.Now, I said that I bought this movie simply because of David Hyde Pierce, and he delivered the goods. His character was fun and he performed with such elegance and grace. Just a shame that his role wasn't a bigger part in the movie. David Hyde Pierce is just a charming guy and has some impressive on-screen magnetism.I think that fans of Bette Midler will enjoy this movie tremendously and might actually say "isn't she great" while watching it."Isn't She Great", however, is not the type of movie that really warrants more than a single viewing. In my opinion, it just doesn't have the contents to manage more than a single viewing from the audience. But again, if you are a Bette Midler fan, who knows, it might just be able to do so.

richardhg This is not a review from the head, but from the heart and the gut. The literary genre to which 'Valley of the Dolls', Susann's first book, belonged had been first plowed by Grace Metalious with 'Peyton Place'. Metalious, reviled by the clergy for her steamy exposé of small-town America, nevertheless showed America's huge appetite for literary soft porn, and set the stage for the shock of 'Valley of the Dolls'.So this movie is a fantasy of how the book got written, and got successful, maybe, but if you can stop being a historian, and look at it as a fun romp, then you will really enjoy it. You need to be a fan of Bette Midler and Nathan Lane, but the number of delightful appearances of other well-known faces, all with great acting credentials, makes the fantasy work.What got me right from the outset was Hal David/Burt Bacharach's title song, 'On my way', sung by Dionne Warwick. This team also wrote/performed the title song, for the movie, 'Valley of the Dolls'. Hats off for continuity! And I am a sucker for David/Bacharach songs and Dionne Warwick's renderings. By the way, Amazon customers rate the soundtrack a solid five stars!I have the movie on DVD, and have shown it to women I know. They simply love it. Today, I watched it again. I had forgotten how excellent the music score is, and was again laughing at the humor, and the talented cast. The reason I got it out is because I am taking it up-country in a couple of days. One of the girls wants to borrow it to enjoy with her friends. I have hundreds of DVD's, and this is the only one she called and asked me to bring.

SatJoyceLeslie I really do not understand y everyone i meet says this movie was horrible. I thought it was hilarious. It was not the best movie I ever saw but it was definitely not the worst. It had some incredibly funny lines and the cast, especially Bette Midler was fantastic. The movie is not set in modern day life which is probably y so many people think that it is so out of the ordinary. And it is based on the true life of the writer of Vally of the Dolls. The actually events in the movie might seem unrealistic to some people but that is what actually happened. They did have a retarded son who they practically never saw which is y in the movie u Practically never see him. I thought the movie was great and people need to give it a chance. It is not a golden globe movie but it is definitely a feel good movie that can surly make you laugh out loud.

PeterB2422 I've caught "Isn't She Great" several times now (It seems to be eternally running on the movie channels).This was a monster flop when it came out, barely released, but it does a fine job of capturing the era.The main attraction of this film is the acting of the leads. Both Nathan Lane and Bette Midler can come off incredibly stagy on film, but their style works well with these characters. Jackie Suzanne was larger than life. They both manage to bring a true sense of sweetness to their roles.Particular note must be made of David Hyde Pierce as her editor. This actor fits very well in this era. Also, John Cleese is a hoot as the publisher. Wish there were more of him in the movie.Give this one a chance. A period piece from a currently unhip period.