28. ‘The Stepford Wives’ (2004)
Frank Oz’s black comedy remake of the classic thriller is a mess, but the performances are so fun you can almost forgive its confused tone (not to mention the twist on the original’s twist is a great way to keep things fresh). A TV exec recovering from a nervous breakdown, Kidman and her family head to the suburbs for a fresh start (and maybe a more colorful wardrobe, her husband hopes), where Kidman is quickly alarmed by the eerily cheerful wives of Stepford. And though Kidman gravitates towards more serious projects, she finds the comedy in Joanna’s severe black bob and among the Lily Pulitzer prints in Connecticut, delivering zingers perfectly balanced on the knife’s edge of sincerity and spoof. The movie was a critical misfire (and a troubled production), so we have been deprived of more Kidman comedy performances. What a shame. —MP