The Mirror Has Two Faces

Right now you can watch The Mirror Has Two Faces in the US on Netflix — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 391 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Barbra Streisand is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Netflix.

The Mirror Has Two Faces is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The Mirror Has Two Faces gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Rose Morgan, who still lives with her mother, is a professor of Romantic Literature who desperately longs for passion in her life. Gregory Larkin, a mathematics professor, has been burned by passionate relationships and longs for a sexless union based on friendship and respect. Barbra Streisand and Jeff Bridges lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1996. What keeps The Mirror Has Two Faces from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

The Mirror Has Two Faces is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Barbra Streisand sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.