Beaches
Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey (1988, Touchstone)We tried distracting ourselves with Hershey's famously plumped-up lips, but despite our best efforts, the ultimate in chick flicks had us boo-hooing in the end. Meeting as kids on the beach in Atlantic City, the precociously showbiz-driven CC (Midler) and the properly upper-crust Hillary (Hershey) form a fast friendship that spans more than three decades. Seeing each other through all life throws their way, including death, the bond is occasionally tested but never breaks. Their dedication culminates during the final summer they spend together back at the beach while Hillary wastes away from cardiomyopathy.
KLEENEX MOMENT Hillary's death, the depth of CC's loss, and that darned ''Wind Beneath My Wings'' playing through scenes of the funeral, and CC's adoption of her friend's daughter.
WHY WE TEAR-JERKED IT Hate us if you like, spew vile epithets at us if you will, but if forced to choose between a good movie that makes us cry and a bad one, we'll always choose the good one. And let's face it, ''Beaches'' is a trite, sappy, over-manipulative bad movie. Sorry.
