Mike Nichols' hilarious reworking of the classic French farce
La Cage aux Folles is a treat, spiced up with additional moments of contemporary political satire.
Nathan Lane and
Robin Williams are marvelous as two gay lovers who run a South Beach nightclub featuring Lane's female impersonations. Williams has a grown son from a previous marriage, who is engaged to the daughter of a stodgy right-wing politician (
Gene Hackman). When it comes time for the two families to meet, the fur flies in an uproariously funny dinner scene which is the film's highlight. Also featuring a wonderful turn by
Hank Azaria as Williams' flamboyant chef, whose attempts at "butching it up" for the dinner go scandalously awry, The Birdcage is a delightfully engaging comedy. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide