Barbra Streisand plays a dowdy New York Jewish intellectual who gets a makeover and ends up as a permed Babs Streisand who looks like she just stepped out of a drag queen revue. Jeff Bridges - woefully miscast in ways that he probably still can't fathom - adjusts his spectacles and thinks of better days as he gamely falls for our heroine.
Rose (Streisand) thinks that she can spice up her marriage with a some make-up and diet but little knowing that the platonic lack of passion is exactly what her emotionally stunted fellow University professor husband (Bridges) wants.
Richard LaGravanesse's screenplay does make some sharp observations, while the Oscar nominated Lauren Bacall excels as Babs' domineering mom, but Streisand the über-star (plus director) dominates the movie to its detriment.