User reviews

I went on to check some of the credits of the women in this film after watching it and I came across a needlessly negative review, so I just wanted to offer my take.

I've known actresses (or should I say actors?) in this business as well as casting directors and I hate to say this documentary has it right. It's especially rough for women in this business and I think it's good for people to see smart, articulate women speaking about their experiences. In a way it's hard to compare this to the previous film about male actors because I think this is about so much more.

I guess I was bothered by the previous review I read because A) I actually think this is a better produced film than THAT GUY... and B) I think squashing the voices of some pretty impressive women working in this business by telling people not to see this is counterproductive. But that's what opinions are for, I suppose.

Anyway, cheers to these women who have found peace and joy in being working actors, who know how lucky they are, even with all the challenges they've faced along the way.

I kept thinking of Patricia Arquette at the Oscars while watching this. Did the filmmakers know she was going to give that speech?

If' you've ever watched a TV show or gone to a film and said, "I know her face from somewhere," this is for you. Entertaining and informative, the documentary profiles actresses whose name you may not know, but whom you've seen as guest/bit/supporting players for decades. Their insights and anecdotes about Hollywood's history of "age-ism" which impacts the careers of actresses far more than of actors, the obstacles and difficulties women in Hollywood face are insightful without being vindictive or bitter. There are so many skilled and professional women in this category that I wish there were follow-up documentaries featuring other gals who were in that thing.

I really enjoyed That Guy... and was very excited to learn that the filmmakers were giving the ladies of Hollywood their fair shake as well. This is a very well made doc, the women who are interviewed are insightful, funny and excruciatingly self-aware. I think this is an important movie because it's one thing for us to hear well-known female stars talking about inequality in Hollywood when they are making big paychecks and have their names above the titles. But it's a wholly different thing to hear from the women who have been working their butts off in Hollywood and are barely known. If you don't recognize who most of these women are I think it proves the point. They are literally in every thing and have been for a long time. Because they are not Gwyneth or Sandra, Julia or Jennifer doesn't mean they should be invisible. It doesn't make their stories or their work any less valid. The men and women featured in these documentaries are the backbone of the industry and we should be paying more attention to them. Bravo!

Documentaries on movie stars can be found virtually everywhere. But this doc (as well as its predecessor "THAT GUY...") tells compelling stories about some of those great actors whose names aren't above the title. "THAT GAL..." is a brilliant, honest, heart-breaking yet inspirational look at the intrepid pros whose names may be hard to remember but whose performances are unforgettable.

You'll recognize Paget Brewster from the 2015 season of "COMMUNITY" and Roxanne Hart from the legendary sci-fi classic "HIGHLANDER". Roma Maffia was particularly memorable in "DISCLOSURE" as well as the Johnny Depp thriller "OUT OF TIME". And Jayne Atkinson has been a pillar of "HOUSE OF CARDS","CRIMINAL MINDS", as well as "24". What these and the other actors in the documentary illustrate are the often harsh but occasionally glorious realities of the acting business. This is not a puff-piece and it's not a tawdry expose. It's a refreshing peek into what it takes to make it as a professional actor -- namely: passion for the art form to motivate yourself and the grit to endure the tough times. This is a must-see for all aspiring actors as well as for those struggling actors who want to remind themselves that this business is hard for almost everyone but worth it if you can keep going.

"That Gal" is the sequel to "That Guy…Who Was In That Thing", in which known male character actors talked about their careers. Now it's the ladies turn! I really wanna give a little praise to the producers of this film for finally putting the spotlight on to these very talented actresses. I enjoyed the the first film very much, but the in-depth interviews and the inside stories of what it's like to be an actress in the male dominated industry make this second edition much more interesting.

The film focus on 8 character actresses who open up about their experiences making it in Hollywood. Every topic is raised; sexism, race, age, and the pressure to stay beautiful and/or thin. And how the choices of doing nudity or having a child can effect the course of these women's career. "That Gal" is not only educational, it's entertaining and quite touching.

It's inevitable that a "sequel" has to be compared to the original even if it's about a relatively different theme (actresses versus actors.) "That Guy" was an honest and refreshing look at the life that an actor goes through in the industry both positive and negative without much emphasis on gender issues. Heck, I can't think of a single instance in which what a man might go through as an actor was discussed (for example, how does a male character actor go through periods of unemployment with this dating life in a city where appearance of affluence is everything?) With "That Gal", it was almost entirely about feminist issues. Not to say they aren't valid or useful especially to the context of what women go through in the industry but a lot of the issues are well known by now (cosmetic surgery, ageism, etc.) These are interesting women but sadly hearing them chat across a dinner table like on the View made me fast forward through segments On Demand.

Granted, sequels have a problem in the best original material has already been mined for the original so the writers either need to dig deep or go with a new theme and they did the latter. Also missing from the sequel I would have liked was the way in the original they explained "where are they now" about each of the actors at the end. I actually shed a tear for the actor who had passed away between filming and release in the Guy's version.

Ironically, the theme of the film that Hollywood is sexist and typecasts women was a flaw precisely with this documentary. Rather than being about women who are actors, it became about stereotypical women's issues as actors. With Guys, I felt like I was getting an inside look into what the actors thought. With Gals, it was like I was getting something they thought the producers might want to hear. Pity.

I watched this as a fan of many of the actresses, and wasn't prepared for how touched I was by their experiences. I was a bit taken aback when I came here and saw the negative reviews of the film and it's content. It wasn't anything new - as a woman, it's easy to see that as we age, we see less and less ourselves reflected back in media as anything but mothers/grandmothers/the occasional woman in charge. And while women are all those things, we lose the concept of women being anything more than that; especially in TV and film. It's frustrating, and disturbing, and it was wonderful to see that recognized. The concept of sexism in Hollywood is not new; but it seems as though we are just starting to shine a light on ageism when it comes to women in Hollywood. In fact, I liked this documentary so much that I insisted 3 of my (female) friends watch it the weekend after it aired with me. We sat in stunned and sad silence as we saw the realities of aging "out" in an industry that values youth and beauty over experience and maturity.

It was also inspiring to see that these women continue to seek out roles, and I hope that they do so. Some of them talked about heading towards producing more, and while I love that they're seeking out new challenges, I hope they don't disappear from our screens. It's important for us to see women that look like us; that age and still have a "femininity and strength" as Jayne Atkinson says in the film. Women that have wrinkles, and grey hair, but are still shown in roles where they aren't relegated to mom/grandma/bitch alone.

I saw this in Nextflix (which has a limited service in Ireland but charges the same money) and am surprised to learn I missed the first film.

Thanks to the ladies for telling the truth and putting it on film. I've tweeted and posted on FB that people should watch this.

I guess, its easy to assume that beautiful people have it easy and that's not necessarily the case. (A casting director would perhaps class me as straight woman who looks like an Irish lesbian nun). Excellent point about tax deductions wrt beauty treatments! Why hasn't SAG lobbied for that??

I'm a lawyer and we get type cast as well. Women often do property and probate which is the tougher work, involving client hand holding but also suject to ups and downs. While men often do litigation, which has a longer time frame and more stable. Most lawyers nowadays are women but those running the firms are men. There is nothing creepier than a man who encourages the younger, female staff to massage his ego (ok there are some things creepier but not in an open office). If I'm tough, people call me a 'bitch' but if a male colleague is tough 'he's negotiating'.

In politics, getting women to vote for women is hard work and we need to encourage all women to jump the rail. Why don't we support women? Women do most of the work on this planet and have little of the power.

When it comes to the money I spend, I try to target women - even my mechanic is a woman (in business with her brother). Books by female writers. Music by female artists. The radio and TV I catch, I only listen to female hosts.

As women, we have a responsibility to say 'I will support other women with every dollar I spend'. Then women will have 54% of the roles!

I was really excited for the female version of That Guy, and That Gal certainly delivered. With a cast of women demonstrating a wide range of film and TV credits, the documentary painted a frank picture of what it means to be a woman in entertainment, particularly of a certain age. This also seems to be an appropriate time for its release, given that statistics of working women in Hollywood have actually dropped over the past several years and the conversation surrounding feminism (aka equality for women) is gaining some momentum. It's helpful and impactful to see That Gal put familiar faces and their experiences to statistics. Not to mention, That Gal is also entertaining. Definitely worth seeing!

"That Gal" was truly entertaining and insightful.This film is a fantastic contribution to the conversation of women in entertainment. As a young woman working my way up in the industry, this film has help to increase my awareness of the pressures that female actors face. In turn, I feel inspired to speak out on behalf of women both in front and behind the camera. The female actors who are interviewed are extremely honest with the struggles they have faced throughout their careers, but also prove that women can have/do it all! Also, I want to commend the director/producers of this film for shinning a light on this topic and I look forward to their future projects!

This documentary was as interesting to watch as the first one ("That Guy").

I am not an entertainment industry 'insider', and probably fall under what a reviewer here labeled as "someone with minimal intelligence who's not aware of how tough the entertainment business is?" However, I do love movies, and follow good TV shows, etc. This documentary gives people like me the opportunity to hear the experiences and opinions of the actors that have been at it for years, and I for one, would have never have had the opportunity to hear their stories if not for these documentaries.

They answered the questions with candor. I didn't interpret their stories as 'moaning or complaining'. They were asked questions, and they answered.

I heard in a related 'pod-cast' that there is a "Star Trek" edition in the works from the same producers of this series. Looking forward to watching that one as soon as it's out!

I was so excited for this, I loved the previous film. I thought it was a great idea talking to character actors about their work. Was expecting the same here, maybe they would interview well known character actresses such as Patricia Clarkson, Margo Martindale, CCH Pounder, Loretta Devine, S. Epataha Merkenson, Constance Marie, etc. Actresses you've seen again and again talking about their work, their lives, and their families.

What a letdown!! I Only recognized Paget Brewster, Roma Maffia and Catherine Hicks, had no clue who the others were. Mainly because I don't watch crap t.v. Paget Brewster was the only one talking any sense. None of these actresses talked about anything other than their gender, and how rough their careers and lives are because of they're women. That's all why talk about for an hour and a half!

I think that this was the aim of the film. Unlike the previous one which was to actually shed light on being a working character actor. This was just non stop bitching and moaning. I have to admit though Paget's stories were touching I felt bad for her about being molested. I wish she had pursued legal action. Whoever the ass hat was he needs to go to jail.

Flat out bad filmmaking!

All women have completely different experiences, different personalities, and different expectations. We do not share any common identity, so stop trying to force one on us. Thsi moaning and complaining is old and tired. No oen deserves to be giuvena break because of their gender, and you should expect fierce competition for coveted roles. In fact, this whole thing is alie as we well know in Hollywood it on ly matters who you are related to, nothing else. Its alm ost like Medieval Europe, or India with a caste system, and anyone that has an original thought, or harbors an outsider is quickly ban ished. Why do you think alkkl m ovies and TV shiows these days are such a complete bore?