YMMV / She-Devil

• Adaptation Displacement: Most younger audiences likely aren't aware of the fact that this movie is based, however loosely, on a book. Even fewer likely know the book itself had a much more faithful adaptation as a BBC miniseries three years before this film's release.
• Hollywood Homely: Averted, since frumpy Ruth is played by Roseanne, whose looks were never part of her appeal. Ruth does begin to wear more flattering clothing and starts covering her mole with concealer, though.
• Squick: Andrew's gerbil has a very unfortunate death when he accidentally winds up in the main course for the family dinner.
• She Really Can Act: Or, in Streep's case, do comedy. This was her first comedic role after making a name for herself as a dramatic actress, and she knocked it out of the park, leading to such roles as Defending Your Life, Death Becomes Her and Postcards from the Edge.
• Unintentional Period Piece: This movie is very definitely a product of its time. Late-'80s hairstyles, outfits, and attitudes. Robin Leach introduces us to Mary Fisher via an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. At one point Mary has a satellite dish installed for Andrew, and we see two fully-grown men struggling trying to set up a huge dish in the front lawn (most, if not all, satellite dishes of today are about as big as a dinner plate and attach onto the house). We see Nicolette spending all her time on a party line from a late-'80s cell phone. Nicolette's room has a Tiffany poster and Andrew watches some Wrestling/GLOW fight where the hair is larger than the muscles. To cap it all off, we even see a promotional poster for Tim Burton's Batman in Times Square in one scene!

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