Barbara Hershey is wasted in a boring role.

Anything for a laugh, anything for a tear, and nothing much authentic.

Beaches epitomises the sort of triple-strength, three-hankie work you can expect from American women with three names and gives the lie to those who thought they stopped making women's pic heartstring-tuggers.

With the possible exception of Hershey, just about everyone in "Beaches" is pretty painful to watch.