| Director Ivan Reitman is known for making really great movies (Ghostbusters, Dave) and really dreadful movies (Junior, Father's Day), but basically he's as good as his script. With one of Hollywood's most prominent leading hunks and one of Hollywood's most prominent leading lesbian, Reitman just needed the palette to paint them with. Fortunately for all of us in the audience, by and large, Michael Browning's script is old school classic screwball adventure romance. |
| To dispense with the must-answer question, Anne Heche is a sultry heterosexual character, and her chemistry with Harrison Ford is really great. 'Nuff said. Ford and Heche have one of those old-school Cary Grant character-driven movie kind of relationships, bickering, witty banter, and finally, a genuine affection born out of more than just sexual tension or trauma. It's totally refreshing. Much as I have enjoyed some movie couples in the past year or so, these two really built something in the 2 hrs they had me in the theatre. |
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You'll notice my compliment to the script was tempered by a "by and large," and I don't recommend the movie at full price. The main impediments the movie faces is demanding too much of the world we live in - there are some modern pirates and a MacGyver/A-Team kind of construction sequence that just seems a bit much - but they are enjoyable none the less. Best of all are our leads, though, and the great, snippy dialogue. It's fun. The age difference is dealt with in the script and it's OK, really. |
| Ford is at least 400 years old and he has still got it. I know he wants to get out of leading man into character work, but damn, Harry, you fly your own planes (for real) and you can still pull of going shirtless. |
| Heche has her highbeams on the whole movie (oh! turkey's ready!) and she is working that sleeveless tropical charm and sexy woman-surviving angle. Yeah, sure, her eyeshadow is perfect at all times, but at least it's the natural look. Heche grows from whiny helpless tourist into a useful member of a team, and Ford softens into a more sympathetic guy. Back "home" at Macatea, their significant others divert us with their own funny dance. On Gilligan's Isle, the sexual tension starts and grows, a nice, easy slow burn but it's palpable and totally viscerally believable. |
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Reportedly the shoot was a blast for all concerned, and it comes off on the actors - we have a great time because they are. Seems like lately, actors (Demi Moore more than anyone) don't feel like they are really working unless they are miserable, and we can see it. Ick. But anyway, I dug it. I didn't even take all that many notes because it was such a fun ride. It stretches plausibility at times, but its OK. It's the movies. It's Hollywood back when starlets wore cat-eye glasses and leopard coats, and the men still opened the car door for them. It's a good date movie. |
| These reviews (c) 1998 Karina Montgomery. Please feel free to forward but just credit the reviewer in the text. Thanks. |
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