Zwei Männer um Natalie

It's hard to put my finger on exactly what I liked about this movie. The three lead actors, especially McNamara and Shue are certainly a big part of it. The interesting locations (Miami Beach). On-screen exploration of a person's rather eccentric religious beliefs in a very creative way. Some very creative daydream/mood-setting scenes. I really connected with certain elements of the plot: a person's feelings of loss/guilt over the death of a family member, the big-brother/little-brother relationship, along with a few more standard movie plot elements like "love triangle", etc. Overall, the movie has a sort of slow, dreamy quality. Not a good movie to watch if you're in the mood for action, car chases, gunfights, etc. Overall, not a whole lot happens in the movie. It is largely a character study and is tightly tied to McNamara's character's perspective. I am generally conservative with my ratings, but I rated this movie very highly. I have seen it several times and i find myself thinking about it a lot, even though it has been quite a long time since the last time I saw it. Not having heard anything about it or seen a preview, this is one of a very, very rare category of movies for me that i selected off the rack at the video store (probably when they were out of the other five movies i wanted to get) and ended up being blown away. Now I feel lucky for having found it. I only wish it would come out on DVD (as of 6/01, it is only available on VHS).

With "Stealing Home," this is William McNamara's best work. He subtly and effectively delivers the conflict and angst of Matthew Anderson, who has recently moved to Florida and taken a job as a Life Guard after the drowning death of his father. Cinematography and supporting cast (pre-'Vegas' Elisabeth Shue) are excellent as well. The story never strays from Matthew's dilemma, complicated by a sudden crush on his brother's girlfriend. If only we all had a direct phone line to Jesus.

Being a huge fan of Elisabeth Shue, i can't miss a movie with her in it. But nothing is happening here. Plenty of blah blah blah, slow pace and dull flashbacks. For fans only, fans of Elisabeth Shue... Five stars because it's not a low budget and for her beauty at this time, mid-90's.

I caught this tv movie late the other night...and I was pleasantly surprised. I know you can say almost anything about it's shortcommings and probably most of it is correct. ...But why did I watch this film and was I moved long after it had finished? Couple of reasons:

* the story: flawed and messy at times but really heartfelt. In a way not many films can measure up to...Especially towards the end where Matthew finally reaches the moment where he can let go of his feelings of guilt (for not being able to save his father). Water plays a special part in this story...His love for fish, his job in the pool, his fear of drowning... The thing where he talks to Jesus is funny...but should have been worked out better...

* the characters: likable persons in believable relationships. Although we do not know everything about them they make us care about them and what happens to them. The relationship that grows bewteen Matthew and Shue is very very touching.

* the acting. Very well acted by all of the three leads. McNamara stands out in a difficult performance. Watch the final scene where he breaks down: this is one of the most realistic "crying" scenes I 've ever seen...Compare this to the crying scene of a "great" actor like Edward Norton in American History X....It shows that there can be great acting in very small films, by relatively unknown actors.

* and last: Shue: This is the most charming, real and startling actrice in Hollywood today. It is so sad that she doesn't know how to pick the right parts. She is the only modern day actrice that comes close to capture the magic for the screen like Marilyn Monroe did in the fifties. She is immensely atractive without being too beautiful. Has a body that is not perfect but still you can't keep your eyes of her.

She is no Roberts, Jolie, Bullock or Diaz...but she shines brighter than all of those stars together. I think I sort of fell in love last night....

(This is a very unusual review coming from me...but I can't help it!)

Basically,this is a film about a guy who thinks he's Holden Caulfield,keeps flashing back to when he's about six years old,talks to Jesus from a payphone,and can't keep his hands off his older brother's girlfriend.My mind started to wander after about fifteen minutes.Skip this one unless you're really desperate.The acting isn't all that bad,and technically nothing is wrong with it,it's just that the story isn't particularly interesting.