I watched this film again recently after nearly ten years and was pleased to find that it's very much as I remember it. Emmanuelle Beart as the angel is a perfect mixture of stunning beauty, and playful innocence, all expressed using only facial expressions, and soft birdlike cooing sounds. Whether gleefully snarfing french fries, or bringing down the wrath of god on her enemies, she steals every scene she's in. It's easy to understand why everyone falls in love with her.
Special effects are mainly limited to a set of beautiful articulated wings, and a lovely flying sequence are quite effective, especially considering the films small budget.
Michael Knight holds up his end well enough, effectively likeable and sympathetic playing the standard befuddled hero caught in the middle. A shame we haven't seen more of him.
The three actors playing Jim's friends just manage to miss being annoying. Fortunately their antics are tempered by the fact that they obviously seem to care about him, not to mention they have some genuinely funny lines.
If there are any negatives to be found here, it's in the decidedly 'tacked on' ending. The original ending was supposedly quite lovely. Unfortunately some studio exec apparently decided it needed a 'happier' ending. Typical.
Also, Phoebe Cates as the spoiled 'jealous girlfriend' quickly grows tiresome and starts to grate on the nerves with her tantrums and shrill screaming. I guess some might find this sort of thing funny, but I found myself fast forwarding through all of her scenes. A shame really since she's such a lovely actress. In spite of the gripes though this is a pleasant and sweet enough little movie for those who enjoy romantic fantasies.
