JABrown

Okay, I admit this film isn't quite as good as the original. But aside from that, it really isn't as bad as it's being made out to be.

In my opinion, the biggest flaw was that it was supposed to be the `very' next year, but in reality the movie was filmed five years later. This really showed with some of the characters. Rick Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) was a rookie in the first film, but he's obviously not a kid anymore in this one. When Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger) first stepped out of the taxi at the beginning of this movie, he looked so much older that it was stunning. And Margaret Whitton (Rachel Phelps) had aged so much and gained enough weight that I literally didn't even recognize her at first. All of this just took a while to get accustomed to, not to mention Willie Mays Hayes now being played by a different character. They just casually slipped that in there like we weren't supposed to notice, but I never really could accept this as being the same character that I loved so much in the first film.

As far as the comedy, it's a bit more slap-stick than the original. The character of Rube Baker (played by Eric Bruskotter) is likeable, but borderline goofy. Also, Roger Dorn's character (played by Corbin Bernsen) has transformed from an egotistical bad-boy to a wimpy cry-baby. I had trouble believing that was the same character as well.

But all of that aside, I still liked this film pretty well. It just took me a while to adjust to the changes. I enjoyed it better the second time I watched it, once the initial shock had worn off.

First, let me note that I have seen many reviews labeling this as a `chick flick'. And while it is a romantic drama, let me dispel the stereotype by classifying that I am a straight male, mid-thirties, who was absolutely taken in by this movie.

This is as good as romantic dramas get. It is passionate, it is deep, and the story is captivating. I would liken the romance of this movie to be on the same level of Titanic and Pearl Harbor, yet the plot may fall closer to Sweet Home Alabama (although not as much a comedy). For the guys who didn't like any of those movies, you may want to skip this one as well. But for the rest of us with a soft sentimental side, this is a must-see. While it didn't actually bring me to tears (as many of the reviews suggest) it will be a movie that I will purchase when it is released for buying.

One quick note: Many of the reviews on IMDB have suggested that the character was suffering from Alzheimer's. However, this is not the case. She was diagnosed with Dementia, which is not the same medical condition.

I'd give it at least a 9 out of 10.

I really tried to like this movie. And while it wasn't horrendous, I found myself getting more and more fatigued as it went along. It perked my interest enough that I was too curious to just turn it off. But it was SO SLOW MOVING that I felt like I was the one lost in a time machine. The acting was not bad, but the scenery was unchanging and boring. Although the ending was good, by the time it finally got there I didn't even care how it ended.