Forces of Nature

After reading the back of the video box about the "whirlwind romance" and the plot about Ben heading towards his wedding and meeting a "free-spirited" woman who teaches him how to have fun, I didn't have much interest in seeing it. It sounded extremely trite, and I'm not too interested in Bullock or Affleck either. I was very surprised at the sharp dialogue and humor. And even though every frame of this film looked like a jeans commercial, I *liked* the cinematography and hip, colorful locales. Of course the whole thing was totally unbelievable and the various events that occur are a bit overdone... but I liked it anyway. I am a sucker for road movies, so that was part of the appeal for me... traveling, different locations (the laundromat, the snack bar with the giant globe and the Big KMart at 2AM). I expected Ben's bride-to-be to be a crashing bore or uptight priss, so the audience would root for Sarah and Ben. But she was funny and sharp also, and you don't feel like the marriage would suck all the life out of Ben as it seemed to have for others in the film. All of the things Ben overhears about marriage sucking is pretty funny. I only post here about movies that make an impression on me, whether good or bad... and this one made an impression. I liked it. And no one is more surprised about that than me.

A man (Ben Affleck) sets out to fly from New York to Savannah to be married to his bride (Maura Tierney), but circumstances compel him to use other means of transportation with an attractive, but screwy traveling companion (Sandra Bullock). Will this new relationship and their misadventures change his plans over the course of the next two days?

I'm a sucker for road movies and Affleck is great as the principled protagonist, but Bullock's character, Sarah, is so erratic she becomes seriously irritating by the midpoint that it's hard to see how anyone would find her appealing, at least as a possible lifelong companion. Thankfully, the sights are interesting and the pair's mishaps are amusing enough (although I feel the script needed a rewrite to flush out better prospects). In addition, the last act is actually ballsy and totally changed any negative feelings I had. The movie's not really anti-marriage; it just shows the awful truth and potential glory. In other words, it's realistic and balanced.

What's funny is that Roger Ebert expressed outrage over the climax and called it smarmy. All I can say is he didn't 'get' it because it's not disingenuous at all. In fact, it's revelatory; and wholly fits. I don't want to say anything more because I don't want to spoil it. Reflect on the key points and everything makes sense.

The film runs 1 hour, 45 minutes and was shot in New York City, Washington DC, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Steve Zahn is on hand as the best man.

GRADE: B-/C+

Forces of Nature isn't a very deep film. It isn't fluff, and it's isn't unimaginative either. Sandra Bullock in her role as Sara, who stars opposite Ben Affleck was aptly cast. I can't pick a better actress for the part, and the things that pop out of her mouth are unexpected and just plain funny. Yes, there's a little bit of drama involved, but overall, it's a comedy like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. And you should watch it as a sort of free-wheeling comedy. Overall, not a bad film. I wouldn't consider it Bullock's best, but it's definitely not her worst either. If you're looking for a light-hearted, plot packed, rainy day movie to watch, then this is the movie for you. Overall, I give it a C+.

It seems on the surface to be a romantic _planes, trains and automobiles_ but at times tried for something more, where it failed miserably. Some may like the nontraditional ending, but the attempts at "deep insight" into the world of marriage flopped around not really going anywhere.

But if you were interested by the story, the movie tried other methods to distract you. The unnecessary special effects, of which the falling rain was the most obvious, served to do nothing but annoy. The camera-work is erratic at best.

One note of caution, however. My movie experience as a whole was less than satisfying, sitting in the first row with a group of young'uns around...

Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck star in this romantic comedy. Ben (Affleck) gets stranded in New York when his plane skids out of control, the trouble is he is getting married in 2 days and his only way back seems to be a ride with a free-spirited traveller called Sarah (Bullock)

The duo get into lots of trouble on their road trip and the results are pretty amusing. Affleck and Bullock both provide nice performances without ever excelling in the roles, the screenplay is nicely written and the direction is nice also.

Basically it's a nice movie, with enough humour and charm to entertain, but it will never be a classic. 6/10