captbruce

Since a previous reviewer did a little recap on the background of the true events of the movie, I'll comment more about the movie itself... I just saw this movie tonight and I'd have to give this movie 3 and a half stars. The reason it doesn't get a full four is because while it is excellent, something just felt...missing. Was it too grand or not epic enough for me? I'm not sure. I know that, in my opinion, it isn't worth any Best Picture nominations. It's not even worth any actor nominations, although they are all very, very good. If anything, I think it should get a nod for direction and sound... The best thing I liked about the movie is that I forgot I was watching a movie. It sucked me right in (once the obligatory exposition in the beginning was done) and never let me go. Now don't get me wrong, it's not one pulse pounding minute after another--but it is action packed-- but it's simply engrossing. I agree with another reviewer that it is similar in its graphic-ness to "Private Ryan" in that you feel like you are in the trenches with these guys. Also, here's a kicker: half the cast is English or Australian, so it's funny to hear McGregor, Bloom, Isaacs, etc. talking like Bob from Arkansas. To sum up: Well worth your 8, 9, 10 bucks. It made me want to research more about the Somalian conflict and I don't doubt that was a goal of the filmmakers. And you will walk out of the movie respecting the heck out of our military men and women. The movie couldn't have been timed better if they tried. Don't listen to the hype, just see this excellent movie.

....but it's not great either. There's something missing.

One night while shopping at Bloomingdale's for their respective boyfriend and girlfriend, Sara Thomas (Beckinsdale) and Jonathan Trager (Cusack) both want the last pair of black cashmere gloves in the store. After some flirting, and telling a lame story to a guy who also wants the glove, they hit it off, decide to have a cup of coffee, and end up having the best spontaneous date in the history of film (BUT THEY BOTH HAVE A SIGNIFICANT OTHER. too funny to me). Sara believes that things are predestined, happen for a reason, but Jonathan's not buying it. To prove that if it's meant to be, they should continue this, she has him write his name and number on a five dollar bill and promptly puts it "out into the universe" by buying some breath mints. She writes her name and number in a book she just bought and will sell the next day to a bookstore. If she finds the bill or he finds the book, it's meant to be. To push their luck (as if this other scenario wasn't crazy enough) they get in separate elevators at the Waldorf Astoria and if they meet on the same floor, it's got to be fate they're together. Well, they don't get off on the same floor (close though) and this gets the ball rolling to where we meet these characters years later, where they've moved on to other relationships, but still thinking about each other. We find out how intertwined their lives really are and spend the rest of the picture seeing if fate will indeed bring them together.

I liked the movie but didn't love it. It's great acting, especially by Jeremy Piven as Cusack's best friend and Eugene Levy as an annoying, but still helpful, Bloomies clerk. This movie tries to capture that whole "Sleepless in Seattle" old school romance thing, but it just doesn't have the magic of earlier romantic comedies. Now whether this is simply b/c it wasn't there in the movie or I(and we as moviegoers) have seen this formula way too many times, I'm not entirely sure. It's probably both b/c this isn't a new concept [romantic comedy], but it was the filmmakers' job to sell us this idea and in my opinion they didn't. While there's definitely good things about this movie, there weren't enough for me to recommend this movie beyond rental status. Now I will say this would be a great first date movie, as it raises a bunch of good questions: is there fate? Will fate bring you to your soulmate? Is there a such thing as your soulmate and would you know it? It even goes into how to keep the love/romance alive in a prolonged relationship.

The romantic in me wanted this movie to be much more than it was, and it wasn't that my expectations were so high. It's just that this movie is so low.

Why, Sly, why?!!!! This movie is a waste of both Renny Harlin and Sylvester Stallone's talents. I'm shocked Sly thought this was okay enought to keep his name on the Screenplay credits. This movie is the standard cracked-up-mentor-comes-back-to-teach-the-hotshot-rookie-he- used-to-be, but as we've seen in the genre before, it can be done well. The dialogue in this film is poor. And worse than that, the performances by everyone, except Burt Renoylds who I think does a good job (but looks horrible), cannot transcend the material.

By the end you're supposed to be cheering on Jimmy Blye, but I felt nothing except pleasure that I used a gift certificate to see this piece of junk. No character made me want to invest in them. Even Gina Gershon, nor the scantily clad random women peppering the film, could save sitting through this movie! (but the fellas must've had a hell of a good time shooting it though) If you're going to see this movie for the stunts and driving effects, it's pretty worth it, but even some of the CG in it was outrageously poorly done. I'd give the movie an Oscar for Sound Editing/design, but the rest of it is beyond saving. Mr. Stallone, be glad that in the later months the marketing dept chose not to push your name on the film so much, cause it could only bring you down, despite the money it's made so far. It's not the worst movie I've seen ever, but it sure is in the top 20...