Brincou com Fogo... Acabou Fisgado!

This movie gives me one more reason to wish that John Belushi had taken care of himself, rather than diving into self-destruction. It shows that he had talent well beyond sketch comedy, or Animal House buffoonery. I wish he were still with us.

I'm a sucker for romantic comedies, and -- while not as comedic as most of the genre -- I think Continental Divide definitely qualifies. It's a great "opposites attract" film, and it works for me. The fact that each of the central characters has a vocational passion makes them all the more attracted to each other, despite their callings being separated by a lot of geography, and a lot of psychological differences. I love the scenery, I love Blair Brown, and I love the energy of Belushi's character. We can't bring him back, but I'm thankful we have J.B.'s films to watch forever.

Predictable and clichéd as it may be, Continental Divide isn't a bad film. The performances are sincere, the mood upbeat, and the characters easy enough to root for. The story deals with a streetwise Chicago reporter having to get out of town for a while after incurring the wrath of a corrupt local politician. Is there any other kind in the Windy City? Anyway, his editor and the editor's wife think he should write a story about a mysterious female ornithologist living in the mountains of Wyoming. Apparently she has lived all alone for 4 years and has become the world's foremost expert on bald eagles. Predictably the reporter is skeptical of this assignment, but of course in the very next scene we see him stumbling up the side of a mountain, cursing the entire way. Naturally when the reporter and scientist meet, it isn't love at first sight. They bicker about this and that between shots of nature and occasional animal attacks. The reporter is sexually attracted to the woman, but it takes a while for her to dump her mountain man lover and warm to her new guest.

In some ways, this plot reminded me of Crocodile Dundee which I've seen recently. Only this time, the reporter mostly stays in the wilderness and HE is the fish out of water. This film clearly marked a turning point in Belushi's brief career. Here he was definitely trying to tone things down from his demeanor in previous films, and he pretty much pulls it off. He could have played just about any role had he lived long enough to do so. He does however look about a decade older than he actually was when this was made. The years of drug abuse were taking their tole. Blair Brown is fetching, energetic, and someone who could have had a bigger career. She is believable as the bird-lover, though the interior of her cabin is too LL Bean-ish compared to the rugged exterior we see in outdoor shots. Indoor and outdoor scenes were likely filmed in different locations. And the film uses the scenic Empire Builder route of Amtrack as the setting for a marathon love-making session by our two leads. Very romantic, indeed.

This film has some glaring lapses in logic, as many romantic comedies do. Do you really think that street muggers would recognize even the most famous of city beat reporters on sight as they rob him for his watch and wallet? How about prostitutes? These don't seem like the types that read newspapers too often. How often do hunters actually shoot at bald eagles? Not much if ever. Despite their reputations among city folk, most hunters have a great love and respect for nature and would never take a shot at an endangered symbol of our country. It does set up a scene with an interesting payoff, though. 6 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

I loved this movie when it first came out, and after catching it again recently, I was reminded of why I liked it so much. John Belushi is so good and so funny, it reminds me again of how sad it was to lose this comedy gem. And it's always great to see Blair Brown, one of our best actresses ever. Seeing her in her prime again is delightful. I was also impressed at how well it holds up over time. It's a shame it was critically panned and did poorly at the BO when it came out, b/c in a decade full of strange movies, this is a standout, and now, IMHO, a classic. And the best part? Being reminded that the Bald Eagle population in the early 80s was only 2,000 in North America, and now it's in the six figures. The mountain lion scene is a little far-fetched, but, goodness, that is a gorgeous cat.

I think this is Belushi's best work. Although he stays in a kind of character you might find on Saturday Night Live (when it was still funny) he develops the character in a way that Nell and you fall in love with him. BE WARNED, however I first saw this film after Belushi's death and found his character's frequent references to death disturbing. Michael Apted does well in the director's chair. Be sure to see some of his other work i.e. Coal Miner's Daughter, Gorky Park, and The World Is Not Enough.

I really enjoyed this movie. No, it is not the deep heady stuff, nor it is a slapstick comedy. It is a movie about two people living in different worlds that cross paths, fall in love, and so on. For Belushi, this role is as much of a course change as it is for his character when he goes into the mountains. This is as far from SNL, Animal House and The Blues Brothers and Being There is from the Pink Panther Movies and Dr. Strangelove for Peter Sellers. Blair Brown's character (Nell Porter) is totally hot in that special, wholesome, outdoors way. You can how a guy could fall for her.

All in all, this is a fine movie to rent for a night of popcorn, or maybe trail mix munching, with the family. Don't wrap yourself up too tight in trying to analyze every little nuance of the movie, like so many of the wannabe critics that inhabit these reviews. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.