Where the Heart Is (2000)
DIRECTOR: Matt Williams
CAST: Natalie Portman, Ashley Judd, Stockard Channing, James Frain, Dylan Bruno, Keith David, Joan Cusack, Sally Field
REVIEW:
Based on the novel by Billie Letts, Where the Heart Is is as unabashed a “chick flick” as they come, but while at times a little too contrived and saccharine, it manages to be a pleasant and enjoyable “feel good” experience almost in spite of its own narrative contortions. Viewers of both genders should walk away with a smile on their face, even if they admit it grudgingly.
Continue readingReturn to Me (2000)
DIRECTOR: Bonnie Hunt
CAST: David Duchovny, Minnie Driver, Carroll O’Connor, Bonnie Hunt, James Belushi, David Alan Grier, Robert Loggia, Joely Richardson
REVIEW:
Return to Me, from writer/director/co-star Bonnie Hunt, is an unabashedly old-fashioned romantic comedy-drama that might be a little too tame and sugary-sweet for cynics or viewers seeking something more “edgy” but will be a welcome counter-programming for viewers seeking something refreshingly warm and gentle and unabashedly “feel good”. It’s the kind of movie one could almost imagine (apart from some minor raunchy elements) being made in the 1950s starring the likes of Doris Day and Jimmy Stewart, but for those who appreciate kinder, gentler romantic comedy-dramas, it’s an enjoyable and pleasant morsel that goes down gently and easily, suffused with an almost impossible-to-dislike warmth and a dash of quirky but subdued comedy.
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