Sunday, January 22, 2012

HEART & SOULS (1993)


Directed By: Ron Underwood
Written & Story By: Brent Maddock, S.S. Wilson, Gregory Hansen & Erik Hansen
Based on the short film by: Gregory Hansen
Cinematography By: Michael W. Watkins
Editor: O. Nicholas Brown

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Alfre Woodard, Elisabeth Shue, Charles Grodin, Kyra Sedgwick, Tom Sizemore, David Paymer




This movie is about four people who die in a bus crash and have to take care of some stuff they didn't before they died. At the same moment they died, a baby is born. They are stuck to him forever. Can he help them to finish their business?
This is a light weight throwback film that is all silliness and sweetness. It is more about heart then reality. It also is one of the last times of a bygone era where we get respected character actors playing clichés and being in a film that is beneath their talents but clearly having fun.

Robert Downey Jr. is game at playing the role with physical and verbal flair. The rest of the cast play the stock characters. The warmness in which they play the roles is what ultimately wins you over with this film. You know what is going to happen and is more of a film to play for kids to kill time or distract them maybe even to watch as a family film. The tone is light and breezy with a musical flair. Like a fairly graphic Broadway show with lot’s of locations and few production numbers. It kind of goes with the territory under the direction of Ron Underwood (TREMORS)

The film is a time passer as it moves quickly and doesn’t leave you with many questions. The film feels over before you know it and you find yourself missing the characters as they slowly leave the film. The romance angle is kind of awkward as it just feels put there to round out the film and there is no real chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Elisabeth Shue. Though there is plenty of chemistry amongst the rest of the cast.

Luckily with Robert Downey Jr. it plays to his strengths he seems to be a very talented renaissance man. Like an old Vaudeville entertainer.

The film can’t help but leave you with a smile on your face. Wait for Television.

GRADE: C

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