Bounce
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Movie Reviews of Bounce
Movie Review: The Film is Standard Par
Summary: 4 Stars
What could have been an *excellent* film is pushed into the category of a reasonably decent one. The overall premise is largely untouched on in most films and does teach some good lessons in taking responsibility for your actions, dealing with grief, and moving on with your life. Paltrow is surprisingly good in a "non-glamour" role as a working mom, and Affleck is fairly convincing. The soundtrack is reasonably decent, most particularly Sixpense None the Richer's contribution.As far as family viewing, the film is on shakey ground. Strong profanity (including deity and one f-word) sour an otherwise enjoyable film, and a short scene with implied nudity gives the last tug on a short string. Suffice to say, I enjoyed it once but won't be taking my kids to see it.
Movie Review: Full of surprises
Summary: 4 Stars
I've read a few reviews of this film that said it was creepy and really not all that good. I disagree completely. I loved it. I thought it was a very good character study of 2 people in recovery from trauma, each from a different type. The performances were very good, the movie was not too long, it made its point and got on with it, and it was believable to me. There was one situation that seemed a bit off, but all in all I highly recommend this movie.Movie Review: The usual Story but that one's worth a shot!
Summary: 4 Stars
I really didn't expect too much of that movie, but it was really more than I thought it would be. It's a real "Feel-good-Movie" and I think it is a movie which you should see with your Girlfriend or Boyfriend. Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Patrow are a dream couple and they are two great actors.You really should see that movie; at least at theatres...
Movie Review: chick flick girls!
Summary: 4 Stars
I saw this with the thought in my mind "Stinko"! But I actually really enjoyed it. It had good acting and a great cast. I am thinking about adding it to my collection!Movie Review: Lacking in originality, but acting soars.
Summary: 3 Stars
You can enjoy "Bounce" as a by-the-numbers romance that goes through the motions of most other films of the genre, but that doesn't stop it from appearing cliched. The story of man-meets-woman (at least it's not boy-meets-girl) comes from an interesting twist in the beginning, but it all seems to paint itself into a corner without really breaking any new ground in the second two thirds. The performances from the two leads, as well as some of the supporting cast, make the movie worth watching, but the story really doesn't shine as much as it should. That interesting twist comes in the beginning of the movie. Buddy Amaral is a successful ad executive who has just won over the campaign for Infinity Airlines, on which he is about to fly to Los Angeles. His flight is delayed because of inclimate weather, and soon he is chatting in the bar with Greg Janello, who is traveling back to L.A. to his family. When he discovers he has bumped from the flight, Janello phones his family to let them know he is taking a later flight, but Buddy gives him his ticket and tells him to get on the plane.
The twist occurs when Buddy learns that the plane crashed in flight, killing everyone aboard, and his guilt over the death of Janello leads him down a path of alcoholism and depression, from which he later recovers in A.A. After a year of getting back on his feet, he decides to pay a visit to Janello's wife, Abby, whom Janello had mentioned in their conversation along with his two small boys. As it turns out, Abby is a real-estate agent who is able to get Buddy's ad firm a nice piece of property, thereby causing them to become better acquainted with one another, and eventually falling in love.
It all looks and sounds good, but this is where the movie takes its originality and turns it into formula. What couple in any relationship doesn't go through some sort of hardship? None, but the hardships of this film are just a bit played out by now. We know that Buddy wants to come clean with Abby about knowing her deceased husband, and the movie's predictability lets us know that, even before it happens, she is going to reject him for not telling her. I'm not going to completely give away the ending of this movie for you, so I'll put it into not-so-certain terms: if you can guess what is going to happen scene-by-scene, then you're probably correct about your predictions.
Which is what really hinders this movie's potential as an original romance: it starts out originally and then settles for a second half that follows the same pattern as any other romance you'll see. They meet each other, play the game of shy looks and modesty with one another, soon become enamored with one another, and then meet hardship which they may or may not overcome. That hardship plays out like more of a script inclusion than something convincing. It comes off looking like Abby has to separate from Buddy, instead of like a decision that her character makes based on her experiences. The movie never gives any breathing room for its characters: they never appear to be making their own decisions, but ones that are made for them.
The chemistry between Buddy and Abby is mediocre at best, with a tug-of-war between believability and plot requirement taking them down different paths in their relationship. Ben Affleck, who plays Buddy, is convincing as being both arrogant and emotional in his role, at different times, of course. Abby is played by Gwyneth Paltrow, who nicely puts her fashionable looks aside and is able to play the part of a grieving widow with a convincing demeanor. The chemistry between these two acting talents is there, but the same cannot be said for their characters due to the aforementioned story pitfalls which keep us from fully liking the characters.
"Bounce" gathers up momentum, but never takes off. The characters of the movie hve so many places to go, but the story keeps them trapped in a web of contrivance and formula. The plot needs work in its second half, as does the way it treats the actors. I did enjoy "Bounce," but I also had my reservations about its spontaneity.