I was really expecting to hate this. It stars Robin Williams, first off. Yes I know he is brilliant. But he's been responsible for more wet hankies lately than Bill Clinton. I was expecting the traditional paint-by-numbers Hollywood schmaltz, extra thick. What Dreams May Come turns out to be a damn entertaining tearjerker that also works as a pretty cool adventure movie, also.
The Nielsen family has had it pretty tough lately. The kids die in a car crash, causing Annie to have a breakdown. With the help of husband Chris, she recovers. Unfortunately, he then also dies in a freak car accident. Chris awakens in heaven, meets his guide Albert, and discovers how really cool CGI graphics can be, and then begins to long for Annie. Although he can create anything he wants, his paradise is incomplete without his wife. His quest to contact her makes for a pretty exciting (albeit quite emotional) ride. It's like The NeverEnding Story for married couples.
There are some wonderful dialogue scenes throughout the movie, and the plot moves along at a good pace, at least until the last ten minutes or so. Robin Williams underplays very effectively as Chris. His openness and intelligence show in his portrayal of a man who has survived true tragedy. He gives a wonderful performance, especially in a movie so full of eye-popping special effects.
Annabella Sciorra fares not so well as his wife Annie. Maybe I'm just not a fan of hers, but I don't see a man traveling through all of Hell for this woman. Physically, spiritually, emotionally. Nothing. Put say Michelle Pfeiffer (or Jennifer Connelly!) in this role and it sincerely would have been better.
As Albert, Cuba Gooding Jr. reins in the caffeine a little, and his performance is quite strong. Max Von Sydow excels in a small role as a mysterious ally who helps guide Chris to his wife. (His voice alone makes for a good performance.)
Of course the major achievement in this movie is that of the visual effects. Here is a good example of how special effects can serve the plot and even drive it forward, as opposed to just being a light show in between plot threads. The depictions of Chris' heavenly "painting" are astonishing, as are some of the landscape scenes.
I'm thinking this movie would be an art student's wet dream. It's obvious there was a strong emphasis placed on the fantastic detail. Some scenes are truly like a painting come to life, from Heaven with misty huge mansions and swooping angels, to a Hell complete with massive fireballs and dark creepy caverns.
If the movie gets a little overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of its visuals, it's forgivable as we're talking about Heaven and Hell after all. I'd rather the effects be too prevalent than weak and ineffective any day. Yet at the right moments, the movie is more interested in the emotion of the scene and not the visual impact. Overall, I was reminded of Terry Gilliam's movies: A brilliant sense of color and scope, clever traces of irony, and characters with a heart and soul.
I really was surprised at how much I liked this one. Not a classic, but a big emotional slab of quality schmaltz. Not overly manipulative and only occasionally sappy, it's the most life-affirming movie about death you'll ever see.
Academy Award winners Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr. embark on a supernatural journey beyond the realm of mortality in this visually stunning and...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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