Release Date: September 16, 2005 Studio: DreamWorks Pictures Director: Mark Waters
Screenwriter: Ron Bass, Peter Tolan, Leslie Dixon Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo, Jon Heder, Donal Logue,
Ben Shenkman, Ivana Milicevic, Rosalind Chao, Alyssa Shafer, Gabrielle Made, Ron
Canada, Dina Spybey Genre: Comedy, Romance MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for some sexual content) Official Website:
JustLikeHeaven-themovie.com DVD:
Widescreen |
Full Screen
Plot Summary: When David (Mark Ruffalo)
sublet his quaint San Francisco apartment, the last thing he expected—or
wanted—was a roommate. He had only begun to make a complete mess of the place
when a pretty young woman named Elizabeth (Reese Witherspoon) suddenly shows up,
adamantly insisting the apartment is hers. David assumes there's been a giant
misunderstanding... until Elizabeth disappears as mysteriously as she appeared.
Changing the locks does nothing to deter Elizabeth, who begins to appear and
disappear at will - mostly to rebuke David for his personal living habits in her
apartment.
Convinced that she is a ghost, David tries to help Elizabeth cross over to the
"other side." But while Elizabeth has discovered she does have a distinctly
ethereal quality—she can walk through walls - she is equally convinced that she
is somehow still alive and isn't crossing over anywhere. As Elizabeth and David
search for the truth about who Elizabeth is and how she came to be in her
present state, their relationship deepens into love. Unfortunately, they have
very little time before their prospects for a future together permanently fade
away.
Romantic
comedy-drama Just Like Heaven, currently on DVD, is about disconnection
and reconnection among people, but unlike
Broken Flowers, this is not as subtle.
David Abbott (Mark Ruffalo) harbors an old relationship loss, while he
starts to see visions of the previous tenant of his apartment
(Elizabeth, played by Reese Witherspoon). Could he be mad? His therapist
thinks it is good he is starting to see woman again! Elizabeth had a car
crash and is supposedly dead, but keeps on appearing to him. People are
lonely in this movie, including the next door neighbour. Witherspoon is
too busy for romance. When she is on life support, and her spirit roams,
what could be her reason for living?
Just Like Heaven answers the should I, shouldn’t I extend life support
question with last chance romantic hope, done tastefully. It is
predictable and hokey, but it works. Witherspoon and Ruffalo don’t exude
chemistry, but Rufallo’s romantic characters are played with an edge. In
Rumor Has It, Ruffalo’s character supports his girlfriend in the valley
of indecision over marrying him; in Just Like Heaven he plays the broken
hearted, not the knight in shining armour. The leads put in convincing
enough performances to go along with an implausible set-up, but which
has a touching theme.
We would love to know what you think, sound off on the
movie message boards and let us know how you liked the movie!
Release Date: September 16, 2005
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