This was supposed to have been a watershed film for Ben Affleck, but sorry folks, as good as he is to look at, the man just can't carry a film. Even Gwyneth, try as she might, couldn't bail him out of this one.
I had seen Gwyneth Paltrow on Oprah many months ago talking about this film, and it was a particularly bad time in her personal life, but she did this film for Ben's benefit mostly, as it was supposed to showcase him as a leading man. Too bad he couldn't pull if off.
It's hard to believe these two are or were involved with each other in a romantic way, as there was zero chemistry between them. And, I mean zilch. Maybe they were uncomfortable (at least Ben was) because in real life they were intimate; playing these love scenes made it boring and painful to watch. I thought his acting was just too contrived, like he was just reading the lines, showing no emotion whatsoever. I have seen a few films with Ben Affleck, and was never that impressed with what I did see except Chasing Amy where he showed some real emotion there.
Abby (Gwyneth) is married to writer, Greg Janello (Tony Goldwyn), who is the unfortunate soul to have taken the offer of a free airplane flight home, handed to him by Buddy (Ben Affleck). Buddy is an advertising executive who meets Greg in the airport bar, along with another stranded passenger, a pretty blonde waiting to go to Dallas. The trio exchange chit-chat among drinks while waiting for their delayed flights. When Buddy's seat becomes available, he decides at the last minute to go for the blonde and give his ticket to Greg. Soon after, the plane crashes.
Abby who is awakened by a phone call doesn't even believe it at first when told it was her husband on that flight, as she had spoken to him earlier that night and he was going to take a flight out the next morning. She is soon left widowed, to raise her two small boys.
We are supposed to believe that Buddy feels this enormous guilt for giving that airline ticket away. This is where his performance lacks the depth to carry out his feelings of guilt. He ends up drinking away his sorrows, enters alcohol rehab, and begins AA. This, all in a matter of minutes mind you. We don't really see the pain or the depth of his character as it is not explored. So, it's hard to feel any compassion for him, because we don't know who he is in the first place.
Then, when he finally meets Abby and her two boys eventually, it just doesn't ring true. I thought that Gwyneth did a wonderful job with what she had to work with, but because of the lack of the chemistry between the two, they just don't come together as two people that are supposedly falling in love. Sure, we know what's going on through their acting and lines, but it's hard to give a damn, as it comes across through Ben's limp demeanor.
The one bright spot in the film is a supporting role played by Johnny Galecki, (played the boyfriend of Roseanne's daughter) as Buddy's assistant. He plays the part of a gay, recovering alcoholic, with self-assurance. Too bad we didn't get that from the leading man who is on the screen in most of the scenes. I just knew I should have seen that other one I was leaning towards.
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