Just Like Heaven

A

This was a well made movie and the cast is very strong. Reese Witherspoon is so cute and Mark Ruffalo is such a puppy dog, that how can you not like them? They are also great together. The supporting cast have very small parts but they are very good: Ruffalo's best friend is a stand-out and Napolean Dynamite himself is solid as an expert in the paranormal (a little over the top, but in San Francisco there is probably someone just like that).

The story benefits greatly by using magic, or in this case the paranormal. In past Witherspoon movies like Sweet Home Alabama or Legally Blonde I was more apt to judge her more realistic characters, but when reality doesn't get in the way you just accept whatever happens. Also, they don't wear you out with some lame excuse for the two to break up before finally getting back together, like in this years' Must Love Dogs or Upside of Anger.

There are some loose ends like how does an unemployed beer-drinker afford the best apartment in San Francisco? They do assign him a former job at some point, but that still doesn't explain how he affords a $10,000 a month apartment. For that matter, how does a resident hospital staff doctor afford it? But whatever.

Accept the movie for what is and you'll be very happy with it. It may not have all the magic of Sleepless in Seattle, but it comes pretty close. I'll give it an A.

Back to Index