Well I'm a bit of a fan of both Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock and personally I think their pairing had the potential for great chemistry, but unfortunately I have to report that indeed that is the case. Wait a minute.... Oh, that should be fortunately I'm pretty happy that they seem to be working well in this film together. Of course not to be overlooked is the brilliant STEVEN ZAHN, one of the funniest creations I've seen in film in a good long while. I want to see him, and the alcohol clerk in FROM DUSK TILL DAWN teamed up sometime soon. I think they'd be excellent together. Anyway... here's Mr Pull's enthusiastic glimpse at FORCES OF NATURE. Warning though, this is just one person's opinion, as we get closer to it's actual release we'll begin to see further reports on the film. Till later, here's what we have to go on....
This is Mr. Pull, first time caller, HOO-YAH... or maybe that should be writer? Anyhow, I just recently returned from a screening of the Affleck/Bullock vehicle FORCES OF NATURE. Going into the theatre I knew not what to expect. Affleck was definately not high on my HIT list before this film, but now he may be a bit closer to getting there. In my opinion, the mark of a good actor is when they convey a character well, but the mark of a great actor is when they convey the character AND make you forget you are watching a person performing as an actor. Confused yet, I am.
Anyways, Affleck, in my opinion broke out of his testosteroned ARMAGEDDON character into a more "everyman" character (think Jimmy Stewart) who bumbles through the various natural disasters and such that keeps him from his wife to be (Maura Tierney), who's waiting for him down in the good old Savannah. Along the way from New York, Affleck bumps into Bullock and the results are explosive. Do they have good chemistry? Let's just say you shouldn't put the two of them in a beaker and proceed to shake them vigorously. Though I was briefly on the set of PRACTICAL MAGIC, I don't know much about Bullock's character in that film. But at the beginning of FORCES OF NATURE, Bullock resembles a bad ass lookin witch, with dyed hair and an excess of make-up. She plays the BAD girl to Affleck's GOOD guy. Though as the movie continues she somewhat loses that image. None the less, her performance makes you forget about her past flops, but this is definately Affleck's movie. Tierney doesn't add much to her role, though Steve Zahn (the white hoodlum from OUT OF SIGHT and the bassist from THAT THING YOU DO) steals every scene he is in. Zahn is one to keep your eye on. All in all I was pleasantly surprised by this little movie directed by the lady who made HARRIET THE SPY (I forget her name). There's one scene in the movie that is guaranteed to ignite clapping and hollaring from EVERY woman in the theater, which focuses on (guess who) Ben Affleck. It did at the theater tonight. I don't want to give too much away and SPOIL it, but it's definately one of the best scenes of the film. Then there is the ending.
Who does Affleck choose... Tierney or Bullock? Well let me tell ya, he picks.... AH!.... thought I was gonna tell ya, huh?! Well I'm not. While I may be a rookie at all this, I'm no Doof. Hopefully though, they won't change the ending. It came as somewhat of a surprise, but I admire the filmmakers for having the balls to do what they did. I won't tell ya, you'll just have to see for yourself. I won't be surprised though if they do alter the final seconds... they'll just lose my respect, but hey who cares about my opinion, right? For the two hours or so it ran, I enjoyed myself, and so did the other people in the theater (or at least that's what I took the laughing and clapping to mean). It was better than I thought it would be... but of course, when you come in with no expectations it's easy to be pleased. That's all for now, hopefully other people will be happily surprised by FORCES OF NATURE and find it as the neat little gem that I did.
Until later, I remain...
Mr. Pull
