BOUNCE

2000

On a stormy winter night Ben Affleck gives up his seat to a man he meets in an airport bar. The plane crashes killing everyone on board and a year later, attempting to escape his guilt, Ben goes to check on the man's widow, Gwyneth Paltrow. As you might expect, love ensues and that's when things get complicated. BOUNCE is a well written, well directed film that is both touching and honest. As always, Gwyneth is terrific and she pretty much steals the movie. Ben, on the other hand... Ben is great as punky white trash from South Boston. If you need a cocky stock broker or Shakespearean actor that pops in for 5-7 scenes per film, Ben is your guy. The male lead in a very emotional film is not Ben's strong point. A little mis-cast, but still a very good film about getting on with your life.

4 Stars

CDF

With the notable exception of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman (in "Eyes Wide Shut,") when real-life lovers appear together on screen(Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn, Jim Carrey and Renee Zellwiger, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor,) the chemistry between them will often light up the screen and make their on-screen acting something out of the ordinary. Such is the case with the exceptional performances given by Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow in "Bounce." Both do some of the best work that they've ever done on film, in what is the best "date movie" of the year. In case you haven't heard, the plot concerns a sleazy character who gives his plane ticket up to another man in order to pursue "a hot chick" The plane crashes and the Affleck character develops a relationship with the widow (Paltrow)...out of guilt, then out of love. What could have been a dreadful soap opera is saved by the stunningly realistic acting of the leads. My only complaint is that one of my favorite actors, Tony Goldwyn, is not on screen enough. Guess which part HE plays?

4 Stars

NJB