Just Like Heaven (2005)

Perfect Comedy!!!

I think this is an awesome romantic comedy! Mark Ruffalo, and sexy Reese Witherspoon were perfect together! Reese plays a workaholic doctor named Elizabeth Masterson, who is involved with a car accident. Months later, David Abbott rents her apartment. Soon after, Elizabeth appears and frightens David. After a while, she keeps showing up, asking him to leave, but he doesn't. Later, they start to like each other, and want to help each other. Elizabeth is still alive, but in a coma. Elizabeth's sister has to make the decision of taking her off life support. David tries to stop her from signing the papers, but he's too late. David must figure out a way to either stop it from happening, or bring her back. If you love romantic comedies, you'll love JUST LIKE HEAVEN!!! October 2, 2008

Just like wonderful

This movie is just plain sweet. David (Mark Ruffalo) rents a (drop-dead gorgeous) apartment in San Francisco. He quickly finds that he has, like it or not, a kind of room mate in the form of Elizabeth (Reese Witherspoon). Well, sort of a room mate because it quickly becomes apparent that Elizabeth isn't alive. David resents the intrusion and the scenes showing his attempts to drive Elizabeth out are hilarious.

But Elizabeth isn't going anywhere because this is - or rather was - her apartment. She knows she isn't entirely alive or fully dead and she wants David's help in finding out how she came to be in this situation.

David, moody and bordering on the edge of depression after losing his wife, is not esger to help out, but Elizabeth is a (delightfully funny) nag and soon David is out on the streets with his invisible companion trying to ferret out the mystery of who Elizabeth is . . . or was.

It is a sweet story and the two leads are perfect for their roles. Witherspoon is simply irresistable, a natural (or in this case, supernatural) presence and Ruffalo seems like he is on the edge of hopeless despair. Both characters we learn had narrow lives and, as you can imagine, this pairing help both of them.

This is not a life-changing movie. It is simply a very pleasant, well told love story with a massive dose of humor.

Jerry October 1, 2008

Enchanting

This is the kind of movie you wait for and when you find it, relish sharing the discovery with others. It's like Station Agent and 10 Items or Less in this respect, a small movie that should not be missed. On paper, it has absolutely nothing going for it. The premise is beyond stupid, we've seen it in Ghost and elsewhere. Boy meets girl, boy realizes girl is restless spirit only he can see, boy proceeds to become romantically entangled anyway - as if normal relationships aren't hard enough - boy and spirit girl find a way to work through their considerable differences, a whacky good time is had by all.

Just Like Heaven succeeds because of the fine performances by its leads, Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo - and the wonderful chemistry between them. Despite her elfin stature and lack of curves, Witherspoon has on screen presence that is simply undeniable. From Walk The Line to Legally Blonde and many others, she has demonstrated an amazing ability to romance the camera with what can only be called likeability, charm, and openness. Where Witherspoon is relentlessly chirpy - ironic, since she's the one more or less dead - Ruffalo exudes a damaged, soulful empathy. We've seen him in this mode before, for example, in My Life Without Me, another treasure. Ruffalo is a truly extraordinary actor that makes the extreme silliness of this situation totally compelling and believable.

The improbability of how these two meet - isn't every boy meets girl scenario improbable? - plays out slowly and gently until they begin to believe in one another and care about - and for - each other. The process is so slow and gentle one barely notices it. By the time it's happened, we care about them too. All film relies on suspension of disbelief, this one asks a lot - but Witherspoon and Ruffalo make it easy for us to buy into, relax, and enjoy it. Very nice cameo by Jon Heder of Napoleon Dynamite fame, presumably he is doomed to a life of parts like this, but that's better than pumping gas.

Some will dismiss this as a "chick flick", but I think that's unfair. It's well crafted, the performances are stellar, and it's thoroughly charming from beginning to end. This one you owe to yourself. August 25, 2008

TWO LONELY PEOPLE FIND LOVE

It is really the kind of movie which make you feel good in the end. A light romantic comedy with two very nice protagonists who have real chemistry!! And you root for them to be together in the final scene! Cheers to love and delightful romantic movies!! Watch it if you believe in love... and if you don't believe, never mind, it will act like a good and effective medicine to grumpy people... August 3, 2008

IT is HEAVEN because: Touching Love Story + Funny scenes/dialogues + Some Twists + Life-After-Death background.

This movie is Heaven! It's a touching love story. It also has many funny dialogues and scenes. There are some good twists. The life after death back ground has some surprising ideas that I've never seen in any other movies before. The garden looks breathtaking.

The chemistry between Reese and Mark are gentle, engaging and solid.

One of the dialogues I loved because of its depth goes like this:

He said: "You're dead".
She said: "No, it's you who are dead!"
Then, he's shocked to realize he's figuratively dead because he had no social life, no friends to turn to, nobody to confide in!

I like it so much that I bought it. It's one of my two of Best Love Stories of All Times. The other is Ghost staring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. That one got two Ocars in 1991. July 14, 2008

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