Bounce
You rarely see straight-ahead, earnest romances at the cineplexes these days. Romantic comedies, teen puppy love, and the occasional hype sex thriller are more the norm. Bounce, on the other hand, is the rare film that deals with a true adult romantic relationship. If nothing else, you've got to give writer/director Don Roos credit for tackling this type of subject fare, even if Bounce doesn't take nearly the risks of his directorial debut, The Opposite Of Sex.
Bounce begins at an airport, where a womanizing ad executive named Buddy (Ben Affleck of Chasing Amy and Boiler Room) meets fellow passenger Greg Janello (Tony Goldwyn). To make a long story short, Buddy gives Greg his airline pass so that Greg can get home to spend time with his son. Lest you start getting all weepy over Buddy's kindness, he may have an alterior motive for slipping Greg his ticket: the opportunity to shack up with a sexy woman he just met, Mimi (Natasha Henstridge).
The next morning, Greg awakens to discover that the flight he was supposed to be on has crashed. In the months that follow, he's eaten away by guilt, a problem that's not helped by his excessive alcohol consumption. Eventually, he decides to make amends by tracking down Greg's widow Abby (Gwyneth Paltrow) and doing her a favor. Unexpectedly, he falls in love with her, and vice versa.
Ah, but there's a problem. Abby doesn't know the role Buddy played in her husband's death, and Buddy doesn't know how to tell her. The longer he waits, the harder it gets, and tension builds as we wonder if the relationship can survive this revelation.
Perhaps it was my relatively low expectations going in, but I found Bounce a fairly likable film. Affleck and Paltrow have great chemistry, and for the most part the script makes their pairing believable. There are occasional moments when the script feels contrived, such as a late scene in which Abby watches Greg speaking on T.V., and is touched by his words. It's a rare false moment, although some might also question the quickness with which Abby's kids become attached to Greg.
Affleck is a tough actor to peg. He has moments when he shows great potential, and moments when his performances seem forced - sometimes in the same film. Here he seems too young to be a top-ranking ad exec, although his smooth rapport with Paltrow compensates mightily. As for Paltrow, she gives one of the strongest female performances of 2000, bravely reeling in the Hollywood glam in an utterly believable portrayal of a plain, saddened widow.
The supporting cast is an interesting one. From a personal standpoint, I was stoked to discover that Bounce features two actors (Goldwyn and David Paymer) that starred in The Lesser Evil, a film I worked on a few years back. That aside, Henstridge, who's generally around strictly for her smokin' looks, actually does some decent work here (albeit in a small role). And Dirty Dancing fans will rejoice at the sight of Jennifer Grey making a rare big-screen appearance.
By and large, you'll likely enjoy Roos' refreshingly down-to-earth direction and screenplay, and the excellent teamwork of Affleck and Paltrow. Bounce makes you root for the two leads to get together, and that's one of the best compliments you can pay a romance.
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Although Affleck does experience some wicked benders, this film is much too somber to merit grabbing a six pack.
The chemistry between Affleck and Paltrow should increase your chances of getting busy with your respective other.
Buy this movie from Amazon.com
