In another thread here on WBF there was discussion about great actors getting paid large amounts of money to star in or play a cameo role in comic characters brought to the big screen.Many seem to finish out their careers doing comic book characters. The actor that came to my mind was Robert Downey Jr. In the dawn of his career he played some great roles even though he had a checkered personal life from drugs and alcohol. He cleaned up his act and has lead an exemplary life style since except that to me right now he is "Iron Man"
So I dug this movie out of my library and watched it today. I loved it when I saw it in the theater, loved it just as much in all the times I have watched it at home or seen it on TV. It's a fabulously written film, superbly acted that by the end of the movie not only will you know Robert Downey Jr is a gifted actor by his facial and body movements, but you'll have a little lump in your throat. In the great scheme of things audio,what we all share a passion for, is nothing more than a hobby. When you see this movie you come to realize what's important in life so you might want to kiss your wife, hug your kids and call your parents to tell them you love them .
If you haven't seen this movie, you must
If you have seen this movie, you must again
From the New York Times.......
MOVIE REVIEW
Reviews/Film; A Yuppie Haunted (Really) By Other People's Problems
By JANET MASLIN
Published: August 13, 1993
"Heart and Souls," a whimsical film that could raise the dead for the wrong reasons, has the cute idea of bringing together four bus passengers and a pregnant woman for a fatal crash. The souls of the dead enter into the body of the woman's newborn baby, paving the way for all manner of supernatural high jinks.
Whoever thought this premise was a good idea also thought it would be fun to have each dead person use the baby, once he grows up to be a yuppie named Thomas Reilly (Robert Downey Jr.), as a vehicle for settling one unresolved problem apiece. When the film announces, halfway through, that it will be devoting the rest of its running time to tying up these loose ends, the audience may as well give up the ghost.
"Heart and Souls" was directed by Ron Underwood (whose luck was infinitely better with "City Slickers") and written by four writers, though one would have been more than enough. It is presented in a bouncy sitcom style that veers into heavy sentiment every 15 minutes or so. Only one or two of the film's events register at all on the weep-o-meter, though a slushy score by Marc Shaiman seems to mistake this for the warmest, most wonderful movie ever made.
The dead cutups are Charles Grodin as a shy loner who yearns to sing, Kyra Sedgwick as a waitress who has just turned down her sweetheart's marriage proposal, Alfre Woodard as a loving mother who has just bid goodbye to her three children, and Tom Sizemore as a jovial greaser who has foolishly got himself involved in a crime. Anyone reading this description will be able to imagine the film's endless string of mini-plot resolutions, right down to the last hanky. However, Mr. Underwood does throw in the occasional wild card, like B. B. King to accompany Mr. Grodin's character when he's coaxed into singing "The Star-Spangled Banner."
At least the latter part of the film improves on its earlier scenes, the ones involving the baby as he grows up. The four ghosts are forced to accompany the boy everywhere, sometimes singing a doo-wop version of "Walk Like a Man" (which seems to have been thrown in mostly to enliven the film's ads and trailer). As they sit trapped together, pestering little Tommy, the ghosts deliver witticisms like: "You're killing me! Oh yeah, I'm already dead. I forgot."
"Heart and Souls," which also features Elisabeth Shue as Tommy's strident girlfriend and David Paymer as the bus driver who caused the fatal accident (by ogling a babe in a red dress), has a cast that does try hard to please. Mr. Grodin's nutty solemnity is always engaging, in this case making him seem more substantial than the others.
Ms. Woodard manages to be charming in what could have been an insufferable role. (Not surprisingly, her character's motherly love gives the film its only workable sentimental streak.) And Mr. Downey, as he demonstrated in "Chaplin," is an amazing mimic. The best thing about the film is the chance to watch his uncanny impersonations of his co-stars.
"Heart and Souls" is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It includes mild profanity and one brief sexual situation. Heart and Souls
Directed by Ron Underwood; screenplay by Brent Maddock, S. S. Wilson, Gregory Hansen and Erik Hansen; director of photography, Michael Watkins; edited by O. Nicholas Brown; music by Marc Shaiman; production designer, John Muto; produced by Nancy Roberts and Sean Daniel; released by Universal Pictures. Running time: 104 minutes. This film is rated PG-13. Thomas Reilly . . . Robert Downey Jr. Harrison Winslow . . . Charles Grodin Penny Washington . . . Alfre Woodard Julia . . . Kyra Sedgwick Milo Peck . . . Tom Sizemore Hal the Bus Driver . . . David Paymer Anne . . . Elisabeth Shue Frank Reilly . . . Bill Calvert B. B. King . . . Himself
So I dug this movie out of my library and watched it today. I loved it when I saw it in the theater, loved it just as much in all the times I have watched it at home or seen it on TV. It's a fabulously written film, superbly acted that by the end of the movie not only will you know Robert Downey Jr is a gifted actor by his facial and body movements, but you'll have a little lump in your throat. In the great scheme of things audio,what we all share a passion for, is nothing more than a hobby. When you see this movie you come to realize what's important in life so you might want to kiss your wife, hug your kids and call your parents to tell them you love them .
If you haven't seen this movie, you must
If you have seen this movie, you must again
From the New York Times.......
MOVIE REVIEW
Reviews/Film; A Yuppie Haunted (Really) By Other People's Problems
By JANET MASLIN
Published: August 13, 1993
"Heart and Souls," a whimsical film that could raise the dead for the wrong reasons, has the cute idea of bringing together four bus passengers and a pregnant woman for a fatal crash. The souls of the dead enter into the body of the woman's newborn baby, paving the way for all manner of supernatural high jinks.
Whoever thought this premise was a good idea also thought it would be fun to have each dead person use the baby, once he grows up to be a yuppie named Thomas Reilly (Robert Downey Jr.), as a vehicle for settling one unresolved problem apiece. When the film announces, halfway through, that it will be devoting the rest of its running time to tying up these loose ends, the audience may as well give up the ghost.
"Heart and Souls" was directed by Ron Underwood (whose luck was infinitely better with "City Slickers") and written by four writers, though one would have been more than enough. It is presented in a bouncy sitcom style that veers into heavy sentiment every 15 minutes or so. Only one or two of the film's events register at all on the weep-o-meter, though a slushy score by Marc Shaiman seems to mistake this for the warmest, most wonderful movie ever made.
The dead cutups are Charles Grodin as a shy loner who yearns to sing, Kyra Sedgwick as a waitress who has just turned down her sweetheart's marriage proposal, Alfre Woodard as a loving mother who has just bid goodbye to her three children, and Tom Sizemore as a jovial greaser who has foolishly got himself involved in a crime. Anyone reading this description will be able to imagine the film's endless string of mini-plot resolutions, right down to the last hanky. However, Mr. Underwood does throw in the occasional wild card, like B. B. King to accompany Mr. Grodin's character when he's coaxed into singing "The Star-Spangled Banner."
At least the latter part of the film improves on its earlier scenes, the ones involving the baby as he grows up. The four ghosts are forced to accompany the boy everywhere, sometimes singing a doo-wop version of "Walk Like a Man" (which seems to have been thrown in mostly to enliven the film's ads and trailer). As they sit trapped together, pestering little Tommy, the ghosts deliver witticisms like: "You're killing me! Oh yeah, I'm already dead. I forgot."
"Heart and Souls," which also features Elisabeth Shue as Tommy's strident girlfriend and David Paymer as the bus driver who caused the fatal accident (by ogling a babe in a red dress), has a cast that does try hard to please. Mr. Grodin's nutty solemnity is always engaging, in this case making him seem more substantial than the others.
Ms. Woodard manages to be charming in what could have been an insufferable role. (Not surprisingly, her character's motherly love gives the film its only workable sentimental streak.) And Mr. Downey, as he demonstrated in "Chaplin," is an amazing mimic. The best thing about the film is the chance to watch his uncanny impersonations of his co-stars.
"Heart and Souls" is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It includes mild profanity and one brief sexual situation. Heart and Souls
Directed by Ron Underwood; screenplay by Brent Maddock, S. S. Wilson, Gregory Hansen and Erik Hansen; director of photography, Michael Watkins; edited by O. Nicholas Brown; music by Marc Shaiman; production designer, John Muto; produced by Nancy Roberts and Sean Daniel; released by Universal Pictures. Running time: 104 minutes. This film is rated PG-13. Thomas Reilly . . . Robert Downey Jr. Harrison Winslow . . . Charles Grodin Penny Washington . . . Alfre Woodard Julia . . . Kyra Sedgwick Milo Peck . . . Tom Sizemore Hal the Bus Driver . . . David Paymer Anne . . . Elisabeth Shue Frank Reilly . . . Bill Calvert B. B. King . . . Himself