I can't remember anybody who didn't like this movie when it came out just over 20 years ago. It was very popular, and justifiably so. It had a lot of charm to it and romance, comedy and time-travel seem to be a good mixture.
Also, it had an intriguing premise and made us think about it. If you could go back in time, knowing what you know now, would you do it and what would you do? I'm not talking short periods like in "Groundhog Day" (which was done seven years after this film) but if you could do it ALL over, from a certain point, like high school. Anyway, it's fun to think about.
Nicholas Cage and Kathleen Turner were fun to watch. If you view this film today, be prepared to be shocked how young Cage - and Jim Carrey - look in here. Turner isn't so shocking only because today we don't see her in films regularly as we do those two guys. In fact, Turner was a big star in the '80s and most people remember her looks from that period, beginning with "Body Heat" (1981). She is the star of this film, too.
When I last watched this, in the late 1990s, I found it wasn't as good as I remembered, but it still has a lot of charm and sentiment to it. It's nothing super, but it is more-than-decent entertainment. It helps to be fascinated by time travel, which I am.
I had forgotten this was a Francis Ford Cappola-directed film, which is a bit of a shock because most of us associate him with "The Godfather" films and "Apocalypse Now," not some fantasy-romance-comedy. However, it comes together a little more when you realize Cage was his son. Cappola also finds a small role in here for his young daughter Sophia.
If you are a film buff, you'll be shocked at all the familiar faces in this movie, from veteran actors like John Carradine to a young Helen Hunt. Check out the names in this cast! If you haven't seen this film, you owe it to yourself. I'm not saying it's terrific, but it's definitely worth your while not just for the actors but the thought-provoking subject matter.
