Happy Accidents

We happened across "Happy Accidents" by happy accident: there was nothing worth watching on any other channel and the description of the movie on IFC was enough for us to give it a go.

We made the right choice.

This is a sweet little romantic comedy. I had never heard of it before through the mass media; perhaps that's because nothing gets blown up in the movie, no guns are drawn, and only a few punches are thrown. Instead, Marisa Tomei and Vincent D'Onofrio mostly interact with each other (as aided and abetted by Tomei's therapist and girl-friends). (Nowadays, does that make it a "chick-flick"?)

One cautionary note: If you've seen "K-Pax", you may feel "Happy Accidents" is a bit derivative, almost like a trip back into the past, but hang in there. If you're a fan of either Tomei or D'Onofrio (probably most famous for his role as "the bug" from "Men in Black"), or even if you're just looking for a pleasant way to pass an hour and fifty minutes, catch this the next time it comes around on cable/satellite -- you won't be disappointed.

WOW!!

I had heard good things about this film, had liked Session 9 a lot, and will watch anything with d'Onofrio. Even so, this film completely blew me away.

It's science-fiction for adults, who prefer ideas and emotions to explosions and goofy makeup.

It's romantic dramedy at its best, with two memorable characters portrayed by highly skilled and REAL actors. In fact both Tomei and d'Onofrio are close to perfect in these roles.

It's a premise that continues to develop over the entire span of the film, never becoming predictable or plot-driven.

It offers striking supporting performances from Holland Taylor and Jose Zuniga, and a flat-out GREAT scene with Tovah Feldshuh that's driven by subtle and moving screenwriting.

It offers memorable and witty cameos from Mike McGlone and Anthony ("just call me Michael") Hall. And you gotta love the conceit of a guy who fantasizes about being A.M. Hall during sex!

From the opening shot to the end, it offers countless felicities of mise-en-scene, camera movement, framing, and editing, courtesy of Brad Anderson.

And there's a final shot that manages to be both very subtle and emotionally complex, while still seeming completely inevitable.

I even liked the loose ends that were never wrapped up!

SEE THIS FILM!

Ruby Weaver, a person who has made bad choices in the boyfriend department, thinks she's finally found a decent life partner in Sam. That is, until he claims he's a time traveler from the future. She plays along at first, but Sam's stories become increasingly weird, and Ruby questions his mental health.

This was such a cute little movie, I decided to by the DVD. The two lead characters were actually entertaining, unlike the cardboard cutouts in most romantic comedies i've seen in the last few years. Brad Anderson is a talented guy, and i'd like to see what else he's directed now.

The only reason I selected this movie as a rental was because Vincent D'onofrio was on the cover. I am a committed VDO fan and was not disappointed with this selection. This romantic comedy plays out beautifully on the screen and the element of time travel is handled with a refreshing spin of originality.

Both Tomei and D'onofrio provide captivating performances the range of emotions they both convey make their chemistry on screen very pleasant to watch and their characters very believable.

I also found the score to be an interesting touch that adds a light air of wonderment and mystery in just the right spots. My favorite spots were the flute solo in the beginning after Sam (D'onofrio) meets Ruby (Tomei) outside her apartment, it adds a feeling of innocence to a situation that ordinarily would not be described as such. The second is at the end when they meet at the intersection of Chrystie and Delancy after the much anticipated "moment" passes.

Please rent this movie and discover your own reasons for falling in love with it. You will soon find yourselves committed to adding it as a permanent addition to you DVD library!!

Vincent D'Onofrio and Marisa Tomei are fantastic as this couple that are in love. Things are going great until Ruby (tomei) discovers that Sam (D'Onofrio) claims to be from the future. GREAT, just what she needs. It seems that she has tended to go for the "loser" type guys, and then tried fix them all of her adult life. She is in therapy for this. She is struggling to NOT fall for a guy with "issues" yet Sam is the best thing that's ever happened to her. I don't know if this can really be classified as strictly comedy. Yes, there are lots of funny things that happen, and funny dialog, but the drama is more intriguing. MUCH better than the big box office romantic comedies that are out there.