Movies

Nothing like real life! Fancy directorial touches--and Angelina Jolie looking sexy in a Marilyn Monroe platinum 'do--cannot save innocuous, superficial film about a TV news-anchor being told she will die in a week by a street psychic with an impeccable record. Romantic side-plot between Jolie and cameraman Ed Burns never heats up, although Jolie is quite an intriguing presence all on her own (her performance is generally uneven, but her beautiful face is always worth reading). Has a few strong scenes, and an interesting supporting performance from Stockard Channing as a Barbara Walters-type, however the script doesn't dig very deep. **1/2 from ****

28 April 2002. This movie, while much more conservative and family-oriented, mother stay at home bent than I'm used to was funny, entertaining, and well paced. I enjoyed it thoroughly considering and it was well acted and I believe the plot was amusing. While this movie could have been easily a disaster, it was done well to make it engrossing. I was never bored and it kept me thinking and "feeling" through the movie. I can't figure out why the general audience can't get into these movies more. I guess sex and violence and male raw collateral damage is the rage these days - "let's roll" as President Bush says.

This was not in Jolie's wheelhouse. It felt forced and unnatural. She and Burns had zero chemistry. It was a dumb premise and I'm not surprised it failed terribly. It just feels like it was phoned in by Jolie and Stockard Channing was wasted in this. I also think it was a horrible message to send to women that in order to be fulfilled you have to give up your dreams and career in order to be with a man. This wasn't a realistic scenario. No one would give up that opportunity just to go back and be on a local station. People fly back and forth all the time. They could have shown her succeeding on both fronts. It's not an either/or situation. Ed Burns was amazing but he couldn't save this flop.