Always (1989)
3/4
The movie is a remake of Victor Fleming's classic 'A Guy Named Joe' with Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne, Van Johnson, Ward Bond, James Gleason, and Lionel Barrymore. Spielberg's version stars Richard Dreyfus, Holly Hunter, Brad Johnson, John Goodman, Audrey Hepburn, and Keith David. I have heard that Dreyfuss and Spielberg made this movie because they have both seen the original about a 1000 times, and fell in love with it.
The movie is about Pete Sandich (Richard Dreyfuss), and his best friend Al Yackey (John Goodman), who are daredevil aerial forest-fire fighters. Pete slowly finds true love with Dorinda (Holly Hunter), but refuses to give up his job for her. Eventually, Pete takes too high of a risk, and is killed in the air. Pete is transported into the afterlife, where he meets Hap (Audrey Hepburn), who tells him how to go about things. He starts to mentor a new pilot, while also falling in love with Dorinda, his old girlfriend.
The movie is a little predictable, and slow at parts, and as a Spielberg effort, it's not one of his better projects. It's almost a disappointment, but is saved by the performances from the excellently casted Holly Hunter and Richard Dreyfuss. If the screenplay and some of the direction is weak, then the performances truly capture the magic of the story. It also feels like a 1940's melodrama, something the filmmakers were no doubt aiming for, but it doesn't quite seem to work.
What I also admire about 'Always' are the straightforward emotions Spielberg brings. This is a film with sincere emotion, and while it's no doubt sappy, it can still be very powerful. Holly Hunter and Richard Dreyfuss elaborate on all of these themes in their performances.
For some reason, the movie never becomes outstanding or brilliant in any way, because I feel like a weak screenplay did not add up to anything. It's never boring, and in its best parts, is very emotional, but in its weakest, feels like a cardboard cutout of a Spielberg movie. What's also really missing is a correct motivation to move the plot. Now, yes, firefighting is important, but it's not as important as WWII in the original movie. It doesn't seem the same. Another missing element is Spielberg's directorial talent. There isn't much in this movie to distinguish this movie as his.
Nevertheless, the movie is never boring, and while I just spent all that time pointing out flaws, it's not a bad movie by any means. It's easily one of the worst Spielberg efforts, because there isn't really anything to distinguish this as his; but that doesn't mean it's bad, and I would recommend it for someone to see.
1 out of 1 found this helpful