Hope Floats (1998)

This review refers to the 20th Century Fox DVD edition of "Hope Floats".....

Forest Whitaker gives us a nice taste of his behind the camera talents with his direction of this touching and romantic feel good film. He has assembled a terrific cast including the charming Sandra Bullock,the irresistable Harry Connick Jr.,and the always wonderful Gena Rowlands. Add to that a story that will touch you with it's character's strength, humor and loving bonds of family by Steven Rogers, a soundtrack you'll want to hear over and over and terrific photogrpahy and you've got yourself a great recipe for a delightful movie break.

Birdie Pruitt(Bullock)was the sweetheart of her hometown, Smithville, Texas. She had it all..beauty queen, cheerleader,married to her high school sweetheart,a daughter who is the apple of her eye, and living the good life now in Chicago. But Birdie's perfect life is about to unravel. After appearing on one of those afternoon talk shows for what she thinks will be a make-over, she is hit with the awful truth that her best friend and husband are having an affair.

Devasted, humiliated on national T.V., and feeling all is lost, she packs up herself and her daughter and beats a retreat back to Smithville. The road back to self-esteem is a long one for Birdie, as she shuts herself off from life and love and must deal with readjusting to a new life.

Sandra Bullock will warm your heart as she learns to open hers again. Harry Connick Jr. will keep you smiling, as the childhood friend who has always loved her, and tries to breakdown Birdie's walls. And Gena Rowlands is perfect as the mother who won't let her child give up. Bernice, Birdie's young daughter is played brillantly by the young Mae Whitman and will evoke a lump in your throat as the child of divorce. Lots of great music including songs by Sheryl Crow, Bryan Adams and a beautiful rendition of "Smile" by Charles Chaplin, added to a moving score by Dave Grusin,are all just the right touches to this heartwarming story.

The DVD is an excellent presentation. The picture in widescreen(1.85:1)is very good with nice colors.The Sound in Dolby Dig 5.1 surrounds the room nicely.It may be viewed in French(stereo) and has subtitles in English and Spanish for those needing them. There are no other special features though.

If you're in need of a little pick-me-up, this is the film to do it. A feel good movie that's romantic, poignant and humorous, will leave you appreciating all that you already have, and with a smile as well.

enjoy.....Laurie

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What an excellent movie about how difficult it is to go home. Birdie Pruitt was what every girl dreams of being in high school the cheerleader, beauty queen, and married to her sweetheart. When her husband leaves her for none other than her best friend, Birdie comes home to start her life again. For some, it is nice to have her home, but for others, they love throwing her failures in her face.

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This has to be one of my very favorite movies and the soundtrack is THE BEST COUNTRY music I have ever heard, and I don't even listen to Country Music LOL in fact I liked the music (and the movie) so much I have purchased both for friends at least twice!!! On to my review.....

Gena Rowlands is Fantastic as the Momma, Harry Connick Jr. is simply charming as the "wanna be" Beau, the actor that played "Travis" was adorable and heartwarming, Bernice (the daughter of Sandra Bullock in the movie) was casted very well she was perfect as a stubborn, hurt and confused little girl trying to deal with the divorce of her Beloved Daddy and her (now seen as the enemy) Momma. Of course I can not leave out Sandra Bullock I was impressed with her ability to portray the hurt and the recovery of a women who has sunk to depression after her husband has found another, a mother that is struggling to keep it together for her child and a daughter that comes home to a town and a Mother that remembers her in a certain light.

Forrest Whitaker did a tremendous job In my Honest Opinion with selecting this cast, creating scenes that make you feel all of what the characters are going through. From the Gena Rowlands character all the way to the children. I can not recommend this movie enough for anyone. Caution.... It's not light, there are some funny moments and there are some very sad moments. It deals with death, infidelity and parents neglecting their children.

I watched this with my 12 year old, she loved it!!! The soundtrack maybe hard to find but do yourself a favor FIND IT!! it is definately worth it. I had to finally find mine on auction sites and it can come pretty pricy brand new/sealed but still if I ever heard something worth the ticket price the soundtrack for this movie is one of them.

Also if you like this type of movie (with pretty much the same subject matter) check out "Something to Talk About" which stars Gena Rowland as the Momma as well.

Respectfully Reviewed

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Sandra Bullock is one of my favorite actors and she shines in Hope Floats. I think it's an ideal movie for anyone with a heart not because of Sandra's awe-inspiring talent, but because of the theme behind the movie. The movie stars a mother, Sandra, who has just leaned, on national television no less, that her husband's been cheating on her. She leaves him and takes her young daughter, played by Mae Whitman, to live with her mother in her small hometown. She comes in contact, more often than she wants, with someone from her past. A guy to be exact. I won't ruin the ending, but overall she learns the hard way to overcome her fears and let go of the past hurts. Little Mae Whitman is adorable in this movie. While both stars were excellent, the reason I gave the movie a five-star rating was because of how close the plot comes to reality. Watch it, I assure you it'll bring tears to your eyes and leave you wanting to watch it a second, or maybe even a third time.

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I have, to date, bought seven copies of this video. I am giving them to various friends and family members in need of some comfort and "hope". This film deals with dilemmas which we each have or will, at some time, face in our lives. The situations will not necessarily be the same but have loss and betrayal in common with the occurrences in the film. Sandra Bullocks's portrayal of Birdee was impeccable. I especially liked the fact that she surrounded herself with "things" that she associated with the people that she had lost. She kept Bill's shirt that she had found before leaving the house. It, evidently, still had his scent on it. She slept in it at her mother's. She wore her father's jacket the day that she walked through the rain to the school. She carried his lunch pail as a purse. After her mother's death, she wroe the mother's dress for the funeral. These are things that I have found myself doing after a loss. It gave a "realness" to that character that she would not have had otherwise. I had seen Harry Connick Jr. in other things, but he was outstanding in this movie. I have, since, gone back to have a second look at his other performances. He is, very quickly, becoming one of my very favorite singers and actors! Both of the children in the film were darling. I enjoyed Mae Whitman's efforts at driving "Justin" away from her mother! The skunk story is classic. Gena Rowlands was outstanding as the mother. She was always there for her family/daughter altho' she did not always "say" or "do" the right thing. She tried to "do well" by them. Most of Texas is not like Smithville. I live in Texas, and most towns are somewhat more sophisticated than that. There is still, happily, a lot of the "Western" mystique about the place tho'. I think that this is a great movie!

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