Bounce (2000)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Don Roos

Writer (WGA):

Don Roos (written by)

Release Date:

15 November 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

This October, fall in love with fate.

Plot:

A man switches plane tickets with another man who dies in that plane in a crash. The man falls in love with the deceased one's wife.

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Airport | Alcoholics Anonymous | Beach House | Flight Simulator

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Ben Affleck	...	Buddy Amaral
Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Abby Janello
Natasha Henstridge	...	Mimi Prager
Edward Edwards	...	Ron Wachter
Jennifer Grey	...	Janice Guerrero
Tony Goldwyn	...	Greg Janello
Lisa Carpenter-Prewitt	...	Carol Wilson
Lisa Joyner	...	T.V. Announcer
Richard Saxton	...	CNN Reporter
Caroline Aaron	...	Donna
David Dorfman	...	Joey Janello
Alex D. Linz	...	Scott Janello
Juan García	...	Kevin Walters
Mary Ellen Lyon	...	Ellen Seitz
Joe Morton	...	Jim Willer

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some language and sensuality.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Chile:TE | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:PG | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #37739) | Greece:K | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Dodger Stadium - 1000 Elysian Park Avenue, Chavez Ravine, Elysian Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

Both Tony Goldwyn (Greg) and Alex D. Linz (Scott) provided voices for Tarzan in Tarzan (1999).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Abby and Buddy are in Buddy's office lobby (waiting to meet Jim for the first time), Abby's jacket collar is alternately in and out between shots.

Quotes:

Buddy Amaral: Where's your mom?
Scott: She's in the bathroom. She's been in there since Rosie.
Buddy Amaral: Why? Who was on Rosie?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Will & Grace: Whatever Happened to Baby Gin? (#8.22)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Need To Be Next To You

Reflections On Life And love

A tragic brush with fate sets a man on a road to self awareness and discovery that drastically alters his perception of himself and the world in which he lives, in `Bounce,' directed by Don Roos and starring Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow. In Chicago on business, waiting at the airport for a flight back to L.A. just before Christmas, Advertising Exec/salesman Buddy Amaral (Affleck) gives his ticket to a man he's met that evening in the lounge, Greg Janello (Tony Goldwyn), who's just been bumped from his flight. A writer, in Chicago for the opening (and sadly, the closing) of one of his plays, Janello has a wife, Abby (Gwyneth Paltrow), and two kids waiting for him at home, and is grateful for Buddy's apparent random act of kindness. Far from being a benevolent gesture, however, Buddy's motives are purely self-serving, and have to do with another passenger, Mimi (Natasha Henstridge), who's also been bumped and who has been given accommodations for the night by the airline. It seems that everything has worked out well for all concerned, until later that night, when the news breaks that the plane carrying Janello has crashed somewhere in Kansas, and that there are no survivors. For Buddy, who should have been on that plane, it's an awakening; and for probably the first time in his life he is forced to look inward. And he doesn't like what he finds. His confrontation with the demons within ultimately leads him to Abby Janello, and another unexpected turn in his life. Director Roos has created a richly textured drama that is both captivating and credible; the story is well written (by Roos), developed with precision and expertly paced, which makes it all entirely believable. Much more than a simple love story, it's about a man forced to confront what he sees in the mirror, and how he must cope with what he finds there; and about a young woman with two children, suddenly widowed, who must come to grips with an unsure future while dealing with such a devastating loss. What follows is an examination of a relationship forged by fate and born of need; a fragile, precarious situation at best. And what makes this film so good is the gradual way the relationship between Buddy and Abby is formed, neither hurried nor forced, with a couple of truly poignant moments along the way. And it all rings true, courtesy of a great script, Roos directing and the engaging performances of the stars. Affleck brings real depth to his character, and most importantly, a sense of true sincerity that makes him real; he illuminates Buddy's imperfections to perfection. And Paltrow is absolutely disarming as Abby; gentle and vulnerable to a fault, winsomely charming, and beautifully played. Also, there is a definite chemistry between Paltrow and Affleck that cannot be denied. The supporting cast includes Jennifer Grey (Mrs. Guererro), Joe Morton (Jim), David Paymer (Prosecution Lawyer), Alex D. Linz (Scott) and Johnny Galecki. A touching, memorable movie, `Bounce' is a reflection on the journey of life we all must take; and it makes you realize that it's something you have to work at. It's a film that makes you stop to reconsider choices made in the past, while recognizing that in the end, perhaps love and happiness is the bonus for doing it right. I rate this one 9/10.