Mr. Jones

In this intense and emotional tale of compassion, rescue and love, director Mike Figgis portrays the antithesis of the Richard Gere he had shown us three years before Mr. Jones' release: A needy, fragile, unstable yet creative and fascinating character versus the sinister, cold-blooded and self-confident officer Dennis Peck in Internal Affairs.

Gere's ability to absorb the script and bring it to life through his inimitable histrionic demeanor has once again amazed me, bringing me into the scene as if I were observing from behind the camera. Another example of a woman assisting a man throughout his struggle is Figgis' Leavign Las Vegas, where Elizabeth Shue chooses to be by Nicholas Cages' side, with the exception of a very sad ending (In this case we had pills instead of bottles). From Final Analysis, Gear switches into the patient's role, making us hold our breath and, needless to say, get a good use out of our handkerchiefs.