Forces of Nature (1999)

A soon-to-be-married man encounters an exciting stranger after his plane suffers an accident on takeoff.

Director:

Bronwen Hughes

Writer:

Marc Lawrence

Stars:

Sandra Bullock, Ben Affleck, Maura Tierney

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sandra Bullock	...	Sarah
Ben Affleck	...	Ben
Maura Tierney	...	Bridget
Steve Zahn	...	Alan
Blythe Danner	...	Virginia
Ronny Cox	...	Hadley
Michael Fairman	...	Richard
Janet Carroll	...	Barbara
Richard Schiff	...	Joe
David Strickland	...	Steve
Meredith Scott Lynn	...	Debbie
George Wallace	...	Max (as George D. Wallace)
Steve Hytner	...	Jack
John Doe	...	Carl
Jack Kehler	...	Vic

Storyline

Ben Holmes, a professional book-jacket blurbologist, is trying to get to Savannah for his wedding. He just barely catches the last plane, but a seagull flies into the engine as the plane is taking off. All later flights are cancelled because of an approaching hurricane, so he is forced to hitch a ride in a Geo Metro with an attractive but eccentric woman named Sarah.

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Plot Keywords:

love | neo screwball comedy | title directed by female | wedding | hurricane | 

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Taglines:

Why watch the Force when you can watch... Forces of Nature?

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sensuality, language and a scene of drug use

Did You Know?

Trivia

The airport near the beginning of the film, supposedly LaGuardia in New York City, is actually Washington, D.C., a.k.a. Dulles International Airport in Northern Virginia.

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Goofs

When Ben is dancing on the table at "Mr. Wonderful" his hands are alternately on his collar/by his side between shots.

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Quotes

Sarah Lewis: Two wayward travellers stuck in a Geo with a guy named Vic.

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Connections

Features The Wild Women of Wongo (1958)

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Soundtracks

Take California
Written by Alex Gifford
Performed by Propellerheads
Courtesy of DreamWorks Records, Wall of Sound and Propellerheads

User Reviews

Stylish but pointless. ** out of ****.

FORCES OF NATURE / (1999) **

"Forces of Natures" is a romantic comedy that gradually builds for a presumably happy conclusion, but completely disregards its momentum in the end, making this movie a hypocrite of itself. Although advancing through this story is sometimes amiable fun, the ending results are forgettable and pointless.

The movie's entire story is a series of uncanny coincidences ranging from heart attacks and drug busts to robbery and fires. Book-jacket blurbologist Ben Holmes (Ben Affleck), is becoming married to his fiancée, Bridget (Maura Tierney), in two days. At his bachelor party in New York, a stripper excites his grandfather into cardiac arrest. Ben stays with his relative a little while then catches a flight back to Georgia where Bridget is waiting.

Ben meets a young woman making out with her romantic interest at the airport. This woman, the pretty Sarah Lewis (Sandra Bullock), later ends up sitting next to him on the plane. Ben is a very nervous flyer, and when his flight crashes before it leaves the ground he becomes even more profoundly afraid of flying.

He and Sarah buddy-up with a man at the port hitching a ride to his wedding destination. This man turns out to be a criminal, however, and is busted with the unlikely pair in the car with him.

Many more events occur keeping Ben away from his wedding location. Such circumstances include a train wreck, a striptease, and mistaken identity. His parents (Michael Fairman and Janet Carroll), are not happy with his findings or state of affairs.

The film's conflict is getting Ben from New York to Savannah, Ga. to wed with his fiancée. No recent structure complicates its initial problem as clearly as "Forces of Nature," imaginatively written by Marc Lawrence. The gradual increase of passion between Ben and Sarah makes for rich romantic chemistry, although there is none developed between Bridget and Ben. "Forces of Nature" concentrates on creating chemistry with Sarah and Ben, but never with Bridget. I did not know what to believe. Is Ben in love with Sarah in which he has known for only a few days, or is his heart with his eagerly waiting to wed fiancée?

Lame conversations featuring Ben and Bridget on a bed videotaping themselves enhances what little character development present. Such lame dialogue present includes "I'm scared" and "It's the rest of our lives." Why doesn't the movie show us how the two characters feel about marriage instead of explaining it?

"Forces of Nature" contains an interesting style, consisting of neat camera effects, scenes cut short, believable cinematography and jaunty soundtrack numbers. Some of the film's style is over the top, however. There is a magical hailstorm sequence that plays like a music video on MTV. And most of the film's laughs come from witty one liners, not the many incidences of stylish film making.

Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock are the right choices for Ben and Sarah. They bring forth effective performances thanks in part to stylish directing and cleverly written dialogue. Most of the final segments of the second act are spent on Ben making a decision between spending his life with Bridget or Sarah. Though the entire second act is wasted anyway in the manner this movie concludes itself.

"Forces of Nature" is a movie too silly for serious romantics and overly thought-provoking for audiences looking for a good laugh. Teenagers may identify with the film's glossy look. But for most viewers, this is just a music video with plot.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 March 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Forces of Nature

Filming Locations:

Executive Motor Hotel - 5215 W. Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$75,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,510,728, 21 March 1999

Gross USA:

$52,900,680

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$93,900,680

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks, Roth-Arnold Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1