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Written by: Richard Matheson (novel "What Dreams May Come"), Ron Bass (screenplay)
Directed by: Vincent Ward
Starring: Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr., Annabella Sciorra, Max von Sydow
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
Chris dies in an accident and enters Heaven. When he discovers that his beloved wife Annie has killed herself out of grief over the loss, he embarks on an afterlife adventure to reunite with her.
Verdict
It's a love story set against heaven and hell. The afterlife is a world Chris extracts from his mind, an impressionist painting where he can explore the present and past. That world is incomplete without his wife, and he's willing to sacrifice any joy for her. It's a creative exploration of the after life that boasts distinct visuals as well as a unique romance that focuses on the sacrifice aspect of a relationship.
Watch It.
Review
Chris (Robin Williams) and Annie (Annabella Sciorra) meet in Italy and soon fall for each other. A montage quickly shows them marrying and starting a family. The introduction is on the rails to get the plot started. Chris and Annie lose both their children in a car accident, and years later Chris also dies in a car accident. It's a dark movie with so much death, but his passing marks the start of the main plot.
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| Robin Williams, Annabella Sciorra play Chris, Annie |
Distraught at losing Annie, Chris attempts to communicate with her but realizes it only causes distress. He enters a heaven that looks like an impressionistic painting his wife might have created, generated from his imagination. His old dog is there and he finds a guide, his old mentor Albert (Cuba Gooding Jr.). He also has visions of those he left behind.
When his wife dies he's relieved her suffering is over and excited he'll get to see her before he discovers that people that kill themselves don't end up in the same place. It's not a judgement, but the fact that the despair that drove them to the act leads them to creating a nightmare vision of the afterlife.
Chris resolves to find her. They're soulmates, true soulmates which Albert tells him is rare. No one has ever made the journey to hell, but that doesn't deter Chris. He isn't content with a heaven where his wife is excluded and suffering and his children are absent.
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| Cuba Gooding Jr., Robin Williams play Albert, Chris |
It's certainly creative, both the plot and visually. The afterlife is unique to each person, their memories and experiences influencing the journey. I do wonder how many couples embark to see their spouse. While none ever succeed, are most people content with their version of the afterlife?
Chris is warned that he can't save Annie from her nightmare. The most he can hope for is a farewell. His devotion to her breaks those boundaries and ends up freeing both of them.
It's an atypical love story that traverses heaven and hell; utopia and a nightmare. Love conquers all, couching this journey as unique to soulmates.
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