Customer Reviews

Just Like Heaven (Widescreen Edition)

5 star:		(114)
4 star:		(57)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

What a wonderful movie. After a summer full of dull blockbuster, shoot 'em up, aliens attacking, superhero flicks, I was sooooo ready for the fall fare, and Just Like Heaven is the perfect way to start. Reese Witherspoon is, well, heavenly and altogether lovely, but Mark Ruffalo truly impressed me. And, for the Napoleon Dynamite fans, Jon Heder makes an appearance as an occult bookstore attendent. This character is probably what Napoleon would be doing 10 years down the road. Napoleon aside (please don't see this movie just for him!), this is a very sweet, fun, and surprising romantic comedy.

Reese is Elizabeth, a dedicated doctor who scarcely makes time for herself. About fifteen minutes into the film, she's in a terrible car accident... flash forward three months later. David (Ruffalo) is looking for a furnished apartment to sublet. He just can't seem to find one with a comfortable enough couch, until that is, a piece of paper keeps flying at him in the street, advertising a fully furnished apartment. The couch is perfect, so he quickly moves in and begins his nightly drink-fest. But soon after he begins seeing the spirit of Elizabeth, who tells him that the apartment is hers. Together, they discover what truly has become of Elizabeth (I'm not telling!) and how to get things back to normal.

There are lots of surprising twists in this movie, and I had already read the book. The premise is the same, but this movie reveals a lot of missed opportunities on the author's (Marc Levy's) part. Witherspoon and Ruffalo are wonderful together, a perfect romantic comedy match. Ruffalo actually almost had me crying when he finally reveals the root of his depression to Elizabeth. What a fun movie! Just suspend any disbelief you may have and just have fun! That's what this movie is for! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

David Abbott has lost everything - his job, his home, and most importantly his wife. He has just been simply existing and drinking excessively to help cover the pain. David has been looking for a furnished home in San Francisco to rent, and quite by accident stumbles upon the perfect temporary solution. He is happy with his choice, and the prospect of moving in until he sees a woman who is insisting she is the owner. David wants her gone, but she makes it clear that she isn't going anywhere until she figures out what is going on. Together they try to put the pieces together, and discover that she is Elizabeth Masterson. Unfortunately they also discover that Dr. Masterson was in a horrific auto accident. As they seek answers, they also become closer and closer.

This is a terrific predictable romantic movie. Reece Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo are wonderful together. They give such a great performance!

I didn't like the previews for this one: They made it look like a ghost story. It is much more than that.

The problem with the previews was that they couldn't show you what the film ultimately was about without spoiling. I won't tell you either except to say that the film takes a turn at one point and changes direction. It becomes as good of a romantic comedy as has ever been made.

The story is about a widower (Mark Ruffalo) who seems to be haunted by the ghost of a prior tenant, a workaholic hospital intern played by Reese Witherspoon. But when we find out what is really going, it changes to heart-wrenching high drama.

Dr. Elizabeth Masterson (Reese Witherspoon) is a workaholic striving to get a permanent job at the hospital she's working at in San Francisco. But on the day she gets the job, she's in a horrid car accident.

Meanwhile, David Abbott (Mark Ruffalo) is looking for a furnished apartment with a comfortable couch. He's running out of options until a flier for a sub-lease flies across his path. It's perfect, and David is excited about moving in.

Until he sees Elizabeth in his apartment. She insists she lives there and he is the one trespassing. When she appears and disappears, David decides she's a spirit and tries everything he can to get rid of her. When that doesn't work, he agrees to help her find out who she is so she can get peace and leave him alone.

The pieces begin falling into place, but by then, David and Elizabeth have grown beyond their initial dislike and enjoy each other's company. Will the truth about Elizabeth be good news or bad news?

I went into this movie expecting a light romantic comedy, and there are some very funny moments, especially at the beginning as David and Elizabeth must come to grips with each other. However, as the movie progressed, the story grew more serious. I was amazed at how much I grew to care for the characters. The scene where David thinks Elizabeth is out of his life choked me up, and I did need tissue for the climax.

The story itself is basically predictable. Several major plot points are obvious long before they happen. However, there was a twist or two I didn't see coming. And the movie has some themes worth thinking over after it ends.

The movie is carried by the leads. Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo do a great job in their rolls. The movie really focuses on them, and the two have lots of screen time together. The chemistry builds over the course of the movie. I found this noteworthy because in most comedies it seems to either be there or not. I liked this because shows the changing relationship that Elizabeth and David have.

The praise for the leads isn't to detract from the supporting actors. Dina Spybey especially stands out as Elizabeth's sister. However, Jon Heder of Napoleon Dynamite fame steals every scene he is in. His paranormal expert is hilarious.

The DVD extras include some hilarious bloopers and about a half dozen deleted scenes. Both are worth watching and are pretty funny, although I'm glad the alternate ending was left on the cutting room floor.

This movie is a pleasant way to spend a couple hours. Not terribly original, but it tries harder then many films out there today.

One of the hidden gems of 2005, Just Like Heaven was overshadowed by the usual commercial blockbusters and Academy Award nominees. But this cute little film is the very embodiment of the movie going experience. Fitting easily into the "chick flick" genre, Just Like Heaven isn't a sappy, drawn-out love story filled with clich?s and over-the-top dialogue. It's actually funny and likeable enough to appeal to males as well as females. Mark Waters, director of such films as Mean Girls and Freaky Friday, minted himself a successful film during the casting stage when he picked the perfect combination of onscreen talent to illustrate his story. The chemistry between Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon makes this film a lot more interesting than it would otherwise be with a lesser combination of talent...

Just Like Heaven begins by following the life of Elizabeth Masterson (Reese Witherspoon), a workaholic staff doctor in a San Francisco hospital. Driven to achieve, Masterson excels in her career, but only at the expense of her personal life. Taking on extra shifts in an effort to get promoted, she continually misses lunch and dinner appointments with her sister Abby (Dina Spybey). On the night she gets her long-awaited promotion, Elizabeth is en route to her sister's house for a dinner party when her car is smashed head-on by a tractor trailer.

Meanwhile, David Abbott (Mark Ruffalo) moves into a new apartment in the aftermath of his wife's tragic death. Although his best friend Jack (Donal Logue) tells him it's time to move on, David can't seem to get over her passing. Late one night as he guzzles beer on the couch, he's confronted by Elizabeth who is angry to see him camping out in her apartment. Mark insists that the apartment is his, and the two soon discover that Elizabeth is a ghost. As their confrontational relationship grows into friendship, Mark and Elizabeth work together to find out what really happened to her. The result is a series of often hilarious mishaps such as when Mark reluctantly saves a dying man's life using Elizabeth's vast medical knowledge.

Searching for some answers to Elizabeth's strange condition, David visits a bookstore specializing in paranormal occurrences where he meets up with a clerk named Darryl (Jon Heder) who is endowed with unworldly wisdom. Darryl provides a few clues as to the origin and intentions of the spirit haunting Mark and his guidance leads Mark to the discovery of a shocking truth - Elizabeth is still alive. Dependent on life support for the past six months, she hasn't shown any signs of recovery. Her sister Abby, struggling to make the right decision, comes to the conclusion that Elizabeth would want to have the plug pulled. But Elizabeth, who originally felt she would not want to remain on life support, feels very much alive, and she wants to stay that way. Now, Mark and Elizabeth must work together if she has any chance of survival...

Veteran screenplay writers Peter Tolan and Leslie Dixon collaborate well together in creating a well integrated plotline with interesting dialogue. An unorthodox love story, Just Like Heaven showcases Mark Ruffalo's growing appeal as a leading man. Much like Tom Hanks, his everyman look exudes a rare charisma on the big screen. Similar to his standout role in 13 Going On 30 (where he stole the show from Jennifer Garner), the film highlights his likeability among both male and female audiences. But the role would be less of a breakout performance if it weren't for the outstanding chemistry between the actor and his co-star. As she exhibited with her recent Oscar-winning performance, Reese Witherspoon is no slouch herself. Overall, these types of films do little for me, but Just Like Heaven earns my highest recommendation...

I'm sure my opening subject line is a line from 'Just Like Heaven' and beautifully sums up this film for me.

While Reese Witherspoon's foray into the literary classic masterpiece 'Vanity Fair' in 2004, might have left audiences and fans divided, maybe even killed her career depending on how you view this previous film of hers. I however think otherwise. No matter what one thinks on Reese's other film what's important is this. Reese Witherspoon returns to a more familiar film role certain to gain more fans, and keep the dedicated forever on cloud nine. A romantic comedy with an intriguing dynamic that I know Reese enjoyed and equally challenging.

The film 'Just Like Heaven' directed by Mark Waters (Freaky Friday, 'Mean Girls'), does a fabulous book adaption more then enough justice. It really goes beyond the written word, and hurls the movie into a whole new dimention with delightful results. The film compaired to the book is faithful, but here's why the film is better. There are more characters, more story, a better interaction between the living and dead and most importantly for me is one fact. If you discovered you could see someone what would you do with them? The film goes into this where the book didn't really satisy me in this respect.

With television and film studios really embracing the existence of spirits on earth after death, with prime examples being Allison's DuBois 'Medium' for older viewers, and Jennifer Love Hewitt's 'Ghost Whisperer' for younger viewers primarily. It would be unwise to amount this film as just more fancy fluff. This film has more spirit then your average film.

Near the end of the film some girls remarked "Oh you can't be serious!" It really seemed like a silly comment to make and very brave of the studio to film the scene I will go into detail about. This comment refers to a lovely scene in the film a real favorite of mine, where it seems the two leads make love clothed with the power of touch. Since this is possible on earth, is it so hard to imagine this physical expression of love would be denied us when we die? I doubt it. If Reese Witherspoon's spirit came to me in a time of need I'd want to do anything she desired. I'm so glad this film will remain after Reese along with the rest of us haved passed away. Forever this film will be seen and be a part of Reese Witherspoon's film legacy. That all actors have to share with the world while they live and after they pass. View this film sensibly. It is precious.

Just Like Heaven is just about the best movie so far this year, and I've seen about fifity of them. As a comedy it's funnier than Bewitched or The Man, not quite as funny as The Wedding Crashers but far more refined. In addition to comedy it's got heart and spirit.

Reese Witherspoon plays a busy doctor who gets into a tragic car accident early in the film, and then the story follows Mark Ruffalo, who rents her apartment. Before long he sees her ghost, who can't remember who she is, and after a rocky start helps her to find out. Where the story goes from there is more important, but I don't want to give away any more of the plot.

It remains a pleasant comedy even through the profound life-and-death parts of the story; for only the second time this year Hollywood's made a film that addresses a current issue without preaching their liberal agenda (the other was The Island, which showed immoral consequences of cloning). I think movie critics who are berating this film are biased for that reason, and ignoring the quality of the movie, which is a pleasant comedy from start to finish with some heartwarming and profound scenes. Though it's a comedy, this is at least the second or third most important film I've seen this year next to The Great Raid, which was a true story, and perhaps The Island.

I tend to go for drama but am often surprised with some com/rom films. This is one good surprise.
Good chemistry between Witherspoon and Ruffalo.
Reese has become one of the best all around actresses out there.
I am slowly falling in love with her. In her private life she seems to be well grounded and is not a 'hollywood' roustabout.
A guy/girl flick.....about losing someone...then finding someone and ...
I believe you will enjoy this one. Guys might not admit it but they will probably enjoy it as well...especially 'honest' guys.

This was a very enjoyable movie. Good plot, good acting and a valuble meaning. i saw the movie in the cinema all alone and it still made me laugh and cry. It was a bit short though! Witherspoon and Ruffalo made something great. If you're into romantic comedies this is a good one. Good luck;)

Down and dispondant David has just moved into a new apartment on a short lease. The good thing is that the place comes with its own furniture. The bad news is that it comes with its own spirit. Elizabeth.

Elizabeth has the rather difficult problem of not being able to remember her past. She recognises the world around her and anything she's touched in life but she doesn't remember how she came to be here, or why David is the only one who can see her. In a mad cap outing that starts with David's want for a peaceful appartment and ends in something else entirely, both he and Elizabeth set out to find out about her life and what happened to her.

Like i said its a heart-warming film that has you smiling, giggling and laughing out loud in turn.

With great acting from the cast, a perfectly timed and directed movie with great music and its most certainly a film that leaves you hoping and rooting for the David and Elizabeth from start to finish.

Its one of those films that leaves you with a smile for days later. I'm still smiling.

If you like romantic comedies its definately one to look out for and even if you don't its very easy to get caught up in this movie.

Whether its rated as a chick-flick or not trust me, its definately worth watching.