113 of 115 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sometimes the worst curse is your truest blessing, October 21, 2001
Despite being less well known, "Regarding Henry" is one of Harrison Ford's best works. The film demands a wide spectrum from this great actor and he delivers convincingly. For the most part, the other performers take their cue from Ford's "Henry" and render a near perfect glimpse of a life that could have been.
The tile character, Henry Turner, is introduced to us as a top-flight litigator for a large New York legal firm. He is well groomed, dressed in a designer suit and he is seen speaking sincerely to a jury about human desires and justice. Our opinion of him changes as soon as Henry leaves the court. He quickly makes a call to his interior designer to berate her for having the wrong table delivered to his palatial home. He is just another lawyer, after all.
It is hard to watch this movie at the start. Henry is one of those men we all love to hate. He is selfish, self centered, successful and confident. His daughter is frightened of him and his wife is a pale reflection of him. Luckily we are not forced to watch this Henry for very long. He makes the classic movie exit and "goes out for some cigarettes."
What follows is a scene that is perfectly directed. Henry walks into a corner store demanding his brand of cigarettes, unaware that the other patron is robbing the owner. Henry does not become scared but before he can even attempt to control the situation, he is lying on the sidewalk with two bullets inside his body and the wail of approaching sirens in the background. This event is the cusp of Henry's life.
Annette Bening plays Henry's Wife, Sarah. She may not be in love with her husband anymore but she needs him. As her financial position becomes clear, she realizes she needs him very much. But she is not unaffected by it all. This is the man in her life, the father of her child, a good provider and protector. Seeing him lying motionless in a hospital bed, drooling and staring vacantly, is probably the most painful thing she has ever experienced. But there is some hope of recovery.
Henry's long rejuvenation at a specialty medical center is like a rebirth. He remembers nothing, coming into his new world without the power of speech or the ability to walk. His midwife/physiotherapist, Bradley, is wonderful. He is full of life, energy and enthusiasm. As Henry is taught to walk and speak and function, Bradely becomes the mainstay of his life. Sarah keeps her distance and Henry doesn't get to see his daughter, (Rachel), at all until the day he is deemed fit to go home, a scary separation from the only people he trusts.
But the Henry that returns to a home he barely remembers, is not the same man that left for cigarettes. He is a little shy, very calm, forgiving, gentle and above all, nice. His transformation is interpreted in different ways by different groups. The movie serves as an interesting depiction of how society views disabilities. His boss is patronizing, his daughter delighted, his mistress is distraught and for the longest time, Sarah doesn't know what to feel.
The ending may be predictable but in this case, it is the journey that we love. Most of us feel we have lost our innocence and that our honor has been a little tarnished by life's decisions. Henry takes us on a trip to see what might happen if we surrendered all the hard won prizes in our life and instead, chose to embrace life itself. This is a film that will make you feel. Some days, that's just what we need.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
moving story proves anyone can have a change of heart, July 27, 2000
A prominent, but stony-hearted lawyer is an innocent standbyer in a liquor store hold up and gets shot in the head. The scene is unforgettable and will stay with you long after you've seen the film. He's stunned and doesn't quite realize he's been hit, then you see this little trail of blood trickling from his forehead... next scene, he's in the hospital suffering from amnesia.
Far from being a love-tap to the noggin, Henry must go through months of agonizing physical therapy to re-learn how to talk and think straight again. While his memory comes back in tiny little pieces, he mostly remembers nothing of his past life and is re-introduced to his wife and daughter, who ironically enough, were already strangers to him before he was shot.
Along with the good memories, the previous emotional baggage has been erased as well and Henry finds himself falling in love with his wife all over again, and falling in love with the daughter he never appreciated. He becomes fearless and fun-loving and must face the person he used to be as he realizes that even though he has changed, others are treating him like the old, spiteful Henry. The film says a lot to the viewer emotionally. We either hold on to the things we hate, yet are comfortable with, or we abandon the garbage and start our lives with a fresh perspective, letting those who choose to scoff us sluff off like barnacles.
Too many people simply go through life, plodding along, going through the motions and never really live and enjoy the important things that life has too offer. The film makes you think... you can start off with life a-new, without the help of a bullet if you're so determined. This is a sweet family film that I highly recommend.
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22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
In case you missed this movie..., June 2, 2004
This isn't one of Harrison Ford's bigger hits, but it should be, at least within the dramatic genre. Sure, he's Indiana Jones, and he's Han Solo, but outside of those series, Ford's movie choices have occasionally left this fan, at least, scratching her head (Sabrina? What were you thinking!?).
"Regarding Henry" is a rare little gem of a story, a simple film about a man whose life changes, believe it or not, for the better when he's shot and nearly killed by dint of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Ford's Henry Turner takes us through a life he doesn't remember, including a daughter and a wife played by an impossibly young and fresh-faced Annette Bening.
Sure, it's a little sentimental. But it's a pretty simple story with a positive feel. Filmed on location in New York City, the Manhattan scenery is rather delightful as well.
It's not film noir, it's not a tour de force of characterization, and no, it's not Academy Award winning screenwriting. But it is a thoroughly enjoyable movie, one Ford doesn't have any reason to be ashamed of.
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