One would think that my favorite genre of movies is horror
films with what I often write about. But if you think so you'd be wrong. I love
feel good movies. I think there are enough problems in this world that we all
have to face that now and then we need something to jolt us out of the doldrums
and brighten our day. It's why I always cite IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE as one of my
favorite movies.
The movie opens in 1991 and high school senior and
quarterback Scott Murphy (Brian Presley) has it all. He's been voted Mr.
Football for the state of Ohio, has been recruited by Ohio State University and
is about to play his last high school game. But fate has a different destiny
for Murphy.
With seconds on the clock and the possible win of the game,
Murphy changes the call of Coach Hand (Kurt Russell) and runs the ball for a
touchdown. But as he leaps to the win, two players from the other team catch
him in the air and severely break his leg. It's a career ending wound.
Flash forward to Murphy's life 15 years later. Still living
in the small Ohio town of Coldwater, Murphy wears a brace on his leg, deals
with the pain and is feeling the bite from the recession. Murphy works with his
old coach on the volunteer fire brigade. He refuses to take part in helping
with the high school team and always bypasses the school reunions. His best
high school friend, now a well paid professional player and married to Murphy's
high school flame, wants to get together but Murphy refuses.
With a somewhat small field of soybeans to keep his family
going, Murphy meets with the bank concerning a loan that they feel should never
have been made. Within days all he owns will be on the block. All he needs is
two weeks till the crop comes in, but they won't budge.
Murphy returns home to his wife Macy (Melanie Lynskey) and
two children. This family is close but the turns in his life are taking their
toll on Murphy. A frost the next morning threatens the crop but he's able to
get the last combine in the county. Bad luck continues as he hits a stump and
breaks it down. With no hope, Murphy decides to end it all, parking his
battered old truck overlooking the high school football field and plugging his
exhaust so he can die leaving behind his insurance policy to take care of his
family.
And that's when things begin to happen. Murphy wakes to find
himself taken back to the past, 15 years earlier. None of the misfortune that
happened to him has taken place, yet he retains in his mind all that's
happened. He's back with his girlfriend, the team still has a chance to make
things happen and if he doesn't make the same play he did those years ago he
can become the professional ball player he dreamed of, leaving behind this
small town and taking care of his mother (Christine Lahti).
But as I said, he has all those memories intact. He sees
Macy as he never saw her when he was in high school. They met while he was in
the hospital where she volunteered. Now he sees her as she was then. Those
affections are still there. He wants to change his life, but will he do so at
the cost of losing Macy and his unborn children? Or will he try to convince
here to come with him on this new journey? Does Macy even want to go along? Or
does she love the life she has in this small community?
While not given a deep, dark look in this film it does pose
more serious questions than most time travel films have in the past. Given the
opportunity would you change the mistakes in your past or would you see that
somehow they might not have been mistakes? Perhaps they were destined to happen
all along. And if you realize that then maybe those mistakes brought you more
happiness than you realized.
The movie also takes a nice look at what it means to live in
a small community. Towns that aren't mega-cities have their own speed and way
of doing things. People know almost everyone else or at least a majority of
people who live there. Sure, you might know everyone else's business, but you
can also count on the people around you when you need to.
The ending to this movie (don't worry not a true spoiler)
can be seen in some ways far beyond when it finally unreels. But the different
options of where it could go are all thought out. The eventual outcome is not
what you might expect but it is quite satisfying.
Russell is the name star here but he's not the featured
player. He adds great support to this cast which has stand outs in both Presley
and Lynskey. They do a tremendous job here, making a believable couple who have
something stronger than the character of Murphy realizes.
If you need a feel good movie then look no further. This is
one I intend to make a place for on the keep shelf. Not only does the story
work, the scenery is great as well. Director Don Handfield has truly captured
the look and feel of this part of the country. A wonderful film the whole
family can enjoy.
Click here to order.
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