Search - Just Like Heaven (Widescreen Edition) on DVD

Sherri H. (MrsH) from ROME, GA
Reviewed on 11/19/2007...

Great movie! Loved it!

1 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.

Heavenly Romance

Mark Baker | Santa Clarita, CA United States | 04/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

"If you could really touch me, what would you do?"

John Dagley | Melbourne Australia | 01/31/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."