Roger Ebert wasn't particularily fond of "Regarding Henry," because it is contrived, predictable, and sitcom-ish. And in retrospect, he's right on all accounts. But being a sucker for Harrison Ford, I had to watch Henry and I did like the movie, despite some obvious parts where scenes seem to be...well, missing. We do realize fairly quickly that this is going to be one of those "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" tales: the big, bad, dishonest lawyer who is turned into a new man. Albeit, Ford has a rough road to that reformation, via head injuries, a coma, physical therapy, etc, but we can see it coming a mile in advance. However, "Henry" boasts some touching moments, at least for me. When Henry begins therapy, the therapist asks the once-prominent lawyer to pick out the triangle from among some blocks. Although we don't see Henry's choice, we hear the therapist's encouraging voice: "Close. I'll give you a hint, that's not it." At that moment I couldn't help but wonder how desperate a situation it would be if someone I loved was there, struggling among rectangles and circles. Annette Bening and Ford are both intelligent actors who succeed in their roles, however underwritten they may be. But I wondered how probable certain situations were: Would Henry automatically love his wife because he's supposed to? What about their money problems?? Too many unanswered questions, but still worth a spin.
Review of Regarding Henry
