I saw this recently because I saw the review Siskel and Ebert gave of the film on youtube and since those guys were always pretty much on the spot I decide to watch it, and I was pleasantly surprised.
The movie revolves around Peggy Sue Bodell, a beautiful woman on the verge of divorcing from her high school sweetheart Charlie Bodell played wonderfully by Nicolas Cage, who after fainting at her high school reunion finds herself back in time to the year 1960 when she was still a senior in school.
The movie works so well because Kathleen Turner is such a fantastic actress and she really channels the character of Peggy Sue. This is unlike any character she'd played before. Not sultry or sexy, but bubbly and quite funny. But the real standout here is Nicolas Cage. His unusual voice is only one of the more brilliant things about his performance. Charlie has a whiny kinda high pitched voice which tells us a lot about his character even before we get to know him. But it's not just his voice, it's the heart he gives to his character that makes us see why the beautiful and popular Peggy Sue falls for him.
The film also features great performances by Catherine Hicks and Joan Allen who play Peggy's loyal friends, Carol and Maddy. And it also introduces us to newcomers like Helen Hunt and Jim Carey, who are now household names. Also outstanding performances by Barbara Harris and Don Murray as Peggy Sue's parents.
The rest of the cast is also great including Sofia Coppola as Peggy Sue's little sister Nancy, it's not much, but it's way better than her trainwreck performance in the Godfather III.
Great direction by Francis Ford Coppola, who usually directs more serious stuff, but still makes an enjoyable comedy. If the film has any flaws it's perhaps in the script. Though there's great dialogue some of the stuff felt forced like when Peggy Sue visits her grandparents, and her relationship with Kevin J. O'Connor's character. It sometimes felt like they were trying to cram too many things together and the end felt a bit rushed and disjointed, but apart from that it's still a very good film and a very funny and effective comedy. It's definitely worth a watch.
The movie revolves around Peggy Sue Bodell, a beautiful woman on the verge of divorcing from her high school sweetheart Charlie Bodell played wonderfully by Nicolas Cage, who after fainting at her high school reunion finds herself back in time to the year 1960 when she was still a senior in school.
The movie works so well because Kathleen Turner is such a fantastic actress and she really channels the character of Peggy Sue. This is unlike any character she'd played before. Not sultry or sexy, but bubbly and quite funny. But the real standout here is Nicolas Cage. His unusual voice is only one of the more brilliant things about his performance. Charlie has a whiny kinda high pitched voice which tells us a lot about his character even before we get to know him. But it's not just his voice, it's the heart he gives to his character that makes us see why the beautiful and popular Peggy Sue falls for him.
The film also features great performances by Catherine Hicks and Joan Allen who play Peggy's loyal friends, Carol and Maddy. And it also introduces us to newcomers like Helen Hunt and Jim Carey, who are now household names. Also outstanding performances by Barbara Harris and Don Murray as Peggy Sue's parents.
The rest of the cast is also great including Sofia Coppola as Peggy Sue's little sister Nancy, it's not much, but it's way better than her trainwreck performance in the Godfather III.
Great direction by Francis Ford Coppola, who usually directs more serious stuff, but still makes an enjoyable comedy. If the film has any flaws it's perhaps in the script. Though there's great dialogue some of the stuff felt forced like when Peggy Sue visits her grandparents, and her relationship with Kevin J. O'Connor's character. It sometimes felt like they were trying to cram too many things together and the end felt a bit rushed and disjointed, but apart from that it's still a very good film and a very funny and effective comedy. It's definitely worth a watch.