Forces of Nature

Starring: Ben Affleck, Sandra Bullock
Director: Bronwen Hughes
Genre: Comedy
Year: 1999
Rating: 4 / 5

News Update: Sandra Bullock's career is not over. Yet while Bullock clearly served notice in this film that her recent flops - Speed 2, Practical Magic - are not indicative of her true talent, Forces of Nature is without a doubt Ben Affleck's movie. Making the leap from small indie films to the lead of big box office flick, Affleck proves that he has the charm, the charisma, and the sense of humor necessary to succeed in the business. And with this new, larger stage on which to display his many gifts, Affleck lets the rest of the world in on a little secret some of us have known for some time now - this kid has talent.

Forces of Nature can theoretically be labeled as nothing more than a star vehicle for the movie's two main actors, Affleck and Bullock. Let me say that accepting such a label in no way diminishes the entertainment value of this movie. This romantic comedy stretches no boundaries, and contains little new in terms of creative ideas, but the chemistry between the two leads makes this film worth watching from start to finish. What attracted me in particular to this pairing was the true spark they seem to generate, and the fun time they really appear to be having on-screen. Bullock gets to play it over the top as flaky Sarah, simply hopping from one adventure to another through life. Affleck, on the other hand, plays it straight as Ben, the would-be groom. Together, the two embark on quite a wild ride, taking the audience through one hilarious adventure after another.

Forces kicks off with Ben about to walk down the aisle with the lovely Bridget (Maura Tierney). At Ben's bachelor party, his grandfather has a heart attack while being "entertained" by a stripper, becoming the first of many mishaps. Choosing to look after his suddenly ill grandfather, Ben sends Bridget ahead to Savannah, where the two will be married in one week. Unfortunately, when Ben finally does begin his journey south, his plane is abruptly grounded, awakening in Ben his long-held fear of flying. With one near-death experience out of the way, Ben is certain of only one thing - he is not getting up in a plane again.

Enter Sarah (Bullock), another passenger on the plane who credits Ben with saving her life during the aborted takeoff. As both strike up a conversation, this unlikely pair decide to travel to Georgia together, and soon they find themselves hitching a ride in a rental car with Vick, a man of dubious origins. Such begins a journey reminiscient of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, as Ben and Sarah find themselves taking just about any means of transportation to arrive at their final destination. Oh, and along the way, they find themselves slowly falling for each other. One problem - Ben still has to get to Savannah, where his fiancee is waiting for him!

An entertaining romp from start to finish, Forces of Nature is truly a pleasant surprise. Having seen some of Bullock's work since Speed, I understandably did not expect much from her, though I am proud to admit that she exceeded my expectations by a landslide. Affleck has such a comfortable delivery of his now-familiar style of banter, a unique blend already seen in Good Will Hunting and Armageddon. He comes across as the sharp-witted friend we all would love to have, and that characterization serves him well here. Steve Zahn also turns in some humorous moments as Ben's best man Alan, who will do just about anything to safeguard his good friend's wedding plans. All in all, quite an enjoyable experience. It seems that not snow, nor sleet, nor freezing rain can keep the laughs from rolling in this movie!

Cast:

Ben Affleck..........	Ben
Sandra Bullock..........	Sarah
Maura Tierney..........	Bridget
Steve Zahn..........	Alan

Certification: Rated PG-13 for langauge.
Running Time: 104 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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