Everyone is told when they are children that there's that one person out there for them in the world. Yet if there's someone for everyone, what happens if something prevents those two people from meeting?
Last Friday, viewers were finally able to answer that question with the newly released "Just Like Heaven," a film that explores this idea in a comedic roller coaster ride. Two romantic comedy veterans, Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo, teamed up to take on this lighthearted project. Incorporating supernatural elements, humor, and love, this movie is a hit.
Elizabeth Masterson (Reese Witherspoon) and David Abbott (Mark Ruffalo), are two people searching for their better halves. Things start off with a bang when Elizabeth, whose life is consumed with work and trying to get a promotion, has an accident on the way to a blind date.
Cut to three months later where, after finding the perfect apartment, which just happens to be Elizabeth's old one, David stumbles upon the spirit of an angry Elizabeth who wants him out of her house. Instead, the unlikely pair seeks consultation from Darryl (John Heder, star of "Napolean Dynomite"), the neighborhood psychic. David and Elizabeth set off on a journey to find out who Elizabeth was and why her spirit is still on earth.
The leads have great chemistry. Although the idea of a spirit connecting with a live person is very supernatural, the two make the situation believable.
Viewers will probably recognize Ruffalo from his roles in "13 Going on 30" and "Collateral" (both 2004). His roles in those films helped Ruffalo to grow as an actor and he captures both the emotional and comedic sides of his character in "Just Like Heaven."
Witherspoon takes on the part of the work-aholic woman who realizes that love is the thing she has been missing in her life. Although her role is very similar to the one she played in 2002's "Sweet Home Alabama," she does, however, appear to have matured as an actress, combining sharp humor with the typical Type A personality.
The film benefits from Jon Heder's comic relief, his slow-paced speech pattern making simple lines comedic. Heder, who achieved widespread fame as the flippin' sweet title character in "Napoleon Dynamite" (2004), steals some of the show. When viewers saw his familiar face on the screen, they automatically knew something funny was about to happen.
"Just Like Heaven" explores the idea of fate, and whether true love exists. By following the journey of David and Elizabeth, the audience is able to see that the two are closely linked and that fate is actually a major factor in the quest for a soul mate. And as the song says, the maxim of "que sera sera," rings true in "Just Like Heaven"; what is meant to be, will be, and neither we nor the characters in the movie can change that.
Although the film has, in essence, the same concept as movies like "Ghost" (1990) and "Down to Earth" (2001), it is able to stand its own ground in the film industry. Besides tackling common themes of fate and love, "Just Like Heaven" also analyzes the modern day work environment. The constant over-working of Americans is shown overshadowing more important aspects of life, like family and love. It also evaluates the concept of a living will and whether or not a person would want to be sustained on life-support.
Taking a new approach to the old idea of the spirit and human connection and making it original, "Just Like Heaven" is filled with an emotion-packed climax and plenty of jokes, both of which will keep viewers talking for months. The film pulls all the right heartstrings and gives the audience an amazing ride.
