Superb Acting, Thin Story, Great Portrayal of Memphis

Rating: 5/10 (25 December 2001)

As a native of Memphis, I am thrilled that my hometown was (accurately) portrayed as a modern city where people don't live in manufactured housing nor talk as though they'd walked off the set of "Hee Haw". Contrast that with the treatment of Memphis in John Grisham's "The Client" and "The Firm".

I enjoyed the first section of the movie -- the scenes set in Russia and in Memphis. Director Robert Zemeckis gave an adequate overview on the fast-paced lives and dreams of Chuck (Tom Hanks) and Kelly (Helen Hunt).

For the first part of his island stay, I was interested in watching Chuck survive using the various items at his disposal. While some scenes were quite interesting, many of the island scenes were very tiring to watch. I am normally appreciative of a good long film (Kubrick's 2001 is a favorite of mine), but there were many scenes that could have been cut out without abandoning the plot. My wife and I deliberated on hitting the fast-forward button on the DVD player many times during the island scenes.
The ending portion of the movie was indeed emotional, but largely a waste of film. Zemeckis put forth too much effort in exhibiting the emotional sides of the characters in the final 20 minutes, and didn't bother with the task of actually coming up with a conclusion. From the beginning of the Memphis homecoming scene to the end of the movie, the story is at a standstill. Zemeckis could have better used this time to give the audience a better insight into what Chuck plans for his future instead of turning it into a big pity-party. Zemeckis could have even tacked on an extra half-hour to show Chuck's reimmersion into life in Memphis.
Acting-wise, this was the Tom Hanks Show and Hanks was outstanding. Helen Hunt was her usual mediocre self -- slightly better than Wilson the Volleyball -- and nowhere near her excellent performance in As Good As It Gets.
On a personal note, one message I gathered from this movie is to not take what you have for granted. Chuck had to re-invent fire and become friends with a volleyball to cover his basic needs for warmth, food, and companionship. Always be appreciative of your loved ones. Instead of putting in that extra few hours at the workplace, spend that time with your family. You'll be very glad you did.