An amazingly good film, about hope

Rating: 9/10 (7 April 2011)

There are so many lame-ass films out there, being made directly for cable. Or "big" films being made in 3-D even though their plots and their merits are "small." They think that the special effects and the extra dimension might obscure the fact that no one would want to watch the film otherwise.
I am not going to say anything at all about the plot of this film. I knew the set-up (I'd seen the trailers). And that's all you need to know if you haven't seen the film yet.
After seeing the film, and then coming home and thinking about it all, there are obviously some major logical problems in the science behind this sci-fi. Could that actually happen? Probably not. But if that's going to kill your enjoyment of the film: tell me, where did Mary Poppins go when she floated up into the clouds? A UFO? Heaven? Neptune? The answer is totally irrelevant. If you are inclined to ask such questions, don't see the film.
This film was so shockingly good, and literate. And human. This is probably the most human sci-fi film I've seen in years. It didn't rely on computers or visual tricks for its effect.
What you take home with you after seeing the film will be a product of what you had in your heart before the film began. And after you see the film, is this more about love, or hope? (And the film clearly illustrates faith, hope and love, but it is not at all religious and you won't notice unless you are.) There are obvious parallels with earlier films, especially that absolutely terrific masterpiece Groundhog Day. But while I was watching the film, I was not focused on identifying the past similar themes.
There is nothing in this film that would seem to pose a problem for home screening. No sex or rough language. No gore or graphic violence. I can't imagine a child under 12 years old being interested, but there's nothing here to warp their development. And I think this would also be a good "date movie," because a lot of it is a love story.
Jake Gyllenhaal was nominated for an Oscar for Brokeback Mountain. Justly so, IMHO. But I thought that his performance here certainly equaled his earlier celebrated performance. Not a false note in this film, in which he is on screen for at least 90% of the time.
I can't fault any of the acting. Amazingly good for a sci-fi film.
I gave it a 9/10, because I've not yet totally concluded that something so unheralded and mainstream could be a masterpiece.
This is a film as much about the heart as about the mind. Or scientific facts. I've often contemplated how the advent of cell phones has changed screenplay-writing, allowing the easier ability to call for help. This film integrates current known cell-phone technology seamlessly. And there is a cell-phone call here that is absolutely heartbreaking.
I can't say more than "see it."