John Goodman is in his usual good-natured best buddy mode, and can move remarkably well for a man of his size. But kudos must be offered to Holly Hunter, who brings as an impressive range of emotion to her role, and has us routing for her ultimate happiness. Named Joe starring Spencer Tracy. The problem may have been that any Spielberg film creates unrealistically high expectations. By 1989, Spielberg had directed Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Jaws.
All monster hits.
Is it any wonder that a little romantic film about love and loss and rebirth simply didn't live up to preconceived notions of a blockbuster. The video appears to have been derived from an old D2 master. Line structure was visible, edge enhancement was visible, colors were a bit muted, and the picture was a little soft. A slight vertical jitter was visible during static scenes, particularly during the credits. I simply cannot believe that Universal was finally given permission to release some of Spielberg's films and the studio didn't bother to create a new digital master in anamorphic video.