See full review. The summer's first blockbuster, The Perfect Storm turns out to be something of a wash. Director Wolfgang Petersen's clunky manner of making this obvious point feels heavy-handed and artificial. The Perfect Storm is well worth seeing, but it's far from perfect. The bulk of the action takes place on the football field.
Every scene is utterly predictable.
Even the formidable Gene Hackman couldn't save this giant gridiron groaner. Another refreshingly politically incorrect British comedy, winner of the audience prize at the Sundance Film Festival, Saving Grace stars Brenda Blethyn as an upper-crust villager whose late husband has left her in debt. There are some fun moments when Grace cuts loose, but Blethyn grounds the character with her depiction of the sorrow of a loveless marriage. The film destabilizes slightly when Grace ventures to London to find a dealer, but an intriguing romantic interest results. The actors succeed in making their characters seem like real people, especially Valerie Edmond who plays Nicky, Matthew's pregnant girlfriend.