Forces of Nature

Plot synopsis:
Ben Holmes (Affleck) is a "blurb" writer responsible for writing the short introductions on the sleeves of hardcover books. On his way from his home in New York City to Savannah, Georgia for his wedding to Bridget (Maura Tierney), he's already anxious about flying. His nerves are worsened when he's seated next to Sarah (Bullock), a free-spirited drifter who begins to talk to Ben immediately. On takeoff, a bird flies into one of the engines, causing a flameout. Now completely afraid to fly, Ben reluctantly agrees to travel with Sarah, who also needs to get to Savannah within a few days.
During the course of their trip, luck seems to want to prevent them from getting to their destination — from being on the wrong car of a train to getting caught in various thunderstorms. However, Ben is impressed by Sarah's fun-loving personality, and starts to form a close bond with her. As they get nearer to their destination, Ben starts to wonder if he's making the right choice in getting married to Bridget, or if he should just let fate pair him with Sarah, who reveals that she is separated from her son who lives in Savannah. Upon arrival, Ben and Bridget still agree to get married since they realize even after everything that has happened, they truly love each other. Sarah witnesses the reconciliation and sneaks away to go find her son and move on with her life.

Tags: comedy

Review:
In "Forces of Nature," Ben Affleck stars as Ben, a repressed, buttoned-up stuffed shirt writer who, through a series of natural and manmade mishaps, ends up spending the several days before his impending marriage in the company of a freespirited, totally spontaneous and liberated young woman named Sarah, played by Sandra Bullock.
The script even provides Ben's fiancee with an overly-convenient replacement in the form of a now-hunky childhood friend she has not seen in years who rekindles sparks with her on the eve of the wedding.Thus, the stage is set for the predictable true love romantic finale.
I expected Ben's bride-to-be to be a crashing bore or uptight priss, so the audience would root for Sarah and Ben. But she was funny and sharp also, and you don't feel like the marriage would suck all the life out of Ben as it seemed to have for others in the film.
This is a review of the DVD version of "Forces of Nature".My wife and I rented this movie because we like Sandra Bullock, especially, and also Ben Affleck.
Meanwhile the two become a little closer and Ben begins to doubt that marriage is for him.I first saw this in the cinema with my girlfriend (at the time) in a fit of trying to be seen to be giving and willing to watch silly films that she wants to see.
This element is present all the way through and makes the film much more of a drama than a comedy, but, because it wants to be funny as well, the drama doesn't really work very well.Affleck is a non-character here and doesn't have the charisma to really involve the audience.
The support cast throws up a few interesting faces who give good performances including Ronny Cox, Zahn, Tierney and a few others.The film has been applauded for the realistic (low-key) ending which is certainly better on paper than the usual formulaic ending and on this I pretty much agree.
However the impact of the emotional climax in a swirling wind of flower petals is rather spoilt by the really poor back projection used to carry it off.Overall though this film is a bit of a letdown as it manages to only half work as a comedy and as a drama although it does have some nice touches that make it worth seeing as long as you know what to expect..
I was smiling every time he was on screen because I knew I would get something special from his performance."Forces of Nature" is a well-written film that I found to have a lot of heart and dealt with many issues.
I suggest that everyone check out "Forces Of Nature" because any and all of the Ben Affleck or Sandra Bullock fans out there will enjoy the film..
The camera angles make this movie very unique too.So the next time you're in blockbuster and you're contemplating on what to rent, you should rent "Forces of Nature" because it's the kind of film that will literally make you smile the whole way through.
Ben Holmes (Ben Affleck) got something that very few of us ever get to experience - a couple of days with someone who will truly liberate us from our staid conventions and open our eyes to a world that we never knew even existed.Working with the developmentally disabled, I have to constantly remember that I cannot say they don't want to live or work or do something until I have exposed them to that opportunity and let them make an informed choice.How many times have we made choices without knowing all the opens - or even that there are options.
Sandra Bullock struggled along valiantly with a character who was supposed to be zany, but whose wackiness consisted of things like madly kissing a husband she hated, abandoning her child, going on carnival rides, offering to strip for money, and bumming a ride with a fellow airline passenger.
Sandra Bullock in her role as Sara, who stars opposite Ben Affleck was aptly cast.
Ben Affleck, about to be married, is shaken up by a plane accident and gets involved with one of the other passengers (Sandra Bullock, forcing herself to act insane).
Yes, it is clichéd, the plot has been done many times before, the script is often disjointed and has more holes than a Swiss cheese, the characters are left half painted, the actors are playing to type (though that never hurt Bob Hope, Cary Grant, Carole Lombard, etc., etc) and elements of the story seem to be largely superfluous (the most egregious example being the climactic hurricane); but it is a romantic comedy...
Sandra Bullock and Benn Affleck's romance isn't the most believable you'll come across, but they do work well together and have the chemistry needed to carry the heavily flawed plot.
It just needed tighter scripting.I can't believe it has such a poor rating on IMDb - it has many faults, but I was contented to spend an hour-and-a-half watching Sandra Bullock looking lovely and being charming and witty on screen.
I never saw a movie with so many negative remarks about marriage, and with Ben Affleck's romance record, he could have written the script all by himself.
While the movie had its funny and "oh, not again" moments, there just seemed to be that underlying feeling that Ben's marriage may never happen and he has discovered that his buddies are right.."Why tie yourself down to one woman when there are so many others out there interested in you".
"So if you're down and confused (and just waiting for something to do") on commitment and marriage, and you think that Sandra Bullock is hot enough to break up a romance, then "Forces of nature" is the perfect movie for you..
One disaster after another occurred but Ben and Sarah made the best out of the situation and did a pretty good job.One outstanding performance came from the late David Strickland in his final film role.
One disaster after another occurred but Ben and Sarah made the best out of the situation and did a pretty good job.One outstanding performance came from the late David Strickland in his final film role.
I suggest to any Ben Affleck or Sandra Bullock fans out there  to check out "Forces Of Nature.".
Yes, it's a road movie; yes, it's a romantic comedy; yes it's got "kooky" Sandra Bullock in it.
I love Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck too, and I like romances of screen.
But this has such great casting otherwise and tremendous special effects, plus a script that is a lot more thoughtful than you'd expect in a movie like this.The premise is that Ben, a nervous air passenger at best, decides against flying when the plane he and Sandra are on has a run-in with a flock of birds and almost crashes before leaving the ground.
The logical thing for these characters to do would have been to go inside to talk, but the special effects are so good that we don't realize that conversations in that chaos would be futile until long after the movie has ended.And FORCES OF NATURE presents further argument that there should be a category of Best Casting at the Academy Awards.
It's so good that repeated viewings will probably be even more enjoyable.The PG-13 rating is for drug use (which could have been cut out with little loss) and one scene involving strong language, and in that scene the character uses the words that even the most genteel of people would have used under those circumstances.This story has some nice 'life lessons' in it, so take the kids, too.On a five scale, Pops gives FORCES OF NATURE 4 spinning umbrellas..
"Forces of Nature" is a movie too silly for serious romantics and overly thought-provoking for audiences looking for a good laugh.
Other nice moments are when they are shopping in the K-Mart together, a very funny time in the gay night-club ( hilarious ) the scene where they are both talking together in the bushes just before Afleck goes off to his wedding in the hurricane and of course the bit at the end where Bullock finally meets up and is accepted by her little son.
Ben Affleck is great, Sandra -the woman plays the woman's role like nobody else could have.....If I get tears in a movie, the movie is a m o v i e ........touching.
Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck star in this romantic comedy.
Ben (Affleck) gets stranded in New York when his plane skids out of control, the trouble is he is getting married in 2 days and his only way back seems to be a ride with a free-spirited traveller called Sarah (Bullock) The duo get into lots of trouble on their road trip and the results are pretty amusing.
Affleck and Bullock both provide nice performances without ever excelling in the roles, the screenplay is nicely written and the direction is nice also.Basically it's a nice movie, with enough humour and charm to entertain, but it will never be a classic.
These is one reason for see this great film,the others are,The story that is propaedeutic,the acting; Ben Affleck is here with a good performance(that's rare) but the film focused on the deep charm of Sandra Bullock...
The plot moves a long at a good pace, their are a few laughs to be had and the ending is a surprise too.I don't understand the hate that Affleck gets, as I usually enjoy his movies that vary in tone, style and subject matter drastically 'Company Men' or 'Armageddon' 'Argo' and 'Hollywoodland' or the (what I consider the under rated 'Jersey Girl' I enjoy him in all of them.
Everybody wants to be Pat Boone and Patti Page here, except Miss Bullock, the bad girl who had a divorce, don't live with her husband, ain't a good mother for her kid and, of course, by the end, she's punished because they man she loves decides to decide to marry Patti Page.
Forces of Nature, with sandra bullock and ben affleck, is cute with a few good funny parts.
This is a good movie to anyone who LOVES sandra or ben, or if they like comedies.
In Forces of Nature's case was it because Sandra Bullock looked damn hot in the preview or Ben Affleck looked like he was actually going to stretch his acting range?
The story is present to show you the cold feet of Ben (Ben Affleck) and a woman, Sarah (Sandra Bullock), who makes him understand it.
Forces of Nature is a great film, full of rain, thunder and sunshine, which is exactly how love can feel at times..
It's as if the people making movies said"Get me that cute girl!" "Meg Ryan?" "No, the brunette!" and then theytossed in poor Ben Affleck who still doesn't look like he understands aword he's saying, and this is the result.
This is my favorite Ben Affleck movie (though he may have done a better acting job in Bounce) and it is my favorite Sandra Bullock movie, although she was great in The Net. From start to finish, this is one of the freshest, most sincere, exciting, approachable and lighthearted romance films I have ever seen.
It's a generic comedy romance with your standard Ben Affleck and a quirky character from Sandra Bullock.
Fun road romcom with Ben Affleck, a zany Sandra Bullock and a great ending.
A man (Ben Affleck) sets out to fly from New York to Savannah to be married to his bride (Maura Tierney), but circumstances compel him to use other means of transportation with an attractive, but screwy traveling companion (Sandra Bullock).
Will this new relationship and their misadventures change his plans over the course of the next two days?I'm a sucker for road movies and Affleck is great as the principled protagonist, but Bullock's character, Sarah, is so erratic she becomes seriously irritating by the midpoint that it's hard to see how anyone would find her appealing, at least as a possible lifelong companion.
His plane is involved in a runway accident so he ends up joining forces with a stranger named Sarah (Sandra Bullock) who also needs to get to Savannah.
Thanks to the colourful direction and the wonderful acting performances of Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck this movie really rises far above the average romantic comedy.
So the relationship between Affleck and Bullock is more stormy than warm and there is a touch of reality that isn't covered up in the typical style of a romantic film.Forces of Nature cleverly juggles the road relationship between the stars with the wedding build up in Savannah Georgia.
It was a bit heavy for a romantic comedy but every love story doesn't need to end like Pretty Woman.
I agree with many of the posted comments that Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock are not very good actors, but I enjoyed this film thoroughly nonetheless (I actually watched it twice in a row).
It's interesting for me to see so many negative comments about this movie, because I thought it was totally charming, hilariously funny, and, in the end, quite honest.Those who don't think Sandra Bullock can act don't know what acting is.
Ben Affleck, who I wasn't a great fan of in the past, was equally real, also charming and funny--hard to do in a pretty wacky story like this.The two of them did not have great romantic chemistry, which was perfect, but they do have great personal chemistry--which was just right for the story.All the acting was right--especially Steve Zahn who has been great in everything I've seen him in.The direction was fast paced, with amazing cinematography, quite rare for a comedy, and wonderful, beautiful, magical effects that seemed both real and surreal.Maybe this movie was too subtle for some people (even though it's also broad at the same time).
But I thoroughly enjoyed it, and my wife and I both thought that it had a feeling to a screwball 30's comedy like It Happened One Night.If you want some laughs, and also some thoughtful ideas, watch this movie..
If you want to see a good Sandra Bullock movie, rent "The Net" or "Hope Floats" which I believe are two of her best works..
You basically know what you're getting with a film like this, a sweet romantic story with a lot of tension between the two main characters.
The selfish generations have these days shifted film way beyond the "happily ever after" plot lines our screen lovers often inhabited in previous generations.Now families and mortgages have given way to second or third marriages coupled enthusiastically with cynicism.The progressive destruction of the nuclear family has been well and truly reflected in popular entertainment.So could you expect Sandra Bullock (Speed, Time To Kill, The Net) and Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Shakespeare In Love) to be romantic clean skins in Forces Of Nature?Well actually Ben (Affleck) is giving it a go.
On the way he encounters a series of natural and unnatural forces which throw him together with the effervescent and much more worldly Sarah (Sandra Bullock).Will Ben throw over Bridget for Sarah and how funny will the process be?
Sandra Bullock was okay as a very misguided woman with a lot to straighten out in her life.The plot was more or less a romantic twist to the Steve Martin and John Candy film Planes Trains and Automobiles.
I was not expecting much from this Sandra Bullock / Ben Affleck starrer.
Ben Affleck is surely eye candy, but come on, people, face it, Forces of Nature, would have been sooo much better with a racier ending.
It had some good one-liners, and Sandra Bullock looked terrific.I guess if you're fond of this kind of movies, you'll certainly like it.
Ben Affleck is great and so is Sandra Bullock, because they act so well without overacting.
If you like Ben Affleck or not you'll love this movie.
Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck were wonderful, as well as the rest of the cast.
Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock create practical magic on screen.
Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock star as airline passengers brought together by the forces of nature while Ben Affleck's character Ben Holmes is on his way to his wedding.
Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock star as airline passengers brought together by the forces of nature while Ben Affleck's character Ben Holmes is on his way to his wedding.
Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock star as airline passengers brought together by the forces of nature while Ben Affleck's character Ben Holmes is on his way to his wedding.
As I was viewing this film, I thought to myself Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock must have had fun making this film because it seemed that every time they were on screen together they were enjoying each other's company.
As I was viewing this film, I thought to myself Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock must have had fun making this film because it seemed that every time they were on screen together they were enjoying each other's company.
As I was viewing this film, I thought to myself Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock must have had fun making this film because it seemed that every time they were on screen together they were enjoying each other's company.
Forces Of Nature was a film where Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock made what it is today; number one at the box office.
Forces Of Nature was a film where Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock made what it is today; number one at the box office.
In addition to Sandra Bullock's radical departure from the hum-drum plain jane role, we are also treated to a movie that show how funny Ben Affleck can be when he has a decent script to work with.
Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck charm in this romantic comedy that is topped off with a totally unexpected twist ending, despite its secondary failings.