Opening Weekend: $3,366
(USA)
(19 February 2012)
(1 Screen)
Gross: $5,538
(USA)
(19 February 2012)
User Review
Outstanding and original piece of work.
Rating: 8/10
This film is an incredible, original and totally unexpected piece of
work. Given the subject matter audiences may assume that this would be
pure exploitation or self-consciously 'dark' or 'edgy' but the film is
full of ambiguity and subtlety and the director does an amazing job of
keeping distant and matter-of-fact about the characters without leering
or over-dramatics. Recently there have been a number of films which
attempt (sometimes desperately) to be disturbing or provocative with
degrees of explicitness , the originality of Michael is it's lack of
explicitness or exploitation (if it was any other form of relationship
it would be rated PG) which gives it a unique and unsettling tone. The
film is full of little details and memorable moments which linger and
is closed by an unexpected ending which moves from tense to calm then
back to tense, all with a subtlety and pace alien to Hollywood.
Plot
Two tabloid reporters checking out a report of the Archangel Michael living with an old woman find that it's true. But that's not the only surprise.
Release Year: 1996
Rating: 5.5/10 (20,088 voted)
Critic's Score: 38/100
Director:
Nora Ephron
Stars: John Travolta, Andie MacDowell, William Hurt
Storyline Frank Quinlan and Huey Driscoll, two reporters from a Chicago-based tabloid, along with Dorothy Winters, an 'angel expert', are asked to travel to rural Iowa to investigate a claim from an old woman that she shares her house with a real, live archangel named Michael. Upon arrival, they see that her claims are true - but Michael is not what they expected: he smokes, drinks beer, has a very active libido and has a rather colourful vocabulary. In fact, they would never believe it were it not for the two feathery wings protruding from his back. Michael agrees to travel to Chicago with the threesome, but what they don't realise is that the journey they are about to undertake will change their lives forever.
Writers: Peter Dexter, Jim Quinlan
Cast: John Travolta
-
Michael
Andie MacDowell
-
Dorothy Winters
William Hurt
-
Frank Quinlan
Bob Hoskins
-
Vartan Malt
Robert Pastorelli
-
Huey Driscoll
Jean Stapleton
-
Pansy Milbank
Teri Garr
-
Judge Esther Newberg
Wallace Langham
-
Bruce Craddock
Joey Lauren Adams
-
Anita
Carla Gugino
-
Bride
Tom Hodges
-
Groom
Catherine Lloyd Burns
-
Evie
Richard Schiff
-
Italian Waiter
Calvin Trillin
-
Sheriff
Donald J. Lee Jr.
-
Court Bailiff
Taglines:
He's an angel... Not a saint.
Release Date: 25 December 1996
Filming Locations: Austin, Texas, USA
Opening Weekend: $27,629,196
(USA)
(29 December 1996)
(2141 Screens)
Gross: $95,345,070
(USA)
(11 May 1997)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Goofs:
Continuity:
After the bullfight, the reporter is shown with his tie over his left shoulder, when shot form the front. From behind, the tie is not over his shoulder.
Quotes: Michael:
The miles will fly and your children won't cry, if you play car bingo.
User Review
Lovely Capraesque Comedy Drama
Rating:
It has been quite some time since I last saw this film. However, the
amazingly low IMDB score has prompted me to jot down a few thoughts and
memories I have regarding this under-appreciated masterpiece.
I find it appalling that this film would score so poorly in this arena. It
is a wonderful, life affirming story with a positive message. Perhaps this
is what we have come to. The comedy is not gross enough, the message too
sentimental and the meaning too simple for modern "sophisticated" audiences.
Well, I for one, absolutely loved every minute of it. It is easily Andie
MacDowell's best performance. William Hurt is fantastic as the cynic who
comes around in the end and the whole supporting cast does a wonderful job.
Of course, John Travolta is superb. This is one of my favorite roles
Travolta has played and it is simply resplendent. I would have to say this
is in my top twenty of comedy-dramas ever. I just happen to love the way the
film unapologetically illustrates how wonderful life is. How even the little
things that we take for granted, like pie, are fantastic and how we should
enjoy every minute like it was our last.
For a much more detailed and well written review see the fine work of
jhclues who echoes my feelings about the movie so much that I feel it would
be redundant of me to restate, probably poorly, all that they have already
committed to page.
It is also interesting that so many people really hated it. I wonder if they
weren't just put off by the "less than traditional" view of a religious
subject.
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