Today’s Prayer Focus
Forces of Nature
| Moral Rating: | Very Offensive |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
|
| Primary Audience: | Older Teen to Adult |
| Genre: | Romance Comedy |
| Length: | 104 min. |
| Year of Release: | 1999 |
| USA Release: |
| Featuring | Sandra Bullock, Ben Affleck, Maura Tierney, Steve Zahn, Blythe Danner, Ronny Cox, Joe Don Baker, Steve Hytner, Jack Kehler, Meredith Scott Lynn, David Strickland |
| Director |
Bronwen Hughes |
| Producer | |
| Distributor |
Here’s what the distributor says about their film: A wedding-bound groom encountering a host of travel difficulties meets a free-spirited stranger. Trying to stay focused, he’s soon side-tracked and a romantic spark detours them into each others' arms.
It’s been a long long time since we walked out on a movie. I confess my husband was ready to walk out earlier than I was, but I kept hoping it would get better… hoping there would be a change in the slam on marriage. Finally, I had had it too… was convinced it would not get better. But when it got to the gay bar scene, that was it… we walked out! I’m really disappointed because I thought better of Sandra Bullock and I thought Ben Affleck looked like he could be a good actor. I’m just really sorry we didn’t leave earlier and get our money back.
Lois Johnson, age 51
This was one of the worst movies I have ever wasted my time watching. My sister and I would have walked out after 30 minutes, but our other sister refused to leave because she thought “It’s got to get good sometime.” Sandra Bullock’s character is not the least bit likeable (unless you like a lying, pot-smoking, exotic dancer who hasn’t seen her son in 2 years). Ben Affleck’s character is a jerk for cheating on his fiancee. This movie is completely ANTI-MARRIAGE. I feel sorry for any engaged couples who went to see it.
Angela, age 32
My fifteen year old daughter and I walked out of this movie. I wish we had walked out after the first 15 minutes as others have stated they did. I just kept thinking the message about marriage would get better. All of the complaints you’ve read about this movie aren’t exaggerated at all. I do not recommend it.
Dorothy, age 40
I thought this looked like such a cute movie; the previews just made it look so good and all. I hated the movie. The plot was very ungodly. If two people love each other, and are like going to get married the next day or so—why would you want to fool around with someone you don’t even know?? This is the question that the movie left me wondering. It had its cute-romantic parts; but the scene in the gay bar totally disgusted me!! I actually found the movie boring at times, and wondering, “how does this scene tie in with the whole plot?” and I never found the answer to that one. I would not recommend this movie, although it does look very good, and is rated “The #1 film in America.” I think it is totally over-rated, and a waste of time.
Sarah Gonzales, age 15
As a Christian, I really think this movie was inappropriate for teens. It gives the perspective that “fooling around” is a positive thing, and expresses it as preferred over marriage. There was a lot of sexual content. My 17 year old son was very offended and would not recomended it to anyone in his age group…
CS, age 39
It is a requirement for me to see any movie with Sandra Bullock on opening day. I think she’s an awesome actor, but like Speed 2, I believe this movie was a dud. Sandra plays a character that does not fit her real life persona—you can really sense it in several scenes. Not only does Sandra’s role not fit her, but the message of 95% the movie was that “marriage stinks.” The last 5 minutes gives a few quotes on why marriage is good, but the point didn’t come across strong enough. The movie leaves you hanging—asking questions. The “Brian rating” would only give this ** out of ***** stars.
Brian Pedigo, age 19
I would not recommend this movie to anyone… I have hardly ever walked out of a movie in my life (maybe one time), and this one took 15 minutes for my date and I to decide to walk out and get our money back. This movie bluntly attacked the “out-of-style” idea of marriage and being committed to one person. A lot of movies do this subtly, but this was the whole set up for the movie.
The wife-to-be was perfectly fine with a stripper, and thought it was funny that is what caused the grandpa to get a heart attack. The grandpa woke up in the hospital relishing his encounter with the stripper and goes on to denounce his relationship with his wife and to say it’s really not possible to be committed and love only one person. A friend later says it’s like trying to make one candle burn forever, and it’s just not possible—the flame always goes out over time. There were many more examples, and I’m sure others could add, I just decided not to sit through this mind bending garbage or to be a steward to this trash by letting them keep my money.
While we thought the movie would be OK because it was PG-13, the first few minutes have a stripper, then there’s talk of sex, there’s talk that physical attraction is the key to the “current” relationship, and some scenes with heavy making out in public places. That was only the first 15—20 minutes that we let ourselves sit through.
This movie is a blunt attack on the idea of marriage and the model that portrays Jesus’s relationship to the church body. …Do not go see this movie if your beliefs don’t lift up sexual lust, promiscuity, or you do believe that commitments of love, just as Christ’s, can be made to one another.
The wife-to-be was perfectly fine with a stripper, and thought it was funny that is what caused the grandpa to get a heart attack. The grandpa woke up in the hospital relishing his encounter with the stripper and goes on to denounce his relationship with his wife and to say it’s really not possible to be committed and love only one person. A friend later says it’s like trying to make one candle burn forever, and it’s just not possible—the flame always goes out over time. There were many more examples, and I’m sure others could add, I just decided not to sit through this mind bending garbage or to be a steward to this trash by letting them keep my money.
While we thought the movie would be OK because it was PG-13, the first few minutes have a stripper, then there’s talk of sex, there’s talk that physical attraction is the key to the “current” relationship, and some scenes with heavy making out in public places. That was only the first 15—20 minutes that we let ourselves sit through.
This movie is a blunt attack on the idea of marriage and the model that portrays Jesus’s relationship to the church body. …Do not go see this movie if your beliefs don’t lift up sexual lust, promiscuity, or you do believe that commitments of love, just as Christ’s, can be made to one another.
Jess, age 21
It’s unfortunate that a few of the reviewers here walked out on the movie early. I don’t want to give away the ending to those that haven’t seen it but stay until the end if you decide to see it. I generally can watch any movie with an open mind and make my own decisions on what the film-maker was trying to say (if anything). However, like many of the reviewers here, I was disturbed that the movie began showing failed marriages every where you looked. If I was a single adult and only saw the beginning, I too would be questioning whether any married couple could remain happy.
Towards the end, however, the movie differentiates the various forms of love (and the excitement of something new in the form of Sandra Bullock) and makes its true point. In one scene, senior citizens are shown dancing and absolutely glowing with the love that has grown even stronger over the years. This point marked my departure from contempt for the film to reconsideration of what it was trying to say. I believe that good movies should make you feel something, even if that feeling is contempt… and they should make you think. This movie does that but in a small way. Not a very good movie but not a terrible movie either.
I’d wait for the video… spend your limited movie time rushing out to see “Life is Beautiful,” a movie guaranteed to make you think about the special gift of life.
Towards the end, however, the movie differentiates the various forms of love (and the excitement of something new in the form of Sandra Bullock) and makes its true point. In one scene, senior citizens are shown dancing and absolutely glowing with the love that has grown even stronger over the years. This point marked my departure from contempt for the film to reconsideration of what it was trying to say. I believe that good movies should make you feel something, even if that feeling is contempt… and they should make you think. This movie does that but in a small way. Not a very good movie but not a terrible movie either.
I’d wait for the video… spend your limited movie time rushing out to see “Life is Beautiful,” a movie guaranteed to make you think about the special gift of life.
Rick K., age 38
…I like both the actors in this film, but I didn’t like the movie… the language …the sensuality …I found the gay bar/strip scene rather offensive. I didn’t think it was that funny, amusing in parts, but no laugh-out-loud lines. Not a HORRIBLE movie, but not a great one either. Wait for video, or the $1 theatre.
Megan, age 19
Difficult as it would be to review from a Christian viewpoint (as would 90% of all movies)… the viewers should have been more intuitive as to what the plot was about before watching it. Those who walked out of the film can’t objectively comment on the whole of the movie from the first 20 minutes.
Yes, the movie paints a negative picture about marriage… it’s trying to over-exaggerate that point as much as possible!!! It’s trying to paint as much doubt as possible, because that is what the framework of what the picture is about… “Getting Married” and all the fears and questions that go along with it!!
Kudos' to the director who was very effective on those of you who picked it up…