BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

CommentsXp Best movie ever!

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

abhay8567 Saw this movie today, I personally like Travolta's acting and some of his movies which are favorite to me are Broken Arrow, Swordfish, Face Off. The movie is great, acting is superb esp John Travolta, Direction and Story is also touching. Yes the movie succeeds in touching your heart. Movie is Romantic and acting of other casts are also above mark, Forest as well as Duvall both did good job. Hope we see this kind of movie making often. In the end it leaves audiences thinking about life's true meaning. One dialogue in last in which Travolta speaks with Surgeon, about what is the purpose of spirit, Science, Technology human life is remarkable.

rsimm I enjoyed the movie just for the story. I didn't read in to it as an add for Scientology like some people did. It was an emotionally moving film from beginning to end and I could watch it over and over again. George Malley is a likable character right from the opening scene, and his pursuit of Lace Pennamin felt honest and sincere as we watch it grow. Yes there are some plot points that need work but over all the film was a great work.The ending is not what you expect and is one of the best parts of the film. Unfortunately I can't say much with out spoilers, even though the move is twenty years old now.The only John Tavolta film to surpass this would be A Civil Action.

SnoopyStyle George Malley (John Travolta) is the nice owner of the local auto repair shop. Everybody likes him and there's a party at the local bar for his birthday. He likes Lace Pennamin (Kyra Sedgwick) but she resists complicating her kids' lives. As he leaves the party, he is struck down by a bright light. He slowly finds his mind expanding and develops telekinetic abilities. Nobody really believes him at first. He is supported by friends Nate Pope (Forest Whitaker), Tito and Doc Brunder (Robert Duvall). He predicts an earthquake. Prof. John Ringold (Jeffrey DeMunn) is a seismologist who comes to investigate. The townfolks turn from bemusement to bewilderment to suspicion. Nate has been sending radio messages for George who deciphered a top secret code and the FBI arrests them.The insistence to keep a light upbeat tone keeps the inherit tension very low for the first half. I like the story but director Jon Turteltaub keeps it from being taken serious. I like the love story and the overall story. I don't find the light tone that compelling. This is basically a superhero origin story and I'm all for it. The locals are too idiotic and too simplistic. It's too easy. Also the FBI threatening the professor is a bit too easy. It's more in line with a simple comic book. I just wish it treated this imaginary world more seriously and with more subtlety.

vincentlynch-moonoi It was right about at this time in John Travolta's career that he won the battle...the battle of convincing me that he was an actor of note. I grew up with Travolta on "Welcome Back Kotter", and I was not impressed. A number of movies went by, and I saw a few...and became cautiously optimistic that maybe he was at least an "okay" actor. But with a few films right around 1996, including this one, he won me over. No, he's no Laurence Olivier, but he's a very pleasant and often very interesting actor. This may be his best role, although you don't realize it until well into the movie when he begins to have a sort of breakdown, and you see the transformation of the character he plays.The story is a good one...a man she some flashes of light in the sky and suddenly becomes brilliant, learns things remarkably fast, develops complex and original ideas, etc. Of course, the government gets involved, and eventually -- when they realize he will soon die -- they want to do open brain surgery to learn as much as they can. Will they succeed? Meanwhile, throughout the film he is trying to win the heart of Kyra Sedgwick...who's a hold out of sorts...the rest of the town loves him...until his weirdness begins to freak them out.Personally, I'm not a fan of Kyra Sedgwick, and I wouldn't have cast her in this role...although she does "okay". Similarly, I wouldn't have chosen Forest Whitaker as the role of best friend. Robert Duvall is another actor I never cared for...but, it has been re-looking at roles like this that have led to me reconsidering the quality of his acting, and I have to admit I was wrong...he was and is a terrific actor, and demonstrates that again here. It was nice to see Richard Kiley as the brain specialist here, not that his character is one you are apt to like. Bruce Young seemed an odd choice as an FBI agent.The film doesn't have a happy ending, but it's just about the only ending that it could have. Highly recommended, at least once.