Themes: Starting Over, Air Disasters, Haunted By the Past
Main Cast: David Paymer, Ben Affleck, Gwyneth Paltrow, Joe Morton, Natasha Henstridge, Tony Goldwyn
Release Year: 2000
Country: US
Run Time: 106 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
In this romantic comedy-drama, two people whose lives were touched by the same tragedy find love. Buddy Amaral (Ben Affleck) is a successful L.A. advertising executive who has a way with the ladies, but inside he longs for a meaningful long-term relationship. One day Buddy sells his seat on a sold-out airline flight to a stranger; he's shocked when the jet crashes and the man is killed. A year later, still haunted by the incident, Buddy looks up Abby Janello (Gwyneth Paltrow), the victim's widow, who is now selling real estate to support her children. Buddy soon finds himself attracted to Abby, and the feeling is mutual, but while he's interested in marriage, he isn't sure how (or if) he should tell her that he was indirectly responsible for her husband's death. Bounce was written and directed by Don Roos, who made a splash with his independent debut The Opposite of Sex; supporting Affleck and Paltrow are Natasha Henstridge, Jennifer Grey, David Paymer, and Joe Morton. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Igniting rumors that their on-again, off-again relationship was back on, Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow paired up for this above-average love story that toys with issues of fate and destiny. The two stars had become sickeningly cutesy and larger than life when this film was released, which may have turned audiences away from what should have been a box-office hit. But Bounce finds both performers toning down their personas and coming across as vulnerable and loveable, which is the key to its surprising charm. Paltrow is especially affecting as the widow Abby Janello, seen a year after the disaster, using defense mechanisms and a fragile supply of self-confidence to get her life back on track. Once the tragedy knocks the simpering smile from Affleck's face, he too is just trying to survive in his new guilt-ridden existence. The movie succumbs too often to plot contrivances that are beneath it. The most egregious is Affleck's teary courtroom apologia near the end, a self-indulgence that no judge would tolerate, which also happens to be aired live on Court TV so Abby can watch it. Johnny Galecki, who appeared in writer/director Don Roos' previous film, The Opposite of Sex, is also out of place as an insubordinate assistant who mocks Buddy's alcoholism, but ends up serving as sort of a guardian angel to him. Still, the stars make Bounce more than watchable. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Johnny Galecki - Seth; Alex D. Linz - Scott Janello; David Dorfman - Joey Janello; Jennifer Grey - Janice Guerrero; Caroline Aaron - Donna Heisen; Don Amendolia - Infinity Attorney; Julia Campbell - Sue; Edward Edwards - Ron Wachter; Jeff Garlin - Emcee; Michael Laskin - Frank Steadman; John Levin - Janice's Attorney; David McCharen - Narrator, Infinity Air Commercial; David Paymer; Sam Robards - Todd Exner; David St. James - Judge; Nicole Tocantins - Dionne; Julianne Christie - Zola; Matthew Frauman - Luke; Thea Mann - Karen; Lisa Joyner - TV Announcer; Juan Garcia - Kevin Walters; Scott Alan Smith - Jack; Lisa Carpenter Prewitt - Carol Wilson; Richard Saxton - CNN Reporter; Mary Ellen Lyon - Ellen Seitz; Ty Murphy - Sam Edwards; Ashley Montgomerey - Prom Girl; Eric Aude - Prom Boy; Mark Ankeny - Tom; Michael Ayala - Court TV Reporter; Chris Harrison - Chicago Anchor
Credit
Dan Bradford - Art Director, Marvin E. Lewis - Boom Operator, Patrick Rush - Casting, Sharon Klein - Casting, Alan C. Blomquist - Co-producer, Bobby Cohen - Co-producer, Peter Mitchell - Costume Designer, Michele Panelli-Venetis - First Assistant Director, Don Roos - Director, David Codron - Editor, Bob Weinstein - Executive Producer, Harvey Weinstein - Executive Producer, Meryl Poster - Executive Producer, Bob Osher - Executive Producer, Barbara Lorenz - Hair Styles, Rath-Thompson Jannie - Hair Styles, Gerard W. Averill - Location Manager, Jerry Jaffe - Location Manager, Mychael Danna - Composer (Music Score), Randall Poster - Musical Direction/Supervision, Paul Babin - Camera Operator, David Wasco - Production Designer, Robert Elswit - Cinematographer, Steve Golin - Producer, Michael Besman - Producer, Craig "Pup" Heath - Recording, Bobby Renga - Recording, Natalie Richards - Set Designer, Willie D. Burton - Sound/Sound Designer, Soundstorm - Sound Editor, Tom McComas - Stunts, Barbara Hall - Unit Production Manager, Don Roos - Screenwriter, Kim Marks - Second Unit Director Of Photography, Kim Marks - Additional Cinematography, Al Magliochetti - Visual Effects Supervisor, Brad Kuhen - Visual Effects Supervisor, Bruce Fortune - Sound Effects Editor, Anthony R. Milch - Sound Effects Editor, Scott Hart - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, Deann Zarkowski - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, Carol McConnaughey - Unit Publicist, James Plannette - Gaffer, Chris Oliver - Grip, Nick Beard - Grip, Shawn Whelan - Grip, Benny Beaird - Key Grip, Tom Milano - Music Editor, Mike Baber - Music Editor, Jessica Alan - Post Production Supervisor, Kitty Olinsky - Production Coordinator, Ellen Freund - Properties Master, Andy Nelson - Re-Recording Mixer, Anna Belhmer - Re-Recording Mixer, Rebecca Robertson-Szwaja - Script Supervisor, Matt Rebenkoff - Second Assistant Director, Tim Mann - Sound Effects Director, John Leveque - Supervising Sound Editor, Laurel Schulman - Visual Effects Producer, Thomas J. O'Connell - ADR Mixer, Rick Canelli - ADR Recordist, Ray Yamagata - Art Department Assistant, Peter Borck - Assistant Art Director, Jacklin Masteran - Assistant Hair, Judy Heinzen - Assistant Location Manager, Mustaq Ashrafi - Assistant Makeup, Chris Kahn - Assistant Production Coordinator, Gloria Murphy - Assistant Properties, Brooke Henerson Ward - Assistant Sound Editor, R. Michael De Chelis - Best Boy Electric, Kevin "Rambo" Fitzgerald - Best Boy Grip, Catharine Tarver - Buyer, Alyson Silverberg - Casting Assistant, Shawn Barry - Casting Associate, Barbara Stordahl - Casting Associate, John Samson - Construction Coordinator, Michelle V. Roth - Costumes Supervisor, Bernard Weiser - Dialogue Editor, Kimberly Lowe Voight - Dialogue Editor, Mildred Iatrou Morgan - Dialogue Editor, Jeff Kunkel - Dolly Grip, Central Casting - Extra Casting, Michael Wilson - First Assistant Editor, John Roesch - Foley Artist, Michael Broomberg - Foley Artist, Alyson Moore - Foley Artist, Lynda Gurasich - Key Hairstylist, Tina Earnshaw - Key Make-up, Larry A. McGuire - Leadman, Doug Cilley - Post Production Assistant, Tad Driscoll - Production Accountant, Steve Craft - Second Assistant Camera, Basil Bryant Grillo - Second Second Assistant Director, Gyula Toth - Set Dresser, Todd Morris - Set Dresser, Sean Langdon - Set Dresser, James Malley - Set Dresser, Asha MacLeod - Set Production Assistant, Sunday Stevens - Set Production Assistant, Mark Trapenberg - Set Production Assistant, Dan Sweetman - Storyboard Artist, Sandy Reynolds-Wasco - Set Decorator
