Main Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ben Affleck, Maura Tierney, Steve Zahn, Blythe Danner
Release Year: 1999
Country: US
Run Time: 104 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Ben (Ben Affleck) has two days to get from New York to Savannah, Georgia for his wedding to Bridget Cahill (Maura Tierney). Everything is running smoothly until his plane skids off the runway. Ben inadvertently saves the life of his seatmate, Sarah (Sandra Bullock), who becomes his companion for the longest two days of his life. As fate begins to repeat itself through a series of disasters involving a rental car, a train, and a bus (not to mention a hurricane), Ben has to wonder if someone's trying to give him a message. Inevitably, he also finds himself falling in love with Sarah. Meanwhile, Bridget wonders where, exactly, Ben is, and her old boyfriend Steve (David Strickland) attempts to take advantage of the situation. Not that Bridget's dad (Ronny Cox) really minds, since Steve is much more successful than Ben. En route, Ben and Sarah collide with Ben's best man, Alan (Steve Zahn) and his girlfriend, the maid of honor (Meredith Scott Lynn), which further adds to the series of cosmic tests that Ben must try to answer. ~ Ron Wells, All Movie Guide
Review
After debuting with the charming but forgettable family flick Harriet the Spy, director Bronwen Hughes proved herself to be a director not really worth watching by taking a stab at this cliché, opposites-attract romantic comedy. Forces of Nature doesn't offer up anything new to the ubiquitous genre, with the male protagonist trying to get to his wedding to marry the woman who is almost perfect, but just seems to be missing something, when along comes the fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants, slightly eccentric woman who "changes everything." From there, the movie tries to become a sort of romantic Planes, Trains and Automobiles, but falls short of capturing any of the good qualities that that film so effortlessly pulls off. But many romantic comedies work quite well, despite the familiarity of their story lines, because they feature a likeable, charming couple. Because of this, the majority of the blame for Forces of Nature's downfall should probably be pinned on Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock. Not only do they have no onscreen chemistry, but they were just plain miscast in the roles. Unless pressed for time and in need of a headache, one would be advised to pass this one up and instead take in a double feature of My Best Friend's Wedding and Planes, Trains and Automobiles. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
Christa Munro - Art Director, Ricki Spector - Associate Producer, Junie Lowry-Johnson - Casting, Donna Zakowska - Costume Designer, K.C. Hodenfield - First Assistant Director, Bronwen Hughes - Director, Alexander Witt - Second Unit Director, Craig Wood - Editor, John Powell - Composer (Music Score), Lester Cohen - Production Designer, Elliot Davis - Cinematographer, Susan Arnold - Producer, Ian Bryce - Producer, Donna Arkoff Roth - Producer, Marc Lawrence - Producer, Leslie Morales - Set Designer, Geoffrey Patterson - Sound/Sound Designer, Marc Lawrence - Screenwriter, Alexander Witt - Second Unit Director Of Photography
The unifying themes for "Executive Album Producer" Robbie Robertson on the song score he assembled for the screwball comedy Forces Of Nature are percussion and sex. Whether he's licensing new covers of old hits (U2 doing "Everlasting Love," Chris Tart with "Love The One You're With," Swervedriver' s "Magic Bus") or picking newer tunes, Robertson has sought out unusual percussion tracks, even to the point of using a dance remix of bluesman R.L. Burnside's "Rollin' & Tumblin'." And provocative remarks abound, with Touch and Go asking, "Would You ... [go to bed with me]?" and Blue Boy, "Remember Me [I'm the one who had your baby], " while Faithless's "If Lovin' You Is Wrong," detailing of a sexual encounter, is underlain by a woman's moans. It all makes for a steamy collection, but seems a bit hard-edged for a romantic comedy. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
Ben Holmes (Affleck) is a 'blurb' writer — responsible for writing the short introductions on the sleeves of hardcover books. On his way to Savannah, Georgia for his wedding with Bridget (Maura Tierney), he's already nervous of flying. His nerves aren't helped when he's seated next to Sarah (Bullock), a free–spirit person who seems to get on his nerves. On takeoff, a bird flies into one of the engines, causing a flameout. Now afraid to fly, he reluctantly agrees to travel with Sarah, who also needs to get to Savannah within a few days.
During the course of their trip, things seem to keep happening to prevent them from getting to their destination — from being on the wrong car of a train, to getting caught in various thunderstorms (thus, the title of the film). However, Ben is impressed by Sarah's easy spirit, and starts to feel a connection with her. As they get closer 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 take him with Sarah, who has a secret of her own.
