Great Film: Forever Young
Predictable but Enjoyable
Mel Gibson stars as test pilot Daniel in "Forever Young". He is madly
in love with his best friend Helen (Isabel Glasser). After missing an
opportunity to ask for her hand in marriage due to fear, Helen is hit by a
truck. She doesn't die, but instead goes into a deep coma, which doctors
don't expect her to come out of. Daniel, not wanting to see her condition
worsen, asks his scientist friend Harry (George Wendt) to freeze him.
Fifty-three years pass when two young boys Nat and Felix (Elijah Wood,
Robert Hy Gorman) accidentally set him free. Daniel is a fish-out-of-water
unsure of why his freeze wasn't ended after the planned one year time
period. As he searches for Harry he develops a friendship with Nat and his
mother Claire (Jamie Lee Curtis) though he is still deeply depressed by
losing Helen.
Even though "Forever Young" has a predictable ending the buildup is
enjoyable. It's interesting watching him adjust to 1990's life as he looks
for his friend and tries to control a physical ailment he is suddenly
facing.
With so many movies failing to create a believable love story "Forever
Young" has two. First, Gibson and Glasser look to have real chemistry and
would have made a great couple. When he enters 1992, the seeds of a romance
between him and Claire were planted. These two shared real dialogue and
again there was real chemistry, as I enjoyed watching these two
leads.
Though not a great film, "Forever Young" pulled me in and held on with
a firm grasp. It's sometimes funny, sometimes exciting, almost always
entertaining, and if I were more apt to cry at movies, I have to assume this
would be a real tearjerker.
Seven stars out of ten.
Cast
- Cameron played by Joe Morton
- Capt. Daniel McCormick played by Mel Gibson
- Alice's Father played by Art Lafleur
- Nat Cooper played by Elijah Wood
- Claire Cooper played by Jamie Lee Curtis
- Helen played by Isabel Glasser
- Harry Finley played by George Wendt
