Release Date: April 26, 2002
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Edward Burns, Tony Shalhoub, Christian Kane, James Gammon, Melissa Errico
Directed by: Stephen Herek
Written by: John Scott Shepherd
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox Films
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (sexual content, brief violence, language)
The movies have relied on showing us the value of human life since the days of James Stewart and It's a Wonderful Life. More recently resurrected by contemporary gems like Life Is Beautiful and American Beauty, there are many different ways in which the film industry goes about this time-tested subgenre. The only constant would appear to be that these movies have usually dealt with the subject by way of a character's self-discovery.
As is the case in Life or Something Like It. The film stars Angelina Jolie as Lanie Kerrigan, a television reporter who thinks she's leading the perfect life. But with her Marilyn Monroe-esque set of superficial values, even her baseball star boyfriend, her gorgeous apartment, and a shot at a big network job can't fill the void she feels after a homeless street prophet (Tony Shalhoub, Impostor) tells her that her existence is indeed meaningless and that she has only one week to live. When his other predictions start coming true, Lanie begins to re-examine her life choices and priorities, including rekindling a long-deteriorating relationship with her cameraman (Edward Burns).
The plot, although vaguely familiar, keeps the audience guessing until the very end. It's fairly obvious that there can be only two possible endings: either she lives, with a newfound lust for life, or she dies, having touched the lives of the people she leaves behind.
Jolie is very likable in this role and allows her personality to show through. She returns here to the acting style that has won her much critical acclaim, and she almost satirizes the shallowness and superficiality of the idealized female image in American society. Her Lanie tries desperately to match that image, and then later realizes she has to make major life changes; when she does, she gets to play the rebels card. This is an image in itself that has been owned by Jolie since she won an Oscar for deviancy in Girl, Interrupted.
Where the casting director fell short was with Edward Burns, who purpose in the film is to provide a comic counterweight to Jolie. And that's all he does, something he is nearly automatic at. Or maybe it was just that Jolie outshined him (especially with her white-blonde hair).
But Tony Shalhoub, always reliable, acts convincingly as the stereotypical big-city streetcorner homeless prophet. He provides some extra comic relief with his peculiar personality to make up for Burns's lackluster performance.
The idea isn't very original but the story is tweaked enough to make some it somewhat surprisingly enjoyable. There is one awful scene in which the film temporarily turns into a musical with a seemingly never-ending rendition of the Rolling Stones' classic "Satisfaction." Otherwise, Life or Something Like It is another refreshing, feel-good movie that will have viewers thinking about what's really important in life ... or something like that.
all contents © 2002 Ed Malinowski