For as predictable as most Romantic Comedies are, most of them work in context thanks to the
feel-good, lighthearted, sometimes almost magical aura surrounding the characters and their
circumstances. It Could Happen to You is no different, but it struggles mightily to keep
from fading into oblivion with most every shot. Working double shifts, pounding out a few extra
reps, and leaving a generous tip, the film remains on an even keel throughout, even if its characters
are painted to such an extreme so as to completely manipulate audiences and removing any and all
doubt from the get-go as to where the movie is headed. Ultimately, this modern-day fairy tale is
saved by excellent chemistry between Nicolas Cage (Ghost Rider) and
Bridget Fonda (Kiss of the Dragon) and
several charming moments that, even in the face of utter predictability and obvious contrivances,
manage to elicit a smidgen of emotion to make the experience worthwhile.
Looks like someone doesn't want to be in the middle of a cat fight.
New York police officer Charlie Lang (Cage) is one of
the best on the force. Warm, compassionate, and able to tackle any challenge he faces, he is
quick
to earn new friends and make an impression. Charlie is married to Muriel (Rosie Perez, Pineapple Express),
a
greedy, self-centered loudmouth who should count her lucky stars that she's married to the
calm,
easygoing Charlie. When Charlie and his partner have to leave lunch in a flash to respond to a
call,
he has not the funds to leave a tip for his waitress, Yvonne (Fonda).
Instead, he promises to return the next day to leave her a proper tip or to share with her half his
winnings from a lottery ticket he purchased earlier in the day. Of course, Charlie wins, and much
to
the chagrin of his wife, so too do a team of bowlers and, of course, Yvonne. When their
newfound
wealth goes to Muriel's head, Charlie turns his attention to Yvonne who, herself, may be falling in
love with the man who made her rich.
One must give credit to It Could Happen to You for its incredibly simplistic approach to
moviemaking. Few films match this one in terms of sheer predictability, generic dialogue, and
inclusion of important and moving but nevertheless trite movie clichés such as "happily ever
after" and
"true love conquers all," ideals that define the most important themes of the film, namely fate
and destiny. In this case, It Could
Happen to You shuns some of the negative adages like "no good deed goes unpunished" and
instead focuses on more positive, uplifting messages like "it is better to give than to receive."
Perhaps the primary theme of the film lies with, "what goes around comes around," and indeed,
the end of the film supports that notion. The movie also makes sure to state that while giving
has its advantages, receiving, too, need not be forgotten, for when one receives out of the
goodness of another's heart rather than some externally-imposed mandate to give, only then will
both parties understand the true spirit of man and the soul that resides inside.
It Could Happen to You features an
underlying sweetness that somewhat obscures the film's simplicity, for it takes complex problems
and varied (if not
overly
stereotyped) personalities and blends them together for a movie that falls short of originality but
not in heart and soul. Cage and Fonda share wonderful chemistry together, their romance easily
the highlight of the film. Once they both come to the conclusion that they are in love, they take
on a breezy, happy-go-lucky, puppy-dog-eyes flair that sees them almost floating on air together,
the pair demonstrating all the tell-tale signs of newfound and surefire love. The "evil" characters,
Muriel in particular, come across as so despicable and obnoxious that one cannot help but root
against them. The script paints this character in particular (and actress Rosie Perez runs with the
material) to such a selfish and unappealing degree that the movie almost loses focus of its better
qualities in favor of going out of its way to make sure she is loathed by all. It all works out in the
end, the final result a film of modest means that works hard for little reward, but then again, that
sums up the movie rather nicely.
It Could Happen to You features a 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer. This one doesn't hit the
jackpot, revealing a dull, lifeless transfer that never approaches the best the format has to offer.
The image takes on a consistently hazy and faded appearance. Fine detail is not at all impressive,
either. Most objects seem slathered in Vaseline, wiping away fine detail, but film grain swirls rather
heavily over most every frame, save for a few that show no signs of either haze or grain. Colors
generally appear washed out and undefined, though a few stick out like a sore thumb, a red dress
worn by Yvonne positively dominating every scene it is in. The blue police uniforms, too, sometimes
stand out from the crowd, but most other colors become lost in the shuffle of the transfer.
The image also sports practically no depth. Flesh tones range from ghastly to rosy, and blacks are
hit-or-miss. Perhaps the film is meant to have a dreamy, fantastical, not-quite-real look to it, but
either way, this one never impresses.
Like the video transfer, It Could Happen to You's lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack
rarely distinguishes itself. A dialogue-heavy Romantic Comedy, the spoken word is delivered cleanly
and without any discernible issues. Isaac Hayes' narration, for example, enjoys crisp delivery, his
baritone voice flowing from the center channel with a nice bit of authority and vigor. However, the
track sometimes feels cramped and constrained. The music that plays over the opening credits
sounds restricted, unable to bloom to its full potential. The track features slight
ambience across the front, for instance the background music and clattering of silverware as heard
in the diner in chapter three. It spreads across the front right and left speakers but leaves the rear
channels virtually silent. In fact, the rear channels may as well have been unplugged for this one
as they never offer any discernible information. The track plays about as expected as far as heft
and
presence, but even then it never does anything to make it stand above the crowd.
This Blu-ray release of It Could Happen To You features only 1080p trailers for Made of Honor and 13 Going on 30 and
BD-Live (Blu-ray profile 2.0) compatibility.
Though certainly not at the top of the heap of Romantic Comedies, It Could Happen to You
delivers a routine film that features good performances but a script that plays out as completely
manipulative from the get-go, painting its characters to such extremes so as to remove all doubt as
to not only who the audience should root for but the fate of each character. For a film
that works on the premise of fate, surprise, and the unexpected, it seems ironic that the film is
anything but, playing as a mostly shallow and derivative picture saved only by a pleasant chemistry
between its leads. Still, there is something oddly magical about the whole thing despite a
laundry list of problems, the end result a film that works when absorbed in just the right
frame-of-mind and appreciation for what it seems to be trying to do. Sony's Blu-ray release
of It Could Happen to You disappoints. The video
transfer leaves much to be desired, though considering the themes of the film, the extremely soft,
almost dream-like quality may represent the intended look of the film. Meanwhile, the audio
presentation plays as lackluster-at-best, and the disc sports no film-related supplements. This disc
would make a nice last-minute or extra gift for the ladies or a decent rental on a rainy Saturday
night.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced that they will bring the Steve Martin romantic comedy 'Roxanne' and the Nicolas Cage romantic comedy 'It Could Happen to You' to Blu-ray on May 5th. Both films will be presented in 1080p AVC video accompanied by 5.1 ...
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