CITY OF ANGELS 1998
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1998 Timothy Voon
2 :-) :-) for everlasting love
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Meg Ryan, Denis Franz, Andre Braugher, Colm Feore Director: Brad Silberling Producers: Dawn Steel, Charles Roven Screenplay: Dana Stevens based on WINGS OF DESIRE
In the midst of a city filled with the bustle of impatient drivers and the hustle of frantic pedestrians, there exist angels that watch over mankind with the utmost patience and care. They are there to greet you at birth and to comfort you in death. They are well read and well versed in every language. After all, they have existed for an eternity and seemingly have an eternity more to do their heavenly chores.
In one of the most picturesque movies this year, starring Nicholas Cage as the angel Seth and Meg Ryan as the human Maggie who steals his heart; comes a bitter-sweet, melancholy story of love – the tragic kind. A love that is genuinely passionate, but is too easily snatched away by the cruel hand of fate. Seemingly, we can't help whom we fall in love and have little control over destiny.
Brad Silberling has filled his picture with memorable scenes of angels dressed in black suits standing on skyscrapers and beaches, waiting for the resounding echoes of sunrise and sunset to fill the screen. Angels can hear the music of light on the horizon, but sadly they have never experienced the power of human touch. So when Maggie looks into Seth's eyes, he longs to hold and feel her in his arms. Is Seth willing to give up his immortality for Maggie, and is she going to fall in love with a stranger who always appears out of nowhere wearing the same clothes?
Meg Ryan fills her scenes with a sweet grace that comes from innate beauty. She manages to keep her role as Maggie from becoming merely depressed, with a good balance of drama and humour. She cannot hide the smile that has won her a legion of fans, and her tears will move you. It is also good to see Nicholas Cage taking a break from the butt-kicking-action-money-making movies and delving into romantic drama for a change. He's quite sensitive as the love struck Seth. In fact both of these roles are atypical for Ryan and Cage, but they seem to work well together.
Timothy Voon
e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au
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