"Six Days, Seven Nights" - Feels Like an Eternity
As I sat during the first 15 minutes of this movie, a movie billed as an adventure/romance/comedy, I could see the signs that this outing would not be a trip through paradise. First we meet the diminutive Anne Heche portraying Robin, an editor of a woman's magazine called Dazzle. With an extremely busy schedule, which is a model of chaos, she barely has time for her wimpy but romantic boyfriend Frank. Although he lavishes her with roses and surprises her with a trip to a pacific island paradise, he doesn't really exude a manliness that would attract any kind of woman. Then again, Frank is played by Friends co-star, David Schwimmer. Meanwhile, Anne Heche isn't exactly interested in men, is she? Perhaps that's the comedic launching point for this exercise in miscasting.
In order to reach their final destination, Robin and Frank need to charter a plane, which is piloted by Quinn Harris (Harrison Ford). Quinn is a sometimes-drunk beach bum who seems content on living simple life, which includes trying to pick up women, hanging out with his voluptuous co-pilot, and eking out a meager existence through his charter service. Adventure finally dribbles into the film when Robin is ordered to attend a nearby photoshoot. Needing to leave the island, she enlists Quinn, and off they fly into a nasty storm, which throws them off course and forces them to land on some uninhabited island.
Realizing that the plane is heavily damaged and that it is unlikely that no one will find them, Robin begins to ooze with bitchiness. "Don't you have any skills," she yells. "You know, one of those guys you send out into the wilderness with a pocket knife and a Q-Tip and they build you a shopping mall?" Meanwhile, Quinn tries to think of a way for them to get off the island. During the next couple of days, they have to trek through miles of forest and mountainous terrain, avoid being bitten by snakes and scorpions, and allude pirates (???) that conveniently show up to try to heighten the movie's level of suspense. Maybe Quinn can find a way to save themselves, but even Harrison Ford can't save this underdeveloped melange of genres.
Here's an example. There's a beautiful scene when Heche and Ford lustily kiss on the beach as the ocean tide gently crashes around them à la From Here to Eternity. But what led up to this kiss? Ford's Quinn is very likable and resourceful. This ruggedness attracts Robin, which gives us what, I suppose, passes as the romantic aspect. But although Robin is plucky, her acerbic attitude and her uncanny ability to worsen the situation (firing off their only flare into a tree, opening an inflatable life raft while in the plane) makes her more of an annoyance rather than a believable love interest. And couldn't someone think of a better crisis situation rather than modern-day pirates?
There are the occasional chuckles and there are certain moments where Heche shines and many moments that show us why Harrison Ford is a true leading man. But without the presence of Ford and the likable charm of Heche, this film would find its way into the video store in less time than the title of the movie.
Grade: C
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