HOPE FLOATS by DeWyNGaLe * * *
Sandra Bullock was once a great, well-known actress. For a while, she was one of the best ones around. Lately, she hasn't been doing all that well. The only movie she has done in awhile is Speed 2: Cruise Control, which was a huge mistake for her career. Now, she shapes up with Hope Floats, the story of a woman and the many problems she goes through. Harry Connick Jr, Gena Rowlands, and Mae Whitman co-star as the people closest to Birdee, played by Sandra Bullock. Birdee was the most popular girl at her school. She was prom queen, everyone looked up to her, and she was truly happy. A few years after high school, she got married to a friend from high school, Bill Pruitt, played by Michael Pare. On a national talk show, Birdee's best friend Connie, played by Rosanna Arquette, reveals that she has been having an affair with Bill, Birdee's husband. They have been having the affair for over a year. Bill wants to marry Connie now.
Birdee and her daughter Bernice, played by Mae Whitman, are extremely saddened. They move to Smithville, Texas, where Birdee went to high school. They go to live with Birdee's mother, Ramona Calvert, played by Gena Rowlands. Ramona is there to help Birdee with her feelings and the problems she is going through. It is kind of nice for Birdee to be back in the town that she grew up in. She is greeted by many people that she has no idea who they are as she walks along the streets of Smithville. She goes to the employment agency to get a job, and runs into two more people that she knew in high school. She gets a job as a worker at a one hour photo store. She runs into even more people there as they come in and out of the store to get their pictures developed. She messes up a lot of pictures, and she almost loses her job.
Justin Matisse, played by Harry Connick Jr, was very close to Birdee in high school. Justin has been helping out Ramona around the house for a number of years. Birdee and Justin are reunited at the house. At first, Birdee is uncomfortable seeing him, but she gets used to him and they become close friends once again. Bernice does not like Justin at all, and is determined to get back with her real dad. Bernice is now starting school, and everyone makes fun of her because of her glasses. She even gets beaten up. She is extremely upset by the whole thing, and wants to go back to leaving with her dad.
Justin and Birdee become closer throughout the movie, and they start to date. Ramona hooks them up as good as she can, and she succeeds. Birdee is still very upset about the entire episode with Bill, and isn't quite ready to start a new relationship. Justin is becoming frustrated with Birdee, because she is not willing to move on from the man that betrayed her. She is finally willing to move on, and for once things are starting to go right in her life. She is becoming very happy with Justin, but there is a problem. Bernice is not very pleasant any more due to Justin. She is extremely angry at her mother for the break up with Bill. Bernice blames the entire thing on Birdee.
Hope Floats is a realistic tale of what one can go through throughout their lives. Birdee goes through tragedy after tragedy, and finally becomes happy because she keeps her hopes high. Sandra Bullock does a great job of acting, and you could really believe the pain that she was going through. Gena Rowlands does an outstanding job as her mother, and deserves on Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Mae Whitman gives a powerful performance. She was stuck in a tough spot, and didn't know how to deal with it. Harry Connick Jr. is the movie's only problem. He makes it so it is more of a fairy tale than a real life experience. The film is still good with him, but the role of Justin Matisse could have beem cut down a little bit. All in all, hope still floats for Sandra Bullock's career after this film.
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