There is something intoxicating about being young and in love. Most of us never got to experience that. The couple in this film had it once, and got a brief chance to relive it once. That makes twice. Unfortunately the second one was at the expense of others.
I thoroughly believed the plot. Some people stay in a small town and some go. Some of those who stay, wonder what would have happened if they left, and some of those who left, wonder the opposite. Ocean City is a real place, not a fictional one. That added to the "real" feel of the movie.
Another reviewer mentioned that Kevin Kline mainly had to look at people with a thoughtful expression. But I say he did that exceptionally well. I'm not sure I buy the character's lack of emotion, in terms of guilt. I would think that a real person would break down at some point. He was so caught up in the euphoria of renewed youth.
You don't see Sissy Spacek's character show any signs of guilt. That was disturbing and made me feel less sympathy for her. Maybe she was just a bit self-centered. I think the picture was trying to make the point that she had based her whole life on trying to get what she wanted. In this case, she was not going to let anyone get in her way, or make her feel guilty.
Bonnie Bedelia was the quiet quarterback of this one. Her small time on screen was sublime. I did believe her character. She wasn't the temper tantrum type, and she absolutely adored her husband. Yet the pain her facial expressions and tone of voice conveyed was heart-wrenching.
The man who plays Spacek's father was simply great. He delivers a great line about how we choose our fate by letting things happen, but it was the way he said it, that I loved.
The boy character was quite good too. I think he had a bit of a crush on Spacek's character. Like father, like son. I believed the boy. A nice, semi-nerdy kid, at an awkward age. He played it perfectly.
So, some really solid acting, a pleasant setting, a good closing tune sung by a star of the period, who has since passed away, and only a little obligatory Hollywood liberalism thrown in. (Evil developers, earnest conservationists.)
I thoroughly believed the plot. Some people stay in a small town and some go. Some of those who stay, wonder what would have happened if they left, and some of those who left, wonder the opposite. Ocean City is a real place, not a fictional one. That added to the "real" feel of the movie.
Another reviewer mentioned that Kevin Kline mainly had to look at people with a thoughtful expression. But I say he did that exceptionally well. I'm not sure I buy the character's lack of emotion, in terms of guilt. I would think that a real person would break down at some point. He was so caught up in the euphoria of renewed youth.
You don't see Sissy Spacek's character show any signs of guilt. That was disturbing and made me feel less sympathy for her. Maybe she was just a bit self-centered. I think the picture was trying to make the point that she had based her whole life on trying to get what she wanted. In this case, she was not going to let anyone get in her way, or make her feel guilty.
Bonnie Bedelia was the quiet quarterback of this one. Her small time on screen was sublime. I did believe her character. She wasn't the temper tantrum type, and she absolutely adored her husband. Yet the pain her facial expressions and tone of voice conveyed was heart-wrenching.
The man who plays Spacek's father was simply great. He delivers a great line about how we choose our fate by letting things happen, but it was the way he said it, that I loved.
The boy character was quite good too. I think he had a bit of a crush on Spacek's character. Like father, like son. I believed the boy. A nice, semi-nerdy kid, at an awkward age. He played it perfectly.
So, some really solid acting, a pleasant setting, a good closing tune sung by a star of the period, who has since passed away, and only a little obligatory Hollywood liberalism thrown in. (Evil developers, earnest conservationists.)