Day 64. Movie 53. Heart and Souls (1993)

This is one of those films that I perhaps shouldn't have enjoyed, but actually did. The film can be considered silly, ridiculous, and easily dismissed. However, I thought there was some real heart to the movie. It had a good, uplifting message, regardless of the package in which it comes. I enjoyed this film, even though parts of my brain told me not to.

The film is about four people (Charles Grodin, Alfre Woodard, Kyra Sedgwick, Tom Sizemore) who die at the same time and are permanently connected to a young boy born at the same minute they died. They serve as his "imaginary" friends during childhood, but decide they need to leave him alone to live his own life. They disappear from his sight, but never leave his side. Years later, he's grown up to be a successful businessman (now Robert Downey Jr.) and they reappear, causing chaos in his life. The story is admittedly a bit absurd, but it's also a fun, harmless story.

The cast is the big reason to watch this film. Downey is very, very good. It's easy to overlook what a strong performance he gives, especially when he takes on the qualities of the spirits surrounding him. He makes it all seem believable, which was not easy to do. Grodin, Woodard, Sedgwick and Sizemore are all good as his ghostly guardian angels, and it's fun watching them cause havoc in his life. The movie even has David Paymer and Elisabeth Shue. The cast is really quite excellent.

The reason I liked this film is that it has a pretty good message. The reason the spirits come back in Downey's life is because they need the opportunity to right the major wrong of their life, before they can move to the other side. Downey is a selfish, egotistical person at this point, and along the way, he learns something about family, friendship, and life. This is all packaged in a comedy, but can be powerful if you're willing to dig a little deeper to uncover the real message of the film.

I watch movies for many different reasons, but once in a while it is nice to see a film that at least tries to touch the heart. This is a film about redemption, forgiveness, friendship, and love- those are all such crucial pieces of the human experience, and it is important to be reminded of them from time to time. Heart and Souls manages to do that at least on some level. It's a funny, entertaining little movie. While this theme has been done before (and done better), this is still an enjoyable movie. I'd give this film a 7/10.

This movie also made me realize that I need to do a better job of watching some of Robert Downey Jr.'s earlier films. He's currently enjoying the greatest success in his career, but he's always been a very good actor (even through the more troubled times). He's been in so many films, especially early on, that are mostly forgotten today. I am willing to bet there are some terrific gems that I simply haven't seen yet.

So- favorite early-career Robert Downey Jr. movie?