Just Like Heaven (2005) – Film Review

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Elizabeth Masterson is a newly qualified doctor, who has dedicated the first few years of her adult life to her studies, and then to her work. Working 26 hours straight, and rarely spending any time with family or friends, it is evident within the first five minutes of the movie that her passion for her work has begun to take over her life.
David Abbott is a grouchy, difficult-to-please landscape architect who is searching for the perfect apartment. When his real estate agent is almost on the verge of giving up on him, David finds a flier on the street advertising an apartment to rent, which coincidentally happens to be directly across the road from where he is standing. An apartment which has been vacated due to a family tragedy…
After settling into his new home, a young woman appears in David’s living room, furiously demanding that he leaves as he is living in her apartment. As she begins to point out all of the furniture that she purchased, and catches him out with her knowledge of wine stains on cushions, David begins to wonder if he is losing his mind. But when the feisty young woman starts walking through tables, and is unable to remember anything about her life (work, family and even initially her name), it becomes clear that David is not the one facing a traumatic revelation about his life.
With stand-out performances from both Reese Witherspoon as Elizabeth and Mark Ruffalo as David, this is a rom-com with a twist. It ranges from heart-warmingly romantic, with some laugh-out-loud moments, to heart-breakingly sad. Ruffalo is on top form as widower David, who is attempting to get his life back together following a breakdown as a result of his wife’s death, while Witherspoon brings her usual charm and likeability as Elizabeth, a woman who fears she has lost out on her chance to live before she really got started. With an excellent supporting cast including Dina Waters as Elizabeth’s older sister, Donal Logue as David’s long suffering friend and therapist, and the ever-funny Jon Heder as Darryl, a sales assistant in a book shop who dabbles in communicating with the dead on the side, this is a must see movie for all rom-com fans.
Best line: ‘Look, you have two realities to choose from. First one being that a woman has come into your life, in a very unconventional way, and she happens to need your assistance. The second one is that you are an insane person and you’re sitting on a park bench right now talking to yourself’. – Elizabeth
Best scene: Darryl visits the apartment to attempt to communicate with Elizabeth and ask her to leave, on David’s behalf.
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