This is a personal drama focusing on the changes in a man's life that occurs when his wife of many years ups and leaves him. No, this is not a "Kramer Vs. Kramer" story. In fact, it is quite different. Nor is it a "War of the Roses" story. The separation is amicable, a nice agreement since wife Kathleen Turner has found no purpose in life since the senseless murder of their 12 year old son. Husband William Hurt is left with the house and his dog, boarding him up with perky Geena Davis when he goes off to London to write his latest edition of travel books, hence the film's title. Flirtatious Davis takes on the role of the new lady in Hurt's life, but during the week that his divorce is set to be final, Turner shows up and tells him that she wants to resume their marriage.
When I first saw this film upon the VHS release, I ranked it as a 5 out of 10, but in a more mature mood upon revisiting, I must agree that it is better than I thought if not deserving of all the Acclaim it got at the time. The reason I didn't find it as good at the time was the fact that the actors, best known for playing flamboyant characters, we're playing rather Ordinary People and it seems rather stiff and slow-moving to me. But now, it has all come together so I guess with age comes understanding.
It is nice to see Turner playing a softer character than normal, torn apart by grieving for her son, and lost in the fact that she is no good in a marriage that is simply a day-to-day occurrence rather than a giving partnership. Her screen time is not quite the leading lady of her other films, but when she is on screen, you can't help but not look at her. She is absolutely stunning, both inside and out.
Hurt is an actor whom I admire for strong performances, but at times, he seems to be rather stayed and stiff. Sometimes, that is a little bit Joel to try to appreciate, but in this case, it absolutely works. He is a man still in grief, not only for his son before his marriage, and the hurricane shows with his wife's announcement is written all over his face. But once he meets Davis, it is obvious that life has returned to him.
The breakout is Davis, not quite an unknown yet needing that one big career boost to move her from supporting player or lead in second-rate features to a major screen actress. She is effervescent, and while Turner is certainly a force, Davis comes out the tops of all the stars. Winning the supporting actress Oscar for what was basically a lead comes because the film theme surrounds Hurt, although my Supporting Oscar choice would have been the very flamboyant Sigourney Weaver in "Working Girl". So while I don't exactly love this film, I do get its appeal. I just wish that it had a bit more life that Hurt can only find through the tragedy of death.
When I first saw this film upon the VHS release, I ranked it as a 5 out of 10, but in a more mature mood upon revisiting, I must agree that it is better than I thought if not deserving of all the Acclaim it got at the time. The reason I didn't find it as good at the time was the fact that the actors, best known for playing flamboyant characters, we're playing rather Ordinary People and it seems rather stiff and slow-moving to me. But now, it has all come together so I guess with age comes understanding.
It is nice to see Turner playing a softer character than normal, torn apart by grieving for her son, and lost in the fact that she is no good in a marriage that is simply a day-to-day occurrence rather than a giving partnership. Her screen time is not quite the leading lady of her other films, but when she is on screen, you can't help but not look at her. She is absolutely stunning, both inside and out.
Hurt is an actor whom I admire for strong performances, but at times, he seems to be rather stayed and stiff. Sometimes, that is a little bit Joel to try to appreciate, but in this case, it absolutely works. He is a man still in grief, not only for his son before his marriage, and the hurricane shows with his wife's announcement is written all over his face. But once he meets Davis, it is obvious that life has returned to him.
The breakout is Davis, not quite an unknown yet needing that one big career boost to move her from supporting player or lead in second-rate features to a major screen actress. She is effervescent, and while Turner is certainly a force, Davis comes out the tops of all the stars. Winning the supporting actress Oscar for what was basically a lead comes because the film theme surrounds Hurt, although my Supporting Oscar choice would have been the very flamboyant Sigourney Weaver in "Working Girl". So while I don't exactly love this film, I do get its appeal. I just wish that it had a bit more life that Hurt can only find through the tragedy of death.