When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)

How sad is this?

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

When a Man Loves a Woman (1994) ** (out of 4)Michael and Alice Green (Andy Garcia, Meg Ryan) have what appears to be the perfect marriage. They have a great house, great jobs and they have everything that anyone could ever want. From the outside everything seems to be perfect but inside the walls they are dealing with the fact that Alice is an alcoholic.WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN is a well-meaning drama that had a huge impact on my life because it taught me what the term "Oscar bait" was. In case you don't know, Oscar bait is pretty much a movie that is made that hopes desperately to pick up Oscar attention for either a star or a filmmaker. In this case, it was Meg Ryan who tried to change her clean image and show that should could play a challenging role.It paid off because she did get an Oscar-nomination and rightfully so as her performance here is certainly a great one. However, the problem is that the movie is just rather routine and it never really rises above something you'd see on Lifetime. The problem is certainly the screenplay, which appears to follow a textbook on other films that deal with this subject. You've got the great life. You've got the ugly truth. You've got very ugly moments. You've got the destruction. You then have the redemption.The problem with WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN is that everything happens just as you'd expect it to and there really wasn't any shocks or real drama. Yes, it's heartbreaking to see what the characters are going through but there's just not too much of an emotional pull. Garcia was extremely good in the role of the husband who is trying to keep everything from crumbling down. As I said, Ryan is extremely good and proves that she could do a more challenging role.

An airline pilot and his wife are forced to face the consequences of her alcoholism when her addictions threaten her life and their daughter's safety. While the woman enters detox, her husband must face the truth of his attitude and tolerance.........Which to be fair is really good considering his situation.And this is why the film really rubbed me up the wrong way. Whom is the victim in this relationship? Is it Ryan? She has a disease, so she is forgiven when she strikes her daughter and tries to commit the most selfish act any human can do.Is it Garcia? A hard working put upon husband who is always on tenterhooks as to whether he can go and do an honest days work, without worrying about the sobriety of his Wife.Sure, he loses his temper a little halfway through the film, so when Saint Meg comes out of rehab all clean and sober, to thank Garcia, she throws him out of the house with a doe eyed look.It's a terrible film with an awful message.It's basically saying if you are middle class with a good income and plenty of hiding spaces,then it's okay to be a drunk, because you have respect from your peers and all your friends. Ryan plays an awful drunk, slightly slurring and shouting at times, and then when she is better, she goes from slightly irritating drunk, to downright abhorrent angel.There's no realism to the film, and to add the ice to the cocktail, we finish with an award ceremony where Ryan gives a speech about everything bad she has done, and Garcia is there and they all live happily ever after.If you want to see a film about hoe alcohol can affect home life, see Nil by Mouth.If you want to stay in your silly bubble see this, it's so unrealistic, it almost veers into the world of fantasy.Honestly, Arthur was more realistic than this.Cheers.

Just saw this movie for the first time and it had me cry so much. I know drama makes better impact on people's thoughts about a movie, but I truly never likes drama as it makes me feel sad about life. The degree that Garcia loves Ryan just terrifies the theory of letting love go. He never gives up in the end but we are not supposed to pursue love like that. Hollywood movies most go with happy endings although it's predictable but it does not break my heart over and over again and does not tear my belief about goods always deserves the best. no more drama...

Great film about addiction! Not just romance, but how to help someone in need. Everyone needs to see this film again and again.The acting was amazing and the locations.You finish this movie wondering, and hopeful. The human spirit has such capacity for love and compassion, and our modern society such drive to deny and eliminate it. Wonderfully crafted performances by Meg and Andy. Good writing and direction. There are moments that echo right into our own lives, and humour that makes you smile with your soul. I wish all Hollywood films could be like this.What I also loved was the lack of profanity.