Chances Are (1989)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Boring

A Masterpiece!

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Chances Are is one of my very favourite movies, and certainly my most favourite RomCom. It's delightful, feel good, has a lovely storyline and plot, great soundtrack. It's so uplifting and although I have seen it a number of times over the years, and was so pleased when I was able to get my own copy of the film, it never fails to entertain me.The performances of the leading stars - Ryan O'Neal, a young Robert Downey Jr, and Cybill Shepherd - are a joy to behold. Chances Are has an excellent script that still makes me laugh even though I have heard the jokes a number of times. It's frequently hilarious without slapstick humour, foul language, and graphic scenes of a sexual nature. It's fine for family viewing at PG rating.But it's not all laughs in Chances Are as there are many touching moments that might pull a few heartstrings of those who have loved and lost. It has it's corny moments but that's forgivable as otherwise it's great fun.I'm a fan of Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man) and Ryan O'Neal is more than a pretty face (He's great in The Man Upstairs with Katharine Hepburn - if you ever get the chance to see this hard to find film).

This was always one of my favorite romantic comedies. It's a fairly unique story, well done in terms of writing, and well-played by the key actors.I do want to say at the beginning that the Blu-Ray edition of this film, as produced by RLJEntertainment is NOT Blu-Ray quality. It's a very average DVD print. That's not to say its quality makes the movie un-enjoyable, but the sharpness is very lacking.Here, Cybill Shepherd is married to Christopher McDonald in a very happy marriage. He is killed because he learns that a powerful judge is taking bribes from a mobster. Ryan O'Neal is the best friend of both Cybill and Christopher, and is secretly in love with Cybill himself. After his death, McDonald is reincarnated, but an angel forgets to make him forget his previous life, and -- now as Robert Downey, Jr., he falls in love with his former wife (Cybill), but also in love with his own daughter. Meanwhile, Ryan continues to care for Cybill and her daughter, though he is deprived of Cyvill's love. Of course, Downey does begin remembering his former life, and finally convinces Cybill and Ryan who he really is...although the daughter never learns that. In the climax, the memory of the crooked judge returns and Downey provides the photographic evidence needed to convict him. And of course, they all (except the judge) live happily ever after -- Ryan with Cybill and Downey with the daughter (but that's okay, his memory and soul have finally been erased).This was the Robert Downey, Jr. that I loved, back when we (at least) thought he was a young Cary Grant in comedy-romance films like this one. Downey could handle such roles in a way that few such actors could. Of course, his years in embarrassing drug addiction ruined that ability...not as an actor, but as being believable when a sense of naivety was required for a part. This film was Downey at his peak in terms of romantic comedies. He's actually more successful now in totally different genres, and can no longer appear in films such as this one. A shame.Ryan O'Neal was really good here. I'm not much of a fan, but every once in a while O'Neal would come up with role where he was perfect. This is one. Similarly, Cybill Shepherd was never much on my radar, but she shines in this film. Mary Stuart Masterson (as the daughter) is equally excellent here; but it seems as if she never continued that early promise. Christopher McDonald's career also went in a different direction than one might have expected after viewing this film. He's very good here, and physical similarities (at least at the time) between him and Downey make this work.The one thing that people often bring up about this film is the Robert Downey's character ends up in love with his own daughter. Yes...but only after an angel wipes out his memory of a previous life. I guess it just depends on how you want to think of this and whether you want to let it bother you.I give this film a very strong "7", but I am disappointed in the Blu-Ray version.

"Chances Are" is one of several romantic-comedies in the late-80s/early-90s starring Robert Downey, Jr. as the romantic/comedic lead. In my opinion, this is one of his best.Along with the under-rated 1993 "Heart & Souls", these two movies bookend one another beautifully. They could almost be confused as the same movie since they look the same, have the same sense of humor and have the same leading man playing essentially the same character with minor differences. It may be why the new "Chances Are" cover has changed from the original 1989 purple and white cover. While "Chances Are" has RDJ being reincarnated to reunite with his long-lost love and her family, "Heart & Souls" has RDJ as the conduit for five ghosts to set things right with THEIR families. I believe "Chances Are" edges out the deserving "Heart & Souls" by a smidgen due to the better romantic theme and simple storyline vs. the more complicated "Heart & Souls" script due to the five ghosts' story lines.As for "Chances Are" by itself, RDJ plays a reincarnated Louie Jeffries who was married in the 1960s to Cybill Shepherd (this was her last "beauty" movie where she looked stunning). Louie dies on his first anniversary and is reincarnated as RDJ. RDJ stumbles across the adorable Mary Stuart Masterson at university and eventually crosses paths with newspaper superstar, Ryan O'Neal, and Cybill, who has kept the candle lit for her dead husband for two decades, all within the first 15 minutes of the movie. Through several twists and comedic turns, RDJ realizes who he was and tries rekindling the flames with someone old enough to be his mother - and everyone else thinks he's either a gold-digger extraordinaire and/or psychotic. The entire story reminds me of the old-time Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant comedies of yesteryear where a little bit of overacting was allowed because it put a smile on your face no matter if the story was credible or not.The movie is light, funny, charming, and just enough romance to make it a perfect date movie. The men will enjoy the humor and women will enjoy the romance. The cast looks to be genuinely enjoying themselves which makes the unlikely story easy to swallow. Robert Downey, Jr. has always been a special physical actor. He embodies the qualities of other actors into his own persona and magic comes out on-screen.This may not be perfection, but it is worth watching as a light-hearted romantic comedy. I enjoy it every time I watch it again. It's in my top-20 rom/coms of all-time not because it's a classic - but because all the pieces fit so well to make a fun movie experience. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. 7 out of 10.

Robert Downey, Jr. was never more relaxed and clean-cut--and benign--than he is here, cast as an ambitious young man who crosses paths with an older woman still mourning the death of her husband many years prior. Before you can say "déjà vu", Downey begins to understand he's the reincarnation of the woman's beloved...and that her playfully flirtatious daughter is actually his child too! Tasteful, easy-to-take romantic comedy written by Perry and Randy Howze mixes sentiment and farcical elements rather smoothly, and director Emile Ardolino keeps things moving fast, but there's nothing of substance here to make the film meaningful (or even memorable). When the Howze team do attempt a sense of seriousness (as with Ryan O'Neal telling Cybill Shepherd the only man to ever "come back" was Jesus Christ), the movie comes to a halt. There are some good performances, particularly by Shepherd (very low-keyed) and a twinkling Mary Stuart Masterson, but the picture is so cozy and glossy it practically evaporates. ** from ****