SPIELBERG & DREYFUSS RETURN WITH ALWAYS

1989 rating: *1/2

During the 1970’s, Steven Spielberg and Richard Dreyfuss made a great team. The intense little actor played a likable shark expert in JAWS and a suburban alien-obsessed dad in CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND... Ten years later, they attempt to rekindle that magic. And although there’s some good use of The Spielberg Touch… flowing camerawork weaving in and out of glorious special effects… this is a romance that tries too hard to pull heartstrings.

Goodman and Johnson

Dreyfuss and sidekick John Goodman are firefighting pilots with a dangerous job. Dreyfuss is a daredevil who, with each venture, risks his life more than necessary. The first thirty minutes consists of Holly Hunter, Dreyfus’s girlfriend who works ground control, and Goodman trying to tell their friend he’s taking too many chances: All this occurs between sappy dialog and the building of a relationship that wasn’t very special to begin with. That is, until Dreyfus is killed and, while wandering around a earth-based purgatory, New Age angel Audrey Hepburn gives him an afterlife mission: to help a handsome young pilot, Brad Johnson, earn his wings.

Johnson’s true aim is to win over Holly Hunter – turning an interesting twist into a wasted subplot. Dreyfuss, as a ghost, seems more like a creepy stalker, placing thoughts into people’s minds to maneuver their choices – especially Hunter, who he won’t let go of. Meanwhile, he reluctantly helps Johnson… who unsuccessfully balances a suave yet dorky character… become a great pilot.

Holly Hunter, while being a cute, spunky actress, is miscast as an ingénue every man desires, especially the much too perfect Johnson. Goodman does his usual fat funny guy, but to an annoying level – he and everyone else seem to be playing for opening night audiences. And like Dreyfus goes so overboard with forced sentimentality you’ll wish the shark had got him or that those aliens never brought him home. The Ariel shots, while filmed beautifully (especially the pivotal death scene), are simply used as breaks from an overlong Hallmark Card: And the best news, Steven Spielberg would thankfully end his creative mid-life crisis after HOOK and get back to business at hand with JURASSIC PARK, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and especially SCHINDLER'S LIST.