It was somewhat of an initiation for me this weekend. I really wasn`t sure I was ready, but I had to face stark reality: With tredipation, I took my friends to ”Always.”
The movie is directed by wunderkind Steven Spielberg and takes place among the world of aerial forest fireman. Richard Dreyfuss is Pete, the daredevil ace who dies in a fiery blaze. To get into heaven, Pete has to pass on his inspiration and knowledge to Ted Baker, a nerdy young flier. Ted can`t see or hear Pete, but Pete`s words become Ted`s thoughts. It gets tricky when Pete`s old girlfriend, Dorinda (Holly Hunter), is courted by Ted.
Despite the stunning special effects and raging pyrotechnics, this is at its core a love story, which is why I was so reluctant to go. It`s an ”adult movie” for Spielberg, who has bid goodbye to his youth-oriented adventures. No more ”Indiana Jones” or ”E.T.”; he`s looking at more mature works like ”The Color Purple” to add to his filmography. But can he still weave the magic?
For the most part, yes. ”Always” isn`t a great movie but a good one. There are several funny scenes, and all belong to John Goodman, who steals the show as Pete`s best friend, Al. Hunter delivers her sexy moments, and Dreyfuss has the right cockiness for his role.
The film suffers from a lack of urgency, though. None of the scenes seems forceful. And it lacks the serious pacing that has been a Spielberg trademark. I was weaned on Spielberg`s early adventures, which established my love for cinema. As good as ”Always” is, his best work for 1989 was ”Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” I`m not quite sure I`m ready for the ”dream-master” to grow up yet. (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)
