Just like Heaven (2005): A Movie Review

"Just Like Heaven" stars Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo, Donal Logue, Dina Waters, Ben Shenkman, Jon Heder and Ivana Milicevic. It's classified as a comedy, romance, science fiction/fantasy with a PG-13 rating for some sexual content. It's produced by David Householter, Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald and is directed by Mark Waters. Just Like Heaven is an excellent date movie, as I think that even men could get into the intriguing story line.

If you're a Reese Witherspoon fan (as I am), you'll definitely enjoy this delightful movie. It's about a young single woman (Elizabeth) who puts all her time and life into becoming a doctor. Even though she was a success in that respect, she was often teased by her fellow colleagues at the hospital about still being unattached and having no 'personal' life. Outwardly, she took on the teasing with a grain of salt. After all, taking care of her patients in the very best possible way was far more important to her. Inwardly, she felt very much alone, which is why she would often find herself accepting double shifts.

One night, after a double shift, she was driving home from work, and here is where the story really begins. She gets into an accident on the road. Meanwhile, a young single man (David) is looking all over the city for an apartment. So far he hasn't had any luck in finding the right one. His real estate agent has become quite frustrated with him, until a flyer (coincidentally) blows right into his face. It just happens to be an advertisement for a month by month lease on a furnished apartment. Was this meant to be? He checks out the apartment, and although there are a few things that don't quite suit his tastes, he realizes his good fortune in finding this particular one. He signs the lease.

After a few months, and he becomes accustomed to the furnishings and layout of the apartment, making himself very much at home, he begins to think that he's seeing things. A woman keeps appearing and then disappearing. He fears he's finally losing his mind. He consults his best friend, who incidentally happens to be a psychiatrist, who's been helping him overcome the loss of his last girl friend. Of course, his friend thinks that all he needs is to get over her, once and for all, get out on the town and meet other women. But, it's never as simple as that! (you can almost see where this might be leading).

Soon the apparition of this young, blonde woman appears more and more often, wanting him out of the apartment, as he is to soon discover. It's her apartment and he has no right being there. He begins to converse with her, and after much trial and error and frustration, starts to believe that she is a ghost and needs to be helped to the other side. She fights it every step of the way, refusing to believe that she is dead.

As it turns out, she is in fact, still very much alive, but only holding on by a thread, lying in a hospital bed on life support. The doctors are about to pull the plug. David and Elizabeth are in the battle of their lives to prevent this from happening. He has grown very fond of her, and her of him. If he is to be with the woman he has fallen in love with, the one who has finally given him a reason to live himself, he must try to save her life, as time is running out.

I give this movie a two thumbs up. It's charming and delightful, with a little added suspense thrown in. The acting is superb and the characters are very believable and endearing. The viewer finds themselves on the edge of their seat, with fingers crossed in hopes that they make it in time. You can't help but be swept up by the sweet, romantic side of this movie.