Python Hyena Bounce (2000): Dir: Don Roos / Cast: Ben Affleck, Gwyneth Paltrow, Joe Morton, Natasha Henstridge, Jennifer Grey: Its title sounds like an ad for laundry detergent, and by the time it was done, the idea of seeing this film bounce about in a dryer sounded greatly appealing. Ben Affleck gives his plane ticket to someone who wanted to get home to his wife but the plane crashes leaving Gwyneth Paltrow a widow. After a drinking stint that could have resulted in his agreeing to do this film, he attempts to tell her of the situation but falls in love with her. Now Paltrow will spend wasted time claiming to be divorced, which Affleck knows isn't true. Stupid plot could have been solved with a simple conversation. Director Don Roos is no help although Paltrow and Affleck are no road map either. This might have made a better short film with Affleck just coming clean. As it is, it isn't short enough. Wasted supporting work by Joe Morton and Natasha Henstridge. Jennifer Grey even becomes desperate enough to get sucked into this, and it is even worse than her overrated Dirty Dancing. This film could have examined one's dealing with death and the struggle to carry on but instead the theme is bypassed in favor of manipulating viewers with a lame sob story. It is easily one of the worst excuses for a romance as well as one of the worst films of the year. It should be bounced in a trash bin. Score: 0 / 10

TedMichaelMor An intelligent, endearing film for grownup people, "Bounce" surprised me with convincing characters and an unusual but persuasive story. Writer/director Don Roos does his best screen writing with this film. He directs as if he had immense experience. Having outstanding actors, not only Gwyneth Palrow and Ben Affleck, but also supporting players, including Johnny Galecki and Natasha Henstridge cinches the film. The narrative develops slowly and naturally. The protagonists are fully round.Production values are consistently strong. I think cinematography by Robert Elswit and editing by David Codron are particularly understated and effective. Though a bit overstated for my taste, the score still sounded appropriate. It is almost an undertone. David Wasco's production design is intricate and self-effacing.Roger Ebert makes a sustainable and intelligent critique of the plot. I accept his argument to a point. Like him, I let it pass. I let it pass because the graduations in the unfolding of the narrative work in revealing characters about whom I learned to care—deeply.

whpratt1 Enjoy the acting of Gwyneth Paltrow, (Abby Janello) who plays the role of a woman who lost her husband in a plane crash and is struggling with her love for him and the big hole it has left in her heart. She tries to establish herself in a business with the help of her mother in order to support her two young children. In a very mysterious way this has effected the live of Buddy Amaral, (Ben Afflick) who met Abby's husband at O'Hare Airport in Chicago and had a few drinks with him and offered him his tickets on the plane he was scheduled to fly out on. Buddy Amaral has had a drinking problem and went into rehabilitation, however he was haunted by a horrible thing he caused Abby Janello and followed his 12 Step Program in AA to make amends to any person you hurt while you had been drinking. It is from this part in the story that makes it very interesting with dramatic and heartbreaking events. Excellent film and great entertainment. Enjoy

moonspinner55 While at the airport bar waiting for their planes, ad exec Ben Affleck gives his ticket to a family man anxious to get home to his wife and kids; after the plane crashes, Affleck checks up on the man's widow, even helps get her work, before falling in love with her--and also before disclosing he has something to tell her, something important...but it can wait until tomorrow. As written and directed by Don Roos, "Bounce" follows such a formulaic pattern that everything in it is fraudulent. Gwyneth Paltrow plays the bereaved with a certain amount of sophisticated grace, but her character is always on the verge of making a hasty exit and her dialogue smacks of too-smart little observations thick with script-writer's ink. Affleck is always on the verge of finding a character--and failing (even when he has tears welling up in his eyes, nothing Affleck says or does quite rings true). The picture doesn't exist in any kind of reality--nothing in it appears natural--with decorative city and beach settings that may very well be stock shots. The character conflicts don't balance out for us emotionally, and when Paltrow kicks Affleck out of her house in front of her two kids, she's suddenly so embittered and vindictive that we can't recover from it in time for the finale. There's also the proverbial gal-pal for Paltrow and gay assistant for Affleck who both dish out that kind of 'it-hurts-but-it's-good-for-you' advice prone to romance weepies. It's an assembly-line chick flick for viewers who bounce unceremoniously from one of these movies to the next. ** from ****