Hope Floats (1998)

Simply A Masterpiece

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I am giving this movie a 5 out of 10 only because of the tremendous acting of the entire cast, particularly Sandra Bullock and Mae Whitman who was only 8 or 9 when this movie was made.I made the mistake of thinking this was a romantic comedy going in but it is actually a romantic drama. I should have shut it off within the first thirty seconds. The opening was just absolutely ridiculous and I hate plots that involve infidelity, especially when it is cliché and poorly done like this. I really want to know the real life statistics of women whose best friends are sleeping with their husbands. And like--did he agree to tell her that way? Very unclear and stupid.Wow, and could they have picked more unattractive out of date names for the two main characters? Birdie and Bernice? Jeez! The film itself seemed like it was from the 40s instead of the 90s. Was that intentional? I found myself hating every single one of the characters except Sandra Bullock's. They were all so hard on her after the humiliation and betrayal she had faced. They seemed to all expect her to just suck it up, shrug off the human feelings she was experiencing and just be a damn mom. They wouldn't let her act like the victim, even though she WAS the victim.Thirty minutes in, I almost shut it off again but I hate to not finish a movie. The only scenes that moved me at all and made me glad I watched it were the two scenes with she and her father. I thought it was beautiful that the only person in her family or life who truly gave her the support that she needed was someone with dementia who could only offer her a smile and a dance. He didn't tell her any of the things she "needed" to hear, he just listened quietly and let her get it all off her chest. And he seemed to be the one who finally snapped her out of it toward the end when he was looking at the pic of Bernice and mistook it for her. He couldn't remember anything, but he remembered how happy and vibrant his daughter used to be and this seemed to finally ignite the realization in her as well. But everything else was just garbage in my opinion.What was the deal with her mother stuffing dead animals? I am usually good with symbolism but that one really threw me for a loop. And what exactly was the point of the cousin Travis being there? Having been abandoned by Birdie's sister who we never even see and who doesn't even come to the funeral in the end? And it seemed to imply that the grandmother had been a crappy mother to them? And now she was making it up by being a great grandmother? But they never really clarified. I could see her random death coming from a mile away too, was that supposed to be subtle? I guess they needed a reason for Bill to come home and for Birdie to wind up with both kids in the end? Very convoluted and strange.I was disappointed by my reaction to this movie too because I have been hearing great things about it for so long and I love Sandra Bullock. I usually love Harry Connick Jr too but even he could not save this movie. I understand the message of the movie...that even in the depths of despair, hope can still float to the top and rise above. But blegh I knew that without having to sit through this painfully boring movie.Don't take my word for it though, there are clearly many people who love this movie and it touched their lives. I think if you just had a terrible breakup/divorce or if someone in your family just died, this would be a great movie to help lift your spirits. But if you are already in a great mood and looking for a good movie to watch, do NOT let this painful movie bring you down with it.

This movie is the most worthless piece of garbage to ever be created!!! I was forced to watch this turd of of a movie with a female friend (she loved it and gave it 10 stars), and i wish i could erase my memory of this movie. It is downright terrible, the acting is so bad it makes you cry cause its so cheesy and unprofessional. The music is horrible to listen too (of all the music genres they choose (guess what)? country music!!! LOL! The story is about a woman who found out her hubby cheated don her only to rebuild her life again. Sandra Bullock is not a very good actress, either. The movie runs for 114 minutes too long. Run away from this movie.I give Hope Floats a 1/10.

What is up with that summary title? you might be thinking. There is a thrift store that sells VHS tapes for $0.25 apiece and this movie was in their collection and now it's in my cheap entertainment collection.The reviews on IMDb for this movie are very polarized: people either seem to really hate it or really love it. For me there were equal parts of things to like and not like about it. Sandra Bullock, who was producing for the first time in her new movie, comes across as aimless and wispy in this. Harry Connick as her former schoolmate and potential love interest comes across as stiff and insincere. At the time there was a push toward getting him more highly visible roles, but he was much better as a supporting player (Will Smith's jet fighter buddy in Independence Day a couple of years before).The musical score really helps the movie. There are very nice musical compositions from Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Cheryl Crow, Bryan Adams, and others. It turns out that Patrick Swayze choreographed the dancing in this, which shows up in a very nice scene at a Texas dance hall where couples are doing the Texas two-step.Acting-wise, the best thing was Mae Whitman, who was about 10 at the time and is the centerpiece for the movie's most stirring scene, which happens near the end. She has gone on to build an impressive list of credits and at first glance seems to have transitioned from child actress to viable adult performer very well.The set design is also nice and there are pretty images of the Texas countryside in a few scenes. Overall though, the movie is kind of dreary and a good example of one of Sandra Bullock's career growing pains. Forrest Whitaker directed, and he has also gone on to bigger and better things.

(Credit IMDb) Birdee Calvert must choose between her morals and her heart after her husband divorces her and a charming young man, who her daughter disapproves of, comes back into her life.Even when Bullock makes the laziest romantic comedies, I usually find plenty to enjoy about them. Hope Floats is one of the very few movies that I don't care for of Bullock's. It lacks laughter, moving moments, and overall enjoyment. The first 40 minutes or so involves nothing but Sandra Bullock moping and feeling sorry for herself. It moved as slow as molasses and I got bored easily. Her character predictably turns around, but the journey isn't worth the reward. I didn't really care about any of the characters, aside from Beatrice. Mae Whitman gives an adorable performance as Bullock's kid, showing plenty of poise and maturity for her age. There is a really weird opening that feels like a Jerry Springer show with how Bullock gets dumped in this movie. Connick Jr. is rather bland as the love interest. I thought he was rather smug myself. Bullock tries, but she isn't enough. This movie is predictable and thoroughly average. If you want a good romantic film from Bullock, check out While You Were Sleeping, Lake House, among others5.1/10