He Sees You When You're Sleeping (2002)

Touches You

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Call me a glutton for punishment, but I usually watch Mary Higgins Clark's stories turned into films, even though they're generally schlockily produced, slow as molasses, badly acted and accompanied by Psycho music. I can't believe I'm writing this, but I'd almost rather see Grosso-Jacobsen, who normally produce movies from her books, than Lifetime.The film stars Cameron Bancroft, one of the worst actors I've ever seen, as Sterling Brooks, a self-absorbed stock broker who is killed by a traveling golf ball (probably to stop him from yelling all his lines at the top of his lungs) and goes to the other side (cue the dry ice). There he meets Joe, played by another great thespian, Greg Evigan, trying but failing to speak with some sort of British accent who is supposed to help him qualify for heaven since right now, his fate hasn't been decided.Joe and Sterling return to earth and Sterling learns that he has to help his old girlfriend Annie (Erika Eleniak) and her daughter (Nickol Tschenscher). Annie overheard mobsters talking and planning to set fire to a house and follow it up with a murder, and her evidence is critical in a case against them. She has been under protection and separated from her daughter, who is miserable. Joe wants Sterling to make sure they're reunited, and with the girl's father, for Christmas.Eleniak owns this type of film, so she knows how to handle herself. In this production, she plays a singer who does jazzed up versions of Christmas songs. I'm not talking about jazzing up Jolly Old St. Nick, she's jazzing up hymns like Silent Night.This story has similarities to Ghost and It's a Wonderful Life, and Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark can write good stories that don't make for heavy reading. "He Sees You When You're Sleeping" could have been a lovely Christmas story and a real tear-jerker, but for me, the acting wrecked it. I say spend a little extra money and get another one or two good actors and throw in a good director. You might be surprised at the results.

I am surprised at the summaries I have read. This movie is certainly worth seeing. Yes, it is a fantasy-themed movie with angels coming from heaven to do good deeds, but there are very many of these spiritual or supernatural themes that come out of Hollywood. I am no fan of this type of movie, but when it stars Kelly Preston (JACK FROST) or Erika Eleniak or the like I am certainly going to watch. And both movies were entertaining enough. Besides, Kelly and Erika are gorgeous in these respective flicks. Erika does a fine job in this movie as a singer. I have seen most everything she has done and this movie is better than some of the others. And Greg Evigan I believe did a good job portraying the character the way the author wanted.

This clunker didn't know if it wanted to be a comedy or a drama. I sat through all of it but knew where it was leading all the way. The book was probably better, which makes me wonder why I spent 2 hours on this cornball "chiller". I've seen worse, but wish I'd bypassed it.

Movie has provoking ideas about the afterlife, second chances and values. Tries too hard to be crime thriller, melodrama and kids movie, all at the same time. If the plot were not a bit too predictable and saccharine, could be a deep and interesting film. At least the ending is rather unexpected.