'Angels Fall'
(Heather Locklear, Johnathon Schaech, et al / DVD / NR / 2007 / Sony Pictures)
Overview: As the sole survivor of a massacre at a Boston restaurant where she was a chef, it's no wonder Reece Gilmore (Heather Locklear) wants to escape her life. So, se hits the open road with no destination in mind, desperate for a fresh start ... and ends up in a small town in Wyoming. And all is well until she witnesses a murder while hiking!
DVD Verdict: 'ANGELS FALL' is yet another best-selling #1 book from author supreme Nora Roberts. A romantic suspense novel, the film - much like the book that it never says far from - is excellent, as all of her books are. The main character, Reece (Locklear), is a single woman traveling through Wyoming from back east. She decides to stay in the town called Angel's Fist, a small town not too far from Jackson Hole.
She has some peculiar mannerisms, and seems afraid of everything. This keeps the reader guessing from the off as not only does she have something to hide from, but perhaps she also has her own well-kept secrets! She gets a job in the local diner owned by Joanie, who ends up being a great friend and helper. She meets Brody, who ends up being a friend and then more. As the film develops, so do the characters, and being that it was such a good book, the film comes alive from the moment the first reel roles.
As she gets to know the townspeople she considers putting the past behind her and settling down, until she witnesses a murder while out hiking one afternoon. Now she's traumatized all over again, and not just by the killing - for when the cops investigate, there is no evidence of the murder, and everyone doubts her story which leads Reece to question her own sanity!
As you can tell, I read a lot and hate when good books = bad films, but here (even though I knew who the bad guy was) my friend next to me found herself guessing who said bad guy was clear to the end of the film! I found the characters to have such wonderful qualities, including some faults. I mean, with all that is going on in Reece's life, it's obvious that there would be ebbs and flows of deep understanding for (and of) human behavior ... and yet it all comes enveloped with a great senses of humor. Indeed, I found myself laughing out loud at many of the dialogue exchanges ... intentional or otherwise!
It ends well, and the journey is so much fun and filled with great suspense. And with regard Roberts one last time, even though she is already a great bestselling author, this one was undoubtedly one of her finest to be turned into a film. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:
Subtitles in both English and French
Language in English 5.1 (Dolby Digital)
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