User Reviews

If you're a hard core movie fan, you learn to appreciate good "Bad Movies." There are movies that go so far off the tracks in terms of one or several essential features of film art -- casting, script, sets, pacing, editing, lighting, coherence -- that there is no way that you could, being honest, recommend them without qualifications to an unsuspecting viewer.

Movies that go off the tracks in these essentials and offer no redeeming features are just plain Bad Movies. You you make fun of them, and then you forget about them.

But some Bad Movies offer, amidst the badness, unique moments of grace and truth. You allow yourself to be sucked in, and you studiously ignore or forgive all the screw-ups that went into making them "Bad Movies." "Angel Eyes" is a *Good* Bad Movie.

Why Bad? Genre incoherence is the biggest problem here. "Angel Eyes" was marketed as a supernatural thriller that offered spooky, scary insights into fate, love, danger, and perhaps life after death. Ads, and the first portion of the movie, hinted at a weird alternate identity for one character. Was he a ghost? An angel? A devil? Would "Angel Eyes" be another "Sixth Sense" or "Wings of Desire"? That's all just smokescreen. I'm not revealing any spoilers by saying that no one in the movie is a ghost, an angel, or a devil; that conceit from the ads is jettisoned pretty quickly.

There is a subtext of fate, destiny, love and death, but that isn't worked really hard, either. That whole subtext could have been skipped and you'd still have pretty much the same movie.

The movie you get is a movie about traumatized people finding love and rebirth. And that is one great theme.

Another problem with the movie is its misunderstanding of how quickly people can recover from trauma. But, hey.

I say "but, hey," because this movie has a lot going for it, and it's worth seeing for what it has going for it.

Jim Caviezel is an underrated actor. He's not wooden; he's subtle. It's tragic that we've gotten to an era where audience's eyes can't appreciate a quiet actor in the Gary Cooper mode.

Caviezel is a worthy inheritor of the Gary Cooper mantle. He's stunningly handsome, has a big, gorgeous body -- he's a former basketball player, and it shows -- and he possesses Cooper's quiet masculine tenderness and humility.

All these qualities have allowed him to strike the perfect note of a very male spirituality in a number of films, from "Frequency" to "Thin Red Line" to "Pay It Forward" to "The Passion" to "Angel Eyes." In his early scenes, when the movie doesn't want you to know quite what he's about, he is perfect as a perhaps ghost-angel-devil-weirdo homeless bum-savior.

He's equally good, later, as an entirely corporeal lover.

He plays a wounded man, and Caviezel has the gifts to convey his character's inner pain. You believe that he cares as much as he does about what wounded him; you believe that his wounds could have done to him what the movie wants you to believe they did to him.

Jennifer Lopez is equally good. Face it -- Jennifer Lopez is a fine actress. Yes, she appears on tabloid covers. Yes, she made "Gigli." Yes, she poses in naughty clothes a lot. Yes, she is a Puerto Rican from the Bronx.

And you know what? She's a fine actress. Don't let her non-silver-spoon pedigree keep you from appreciating what she can do on screen.

Lopez is as good as a cop here as she was in the more celebrated film, "Out of Sight." She's winning, charismatic, natural, and lovely to look at. Even in a white t-shirt and navy blue cop uniform slacks, she is beautiful.

Like Caviezel, Lopez plays a wounded character ready to be reborn by love. She's equally as good as he, but she conveys her different wounds in a different way. One wounded person retreats; another lashes out in violence. It's interesting to see which party picks which method.

Sonia Braga is in this movie. Any movie with Sonia Braga in it can't be all bad.

Victor Argo, in a very small part as a very flawed man, is JUST PERFECT. 100% believable and heart-wrenching. I'll never forget his moments locked in silent misery, a misery he causes and a misery he feels.

Finally, there is a not-to-be-missed scene between an abused family member and the abuser. A character speaks into a video camera at a family reunion and ... the scene just took my breath away. At that point I wanted to cry and surrender my full respect to the movie, in spite of everything it had done wrong so far.

Don't let bad reviews prevent you from seeing this movie. Nothing's perfect. There's enough heart and beauty here for the discerning viewer to appreciate.

I found this movie really engaging, even though it's imperfect directorially. Much of my admiration, though, may be because I fell madly in love with Jim Caviezel and his quiet, handsome, troubled but gently noble character (so bear that in mind!)...

Jennifer Lopez did very well - a sparky performance as always. Her police officer role appears to come very naturally to her, and the pairing is interesting with the initially mysterious Caviezel character.

Overall this movie may not win awards, but the lead characters are well drawn and their developing relationship is engaging, unpredictable and endearingly life-like. It's a nice romantic movie which draws you in.

I have to admit two things, one is that I'm not a big Jennifer Lopez fan. Secondly, she's very good in this film. The film opens at the scene of a car accident and a female police officer (Lopez) is telling the survivor who is all banged up that everything will be okay and to look at her. Then the film shifts to a year later and Officer Sharon Pogue is a Chicago cop who doesn't relate well to others except other cops and hates the whole dating process. While in a diner with her fellow officers she notices a man (James Caviezel) across the street looking at her and then suddenly a car drives by and starts shooting the place up. Sharon takes chase after the car crashes and chases a youth down into a secluded area when she is ambushed and the youth gets her gun and is ready to kill her when out of the blue the man who was staring comes out and saves her.

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

Later in a bar she meets him again and talks to him. She asks him his name and all he says is "Catch". She's intrigued by him and he says he likes her but he says very little about himself. He wanders the streets a lot and also helps a handicapped woman named Elanora (Shirley Knight) with groceries. Meanwhile, Sharon has family trouble and her parents (Sonia Braga and Victor Argo) are going to renew their vows and she's not sure if she should go. When she was a young girl she called the police on her abusive father when he was beating her mother and after all these years he still has not forgiven her.

This film was directed by Luis Mandoki who also has shown in earlier efforts that he has a good flair for portraying relationships with believable emotional attachments. The problem is the area of the story surrounding Catch. We know right from the get-go who he is and what he's hiding. The film goes just a tad too long and of course there is an upbeat ending. I think it would have been totally appropriate to have a more open ending with some questions on the future of the characters. But the film is enhanced by a very good performance by Lopez. Not only is she believable as a tough cop but we can understand her emotional problems dealing with others. Its a performance that rings true and reminded me of why so many people are intrigued by her. Her character is the core of the film (not Catch) and she does a terrific job of balancing her emotions between the tough cop and the lonely and vulnerable woman. This isn't a great film by any stretch of the imagination but it is an underrated one. One of Lopez's shining moments.

There are many films in the past years that are so under appreciated, tossed

away from theaters and dismissed by the masses. Films like Donnie Darko and

Rounders fall into this category. And Angel Eyes follows their path. It's a very well-written, well-acted drama with the unstoppable Jim Caviezel and Jennifer Lopez. As many have said, this IS Lopez's best film to date and she truly shines. And Caviezel is amazing. He's one of my favorite actors and his performance,

like all of his other films, is utterly spectacular. The dialogue is flawless and although the story takes a while to progress and the pacing is slow, Angel Eyes is worth checking out.

Do you remember the previews for Angel Eyes? Many of us don't. What few of us remember is a 30 second preview that ran only a handful of times that showed Jennifer Lopez as a female cop. That was it. Na drama, no emotion, the previews told the audience a story about a female police officer, nothing else. This is probably the biggest reason why nobody went to see this movie when it went to the cinema. Only when it hit the video stores, did people start wo watch. A beautiful film, Angel Eyes is a romance. Dealing with redemption, it deals with many degrees of love and hope. In fact, many people detail Jennifer Lopez as "Angel Eyes." This is not true. Take a deeper look and you will see that James Caviezel is the true Angel Eyes.

Not a fan of Jlo's acting but I think she does a good job in this one.

ANGEL EYES

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Sound formats: Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS

Though not terribly convincing as an experienced Chicago cop, hardened to the world's excesses, singer-actress Jennifer Lopez gives an otherwise finely-judged performance in this atypical romantic drama, directed with great sensitivity by Luis Mandoki (WHITE PALACE). Here, Lopez' empty life is changed forever when she's rescued from a near-fatal confrontation with an armed criminal by handsome stranger Jim Caviezel ("The Passion of the Christ"), who seems to come out of nowhere. Grateful for his intervention, Lopez is unable to resist their subsequent friendship, which quickly blossoms into something deeper, until she discovers they have met before under very different circumstances...

Both central characters are blighted by past misfortunes (Lopez is at odds with her family over an incident which occurred ten years previously) and both are wary of romantic involvement, which leads to the inevitable complications: Lopez' hard-bitten cop is unwilling to lower her defences, while Caviezel is the angelic loner whose refusal to confront the past renders his life meaningless. There are no melodramatics and no great visual statements, and the ending swaps bombast for sentiment at every turn; Caviezel's climactic graveside soliloquy is an acting tour de force. Sonia Braga and Shirley Knight play small but crucial supporting roles.

The cinematography can be poor at times, one in particular that I noticed the opening scene could have been more stylized they show the person in the car looking at Jennifer Lopez with the camera right side up even though seconds later the camera pulls out showing that the person would be looking upside down I feel showing the camera upside down would have been a better way of showing the scene, most of the music in this movie doesn't fit the scenes, I understand that women like the dark and mysterious guy but I find it hard to believe that a cop would be so willfully ignorant about a guy she just met, overall the movie is well-acted and underrated I would recommend

If you are one of those who watch with child-like eyes and accept what you see without really demanding believable acting, stunts, story and script, then this movie is for you. The message of the movie was delivered, but it's been delivered many times before and much better. It left me wondering how a good-looking policewoman would get involved with a vagrant? He dresses, acts and lives like a loser and yet--unlike her colleagues who are rightfully wary of him--she becomes involved with him. All of this after a totally unbelievable scene where she is rescued by him after he comes out of nowhere to overpower an armed and dangerous killer who was about to blow her away...I didn't believe it any more than I believed her manhandling several 6 foot 2 inch 200 lb thugs throwing them against the car and handcuffing them like they were match sticks. Boy is she strong!! This movie is not worthy of taking up theatre time and space. 4 out of 10

I stumbled on this film--because there was nothing obvious that made it look like a film worth your time. It's a film with a lot of misplaced evaluations. For instance, Jennifer Lopez was nominated for a "Razzie" award but the film shows a very fine effort from the lady. Again some comments on the photography infer the late cinematographer Piotr Sobocinsky has done a shoddy job because obvious Toronto landmarks appear in a film set in Chicago. This again is a fault of the Director and editor, not the cameraman who was one of the finest in his business (Kieslowski's "Dekalog" and "Three Colors--Red"). An intense viewing of the film affords the viewer to appreciate the opening shots, the alley shots, and the corridor shots that evoke feelings. It is quite different from the typical Hollywood camera-work.

There are flaws in the film. The film jumps to situations without a build up--Catch appears on a life saving situation, seemingly out of nowhere; two beers appear on Catch's table in the restaurant, without him ordering the second; no mention is made of why Catch chose this name; etc.

Yet despite those faults the film sails through as fine entertainment because of fine believable performances from Caviezel, Lopez, Sonia Braga, and Shirley Knight. The casting of these four was perfect (thank you Lopez for insisting on Caviezel!). The film is great entertainment because the film refrains from sex and promotes fine values--including family values, reconciliation, dealing with bereavement and doing good to make a better world. How many films are brave enough to deal with such subjects today without depicting sex and violence?

The film touches on subplots that could have been fleshed out--Catch's lonely neighbor who invites him share a pizza, Catch's friend who recognizes him at the restaurant but Director Mandoki clearly steers clear to present the two psychologically wounded persons and their healing by coming together through a sheer accident. The film may be very Christian in character but it presents a very secular, humane scenario that will uplift any viewer. Though unevenly woven, the film has several sequences that show Mandoki has fine capabilities. One only wishes he took greater care of details.

Flaws apart, the film is above average cinema that the publicity has shrouded by misplaced evaluations.

First, note to all brain dead film makers: If you're going to open your film with a location shot that includes Toronto's CN Tower, don't set the story in Chicago.

I'm sick of seeing obviously Canadian cities substituting for New York, Boston, Chicago, etc, etc. If you're going to film in Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal then, you airheads, set the story in those cities. Or . . . don't choose filming locations and shots that scream you're not even in the U.S., never mind the city you purport to be the story's location.

That aside, I really enjoyed this film, mainly because Jennifer Lopez and Jim Caviezel are so likable together here. This is one of Lopez's better performances as well. She's as good as she was in "Out of Sight."

The film is a gentle love story about two people haunted by having unwittingly destroyed their families. They have a brief, chance encounter during one family's tragedy, and then as strangers are drawn together a year later; neither having a conscious recollection of the other. The relationship that develops after their second meeting gives both the strength to acknowledge and come to terms with their losses as well as find healing in each other.

SCREEEEEEEEEEEEECH!!!!! SLOW DOWN NOW!!!!! The trailers for this movie made it look like a suspensful mystery/thriller, but it sure as hell wasn't that. This film had the plot similar to that of a movie of the week, and that exactly what I felt like I was watching. When I think about it, there was no way to market this film, it just is so flat and un-interesting. Talent was wasted, so was money. This same movie could have been made for 3 million without doubt. It simply is trash, I was sucked in by previews promising a suspense ride. Cheap Hollywood trick to bring in the money, it is Hollywood trash.

So let me set the scene here, I was in a motel, in the middle of nowhere, and was flicking through the channels of the limited cable that the motel offered... I spotted Jim Caveizel (or however on earth you spell his name) and put down the remote as he is an actor that I admire and respect. Of course JLo then came into the scene and my instinct was to pick up the remote and flick the channel but I didn't and I am glad that I made that decision. Not being a fan of JLo I have never seen Angel Eyes and had no reason to seek it out either on video or on the TV but hell when you are in a motel with limited cable options you don't have alot of choice right? Nevertheless, I was thoroughly delighted that I left the remote where it was and watched this movie because in the end I loved it. I loved it more for the subtle points than the big "hollywood this is a romance you better weep points." "Hang up and I'll call your machine" in this day and age how relevant is that? how many people (if they would be honest) would much rather talk to a machine than the person because it is impersonal and they can save face? The teeny tiny aspect of him playing the notes of the trumpet on her back as they were dancing... okay so I am married to a musician so that resonates with me but it spoke volumes, no matter how much he had tried to block it out, his soul was still there, and in his soul was his music. I thought both leads played their roles with skill and conviction. I was never quite sure (until the end of course) if Catch was a good guy or a bad guy, and I liked the fact that it kept me guessing. As I said I am not a JLo fan, in fact I could be described as quite the opposite but in this movie she played her part beautifully, with conviction and totally believably. Jim Caveizel as always was understated, calm and played his role with a sympathy that is rare to see. Loved this movie, and cannot wait to see it again. I will agree with everyone however about the advertising hype that surrounded it, they ended up portraying it as a psychological thriller, if they had stayed true to the story and advertized it for what it was, a beautiful romance, I think it would not have died as it did. Shame on the publicity people for burying such a fine film.

They try to make this movie look like a paranormal thriller. Even the logline claims that Jim Caviezel claims to be J-Lo's guardian angel. Well, not only does he NEVER say this, or hint at it, but there is NOTHING paranormal about this movie. IT is billed as like a Sixth Sense, but the only similarity is that there is a beginning and end to the movie. Don't get me wrong...this is NOT a bad movie. This is actually a good date flick/romantic drama that can bring tears to your eyes, but you're waiting for the big twist or surprise the whole time, and there are none. This is simply a straight drama about a female Chicago cop who is torn by her damaged relationships with her family, and her love interest, a nice guy who walks the streets of the city without prupose, mainly because he's in shock from the death of his wife and child a year ago. That's it.....then the rest of the movie is how they get over their internal conflicts together. Case closed. one thing I did admire about this movie, outside of the likability of both actors, is that J-Lo's character DOESN'T rectify her differences with her family. It makes for a more believable story instead of a sappy ending, BUT...the way Caviezel's character comes to grips with his internal conflicts is way cheesy, with far too much exposition to himself at a gravesite. We've seen far more effective scenes in scenarios like this, where the character didn't have to spell out the obvious to us so blatantly. J Lo can act....so can Caviezel. I was rather impressed with J Lo's range....it could be her best performance.

Just finished watching Angel Eyes-a heartfelt and emotionally charged melodrama. Interestingly, I do not like melodramatic movies but Jim Caviezel's acting hooked me to see till the end. Directed by Luis Mandoki, this film skillfully combines elements of romance, mystery, and personal growth to deliver a captivating story that centers around the lives of two people suffering from traumas.

Sharon Pogue (Jennifer Lopez), a dedicated police officer who carries deep emotional scars from a traumatic childhood event encounters a mysterious stranger named Catch (Jim Caviezel), who has lost his wife and a child in an accident and is living a traumatized life.

Angel Eyes delves into the emotional wounds that the characters carry and highlights the importance of human connection in the process of healing. The film's dialogue "Sometimes you forgive someone because you want to keep them in your life." encapsulates the film's theme of forgiveness and the understanding that forgiveness is not just about absolving someone else, but also about allowing oneself to move forward and maintain important relationships.

Similarly, this dialogue "Sometimes people have a hard time letting love in. You can't force it. You just have to embrace it when it comes." convey a profound truth about the complexities of love and the importance of allowing oneself to be open to it. It speaks to the themes of vulnerability, self-acceptance, and the transformative power of love in the film.

Jennifer Lopez and Jim Caviezel deliver compelling performances. Their performances are both subtle and powerful, creating a genuine and captivating dynamic. Lopez skillfully portrays Sharon's complex emotional journey, showcasing her vulnerability and strength in equal measure, while Caviezel brings an enigmatic and mysterious aura to the character of Catch.

While the film excels in its emotional depth and character development, there are moments where the pacing could have been tighter. Some scenes linger longer than necessary, which may lead to a slight loss of momentum. However, these minor pacing issues do not detract significantly from the overall impact of the story.

this was the worst movie i have ever seen in my life...so if i can spare anyone else the 2 hours of my life i can't have back - it will be worth it! the dialogue was poorly written, plot was weak and there was no chemistry between the stars of the film. As you watch the film you keep hoping that there will be more to it, something that will surprise you and make it all worth it....but no.

Seems that movie was rush into production. The plot is going nowhere and the script is simply awful. Too bad because Jennifer Lopez actually delivers a good and solid performance in this one. She's good in the role of the tough (but not too tough) Chicago cop who falls for that strange fellow, Catch, played by James Caviezel. Contrary to Lopez, he fails to deliver a good performance. His character is not too believable and the chemistry between the two is not present.

The editing job was botch. And what about the movie pretending to be in Chicago. Two times at least, you clearly see the Toronto famous landmark, the CN-tower. The accident itself actually seems to have happen on the Gardiner Expressway, the highway leading to downtown Toronto. And by the way, a face to face collision on that expressway is not possible because it is divided! Oh well!

Positive note: Jennifer Lopez. Negative note: a bit of everything else!

Out of 100, I gave it 71. That's ** out of ****. Seen at SilverCity Odeon in St. Catharines (Ontario), on May 27th, 2001.

I may be in the minority here, but I found this movie no better than your basic TV movie of the week. Jennifer Lopez seems to be under the impression that to come across as a hard cop with personal problems, the answer is to swear a lot. Jim Caviezel seems to wander through 2 thirds of the film like a cross between forest gump and rain man. If you want a weary romantic thriller without the thrills then this is the film for you. It ticks all the required boxes for a movie of the week....troubled cop..check,romantic loner...check,family that wont talk to cop...check,plenty of pouting...check and an end that will make one member of your house reach for the tissue box and the other the sick bucket.....as you can guess wife loved it.

I have to say I can't believe some of the reviews I've read of this film here. I thought this film was extremely well acted, had an original story line, and a quirky but interesting script. I'm impressed by Jennifer Lopez's acting, James Caviezel's interpretation was fantastic and there was great chemistry between them on the set. I was intrigued right throughout. It was well-paced, and just had a good feel about it, something which I find is missing in 95% of films being made these days. 9 out of 10.

The first two-thirds of "Angel Eyes" leaves the viewer a little confused, trying to figure out just what is going on.

The story in a nutshell has a dazed man "Catch" Lambert (Jim Caziezel) wandering around the streets of Chicago seemingly running away from his past. He happens upon Officer Sharon Pogue (Jennifer Lopez) to whom he is mysteriously attracted. He tries to start up a relationship with her but keeps walking away. He lives in a barren apartment and his only friend is a wheelchair bound woman (Shirley Knight) for whom he buys groceries each week.

Officer Pogue on the other hand, is having her own problems. Her brother (Jeremy Sisto) is beating his wife (Monet Mazur), she hasn't spoken to her father (Victor Argo) in years and has trouble communicating with her mother (Sonia Braga). As her relationship with Lambert develops he begins to face his past while Sharon tries to patch things up with her family.

At the beginning, I thought we were going to have a police drama, but as the story moved along it turned out to be a pretty absorbing drama. The acting is good all around although it's hard to imagine J-Lo as a hard nosed cop and even harder to accept her beer drinking and cussing as "one of the boys".

this was just plain horrible. As i was watching this trash I was getting so bored because nothing was happening. I dont really think that this movie has much of a plot because the guy in the movie is kind of a front from what they portray his character to be in the commercials. Not to mention this has one of the worst endings in movie history! J-lo was already starting to fall off in my opinion at this point after the cell and the wedding planner but this put the icing on the cake! the funny thing is that i kind of think that this movie is better then "enough" but thats not saying much at all!