Regarding Henry ** (1991, Harrison Ford, Annette Bening) – Classic Movie Review 7882

Director Mike Nichols reunites with his Working Girl star Harrison Ford for the much less exciting 1991 Regarding Henry.

Ford stars as heartless hotshot lawyer Henry Turner, who is shot in a holdup. Bening also stars as his wife Sarah, who nurses him back to life. But there is brain damage, he has speech and mobility issues, and he can’t remember anything. Once recovered, he is a changed man. Changed for the better, that is. Now he hates bent lawyers, couples who cheat on each other, dads who send their daughters to boarding school and families who don’t have dogs.

Regarding Henry can boast honourable performances, but, though the script is polished, the story is too simplistic, smug and unbelievable to get you weeping and cheering as you are apparently supposed to. In real life, Henry would end up a much worse person, deeply troubled, mentally sick, and never fully recovered. But Regarding Henry is not a real life film. It is a movie fantasy.

Director Nichols and his cast are just too classy for this kind of yuppie tosh, written by Jeffrey Abrams (that is J J Abrams). The near two hours do rattle by harmlessly, though (it runs 108 minutes but seems longer), and perhaps we need the comfort of the idea that catastrophe can reshape our lives for the better. This is at least a well-meaning, well-acted film. It is also a well-made film, with smart work from the posh people behind the technical credits.

Regarding Henry is directed by Mike Nichols, runs 108 minutes, is made by Paramount, is written by Jeffrey Abrams (that is J J Abrams), is shot by Giuseppe Rotunno, is produced by Scott Rudin and Mike Nichols, and is scored by Hans Zimmer.

Also in the cast are Bill Nunn, Mikki Allen [Kamian Allen], Donald Moffat and Nancy Marchand, Rebecca Miller, Bruce Altman, Elizabeth Wilson, Donald Moffat, Michael Haley and Aida Linares.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7882

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com