Forces of Nature

I spent the first hour of Forces of Nature grousing to myself over its apparent contrivance, cynicism and romance = infatuation simplicity...then screenwriter Marc Lawrence surprised me by turning the film into a real adult romantic comedy. The premise throws together the classic mismatched pair: Ben (Ben Affleck), a straight-laced guy fretting over his impending marriage; and Sarah (Sandra Bullock), a wacky free spirit. Transportation troubles send them on a trek together from New York to Savannah, a journey filled with plenty of witty dialogue and appealing performances. What begins as fluff turns out to be a tale of a guy finding that his fear of commitment is based on false assumptions, leading to an unexpected sort of happy ending. The film could have been an absolute jewel of wise romance if not for Bronwen Hughes' fussy direction, which overloads too many scenes with oddball angles or camera tricks. Still, Forces of Nature may restore your faith in romantic comedy as a genre with the power to surprise and enchant. Recommended. (S. Renshaw)