Nearest to Heaven

Catherine Deneuve is that rare performer who is thoroughly watchable even when she is in the midst of a totally awful movie, such as Nearest to Heaven. Here she plays Fanette, a Parisian author who is absolutely obsessed with the 1957 Hollywood movie An Affair to Remember (in fact, her mania for this old weepy leads her to constantly catch it at a retro cinema which, inexplicably, only shows that film). Out of the blue, Fanette receives a letter from an old flame asking for a reunion across the Atlantic at the top of the Empire State Building--which, of course, was the location for the lovers' reunion in An Affair to Remember. Is this kooky karma, a happy coincidence, or is Fanette going loopy from too many viewings? On her flight to New York, however, Fanette encounters a possible romantic detour in the form of a heavy-drinking American photographer (William Hurt, who displays both a marked indifference to his lines and an inability to relate to Deneuve onscreen). Director Tonie Marshall's (Venus Beauty Institute) latest is a mess on all levels, and though Deneuve remains a magnetic attraction, this is not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include an interview with writer-director Tonie Marshall, a 14-minute “making-of” featurette, six deleted scenes (10 min.), filmographies, and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a disappointing film.] (P. Hall)