Considering his explosion onto the entertainment scene this past year, it’s easy to forget that Robert Downey, Jr. did, in fact, have a career prior to 2008. In addition to taking on roles in the ‘80s and ‘90s as Charlie Chaplin and the original Pick-Up Artist, Downey also dabbled in fantasy-tinged family fare like Heart and Souls, a sometimes funny but sickeningly sweet story of a soulless yuppie who learns a thing or two from a motley crew of ghosts.
The movie begins in 1959. We are introduced to four unrelated individuals – shy librarian Harrison (Charles Grodin), single working mother Penny (Alfre Woodard), conflicted waitress Julia (Kyra Sedgwick) and small-time crook Milo (Tom Sizemore). They all end up on the same bus one fateful night, and are killed due to the driver’s carelessness. At the same time, Thomas Reilly (Downey) is being born in a nearby car. The souls, unable to enter heaven because of their unfinished business, are drawn to this new life and become Thomas’s childhood companions (who are, of course, only seen by him). They reluctantly disappear from this life when insanity claims are waged against him, reemerging 30 years later when they are told they must use Thomas to finish their business – and the clock is ticking.
Unfortunately, Thomas has become a selfish, unsentimental businessman, less than inclined to help them out. As the tale unfolds, however, he softens, realizing the importance of not letting the important things, like his girlfriend Anne (Elisabeth Shue), slip away.
The film shines the brightest when Thomas is possessed by the spirits, who maintain their personalities even in his body. This device, though not the most original, allows Downey to display his often overlooked but fantastic comedic skills, which the world was formally introduced to in this past summer’s Tropic Thunder.
It’s the latter half of the movie, which screams the message of “don’t neglect your loved ones” so loud your ears will bleed, that really brings it down. The two men’s final tasks are entertaining enough without being too preachy, but once we get into Penny and Julia’s last requests, the film devolves into a clichéd sapfest which is embarrassing to see a great actor like Downey suffer through. The boring subplot with Anne had hinted at such a conclusion, but her minimal part in the story makes it feel not only cheesy but out-of-place as well, highlighting one of the well-meaning script’s many flaws.
Examining his pre-Iron Man body of work may be vital for any newfound Downey fans, but Heart and Souls is far from required viewing. It has its moments to be sure, and it won’t make you like Downey any less, but with such a disappointing finale and overbearing message, you’re better off just watching the four or so great scenes on YouTube.
