Angel Eyes

First the bad news: Angel Eyes is a chick flick. Now the good news: Angel Eyes is a pretty good chick flick. Currently being marketed as a supernatural mystery, the film is less about the metaphysical than the psychological. That is, Angel Eyes is about two people who have been broken by life but refuse to acknowledge defeat.

The film opens with Chicago police officer Sharon Pogue (Jennifer Lopez) comforting the victim of a horrible car accident. One year later, the accident is a distant memory to Sharon, but as a result, she has acquired an admirer. Trailing from a distance, Catch (James Caviezel) watches Sharon's every move - which explains why he arrives at just the right moment to save her from a brutal attacker.

The relationship between the two characters unfolds slowly and in odd directions. Neither Sharon nor Catch acts like a "normal" person, and watching them play off of one another is the highlight of the film. Jennifer Lopez gives Sharon a tough, angry edge, reminiscent of her performance in Out of Sight. Estranged from her family after a confrontation with her abusive father, Sharon is more at ease with conflict than uncertainty - which makes Catch both frustrating and intriguing.

Catch responds to Sharon's aggression with amusement; her suspicion is met with wide-eyed innocence. James Caviezel's performance is meant to make you wonder about Catch's background. Is he real? Is he an angel? Is he dangerous? All he will reveal to Sharon is that he has no past, he envisions no future, and before she came into his life, he suspected he was dead inside. Still waters run deep, huh?

Some viewers may find it tiresome, but both Sharon and Catch are unmasked in odd moments. At home alone, Sharon puts on her bulletproof vest to relax. Catch never closes a door behind him, and doesn't understand why Sharon thinks it is rude when he looks through her private things. To its credit, Angel Eyes never explains these quirks - nor should it.

At it's lowest points, Angel Eyes comes off as a manipulative Lifetime Network movie of the week about women with abusive pasts, and men who can't cope with loss. In it's most touching moments, the film will strike a chord with anyone who has suffered at the hands of loved ones, and somehow can't forgive themselves for it. Other than its utterly incongruous ending, however, Angel Eyes is not the misfire many cynics will expect. If you are in the mood for a brief cry in a dark theater, it's just what the doctor ordered.