Ruffalo and Witherspoon bring conviction to their roles; they’re taking the story seriously and that allows us to do the same.
Just Like Heaven (2005)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:146
Fresh:83
Rotten:63
Average Rating:5.7/10
Consensus: Delightfully sweet like a lollipop, Just Like Heaven is a dreamy romantic comedy that may give you a toothache when it attempts to broach difficult end of life issues by throwing a cherry on top.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for some sexual content.
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Genre: Romance, Theatrical Release
Theatrical Release:Sep 16, 2005 Wide
Box Office: $48,291,624
Synopsis: Suspension of disbelief is a necessity--albeit a pleasurable one--regarding many aspects of this romantic comedy, not the least of which being that either of its good-looking leads would ever lead... Suspension of disbelief is a necessity--albeit a pleasurable one--regarding many aspects of this romantic comedy, not the least of which being that either of its good-looking leads would ever lead lonely existences. Reese Witherspoon plays ambitious medical intern Elizabeth, who regularly clocks in 20 hour days at the hospital. Her work is her life, much to the chagrin of her sister Abby, who is married, with kids, and constantly attempting to get Elizabeth to go out more. When Abby finally succeeds in setting up a blind date for her sister, Elizabeth has an accident en route while driving to meet the mystery man, and the stage is set for love. David (Mark Ruffalo) has been apathetically searching for a new apartment in the cutthroat San Francisco housing market, while attempting to overcome his wife's death two years ago. When he finally finds the perfect place, nothing is going to make him leave, and this includes the blonde control freak (Elizabeth) who suddenly shows up while he's busy vegetating. She claims the apartment is hers, and it becomes ever clearer that Elizabeth doesn't remember her past, and shows irrefutable signs of being a ghost. David signs on to help her solve her own mystery, and the the two grow closer even as it becomes ever clearer that they'll never be able to be together. The chemistry between Witherspoon and Ruffalo breathes life into the well-trod terrain of the ghost love story, while NAPOLEON DYNAMITE'S Jon Heder almost steals the show as a bookstore worker with "the Gift." The slapstick humor resulting from David's conversations with his "invisible" companion is hilarious--in one standout scene, David saves a man's life as Elizabeth talks him through the task. The ultimate message about the power of love and wisely-used time gives added resonance to the tale. [More]
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo, Donal Logue, Dina Spybey
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo, Donal Logue, Dina Spybey, Ben Shenkman, Jon Heder, Ivana Milicevic
Director: Mark Waters
Director: Mark Waters
Screenwriter: Peter Tolan, Leslie Dixon
Producer: Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes
Studio: DreamWorks Distribution LLC
Get This Movie
Rent DVD
Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.
Buy DVD
Reviews for Just Like Heaven
[T]he stars of this mind-numbing dull movie deserve so much better than this. Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo do their best to rise above the crap...
The stars certainly prove their worth here, elevating somewhat tepid material which threatens to morph into a right wing Terry Schiavo screed...
Somehow, the film thrives on the opposites-attract tension of throwing together the angular blonde goddess with the unconventionally attractive king of indie downers.
Though completely implausible, this spirited romantic comedy works because of the utterly charming leads and a strong supporting cast.
Just Like Heaven is really nothing more than your standard love-from-beyond-the-grave squishfest (even though the heroine isn't actually dead) done up in the dumb bonnet-and-bloomers get-up of contemporary romantic comedy.
Director Mark Waters knows how to turn the gimmicky unknown into psychologically comic adventure, just as he did in 2003's Freaky Friday.
Just when Just Like Heaven becomes too cloyingly cute to endure, it takes an unexpected turn. The humor shifts from the ha-ha variety to closer to black.
High in concept but low in comedic effort, the movie rests too heavily on the charms of its leads, whose cuteness, though incontrovertible, can only do so much.
Harkens back to Joseph L. Mankiewicz's The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) without being quite so clever or romantic.
When it's not launching an all-out assault on your tear ducts, this calculated piece of supernatural fluff does have moments of real charm.
Romance isn't alive but on life support in Just Like Heaven, a groaningly awful romantic comedy.
I don't know if I've ever seen this kind of mismatched energy on screen - like trying to pair a hummingbird with a heavily drugged circus bear.
A gender-reversed variant of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir for a new generation.
Because Elizabeth inhabits a romantic comedy, her frantic pace and lonely life cannot continue.
Just Like Heaven is a sweet little nothing that is barely there, about a girl who isn't there at all.
Pretty darn good until the last 90 seconds...and then it drips with cheese.
Latest News for Just Like Heaven
September 28, 2006:
Critical Consensus: 'Tis Not The "Season," "Guardian" Lacks Defenders, And "School" Flunks
This week at the movies, we've got jive talking woodland creatures ("Open Season," with Martin Lawrence and Ashton Kutcher). We've got a school for Coast Guard rescue... More...
September 21, 2006:
Box Office Guru Preview: Jackass Crashes into Theaters
Four new films open wide, but they may not be enough to stop the North American box office from suffering its third consecutive down weekend. More...
September 18, 2006:
Box Office Wrapup: Gridiron Gang #1, but Box Office Still Fumbles
Wrestler-turned-actor The Rock suffered the worst opening of his career with the football drama Gridiron Gang, but thanks to weak competition, it was still enough to capture the... More...
September 14, 2006:
Box Office Guru Preview: Rock's "Gang" Aims to Score Big
Following the worst box office weekend in three years, Hollywood has nowhere to go but up. It hopes. More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 78% 78% | The Hangover |
| 49% 49% | Taking Woodstock |
| 26% 26% | The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard |
| 47% 47% | The Girl From Monaco |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Just Like Heaven at Rotten Tomatoes
- Just Like Heaven at IGN
- Just Like Heaven at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Techland lists the best Sci-Fi films of this decade.

Moviefone takes a look back at the biggest stinkers of the past 10 years.

The Me and Orson Welles star answers reader questions on TIME.com.

Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill offers his thoughts on what the best decade for film was.

In the AV Club's "Scenic Routes," Mike D'Angelo reminisces about the Tim Burton film.
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic


