Michael (1996)
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A crass and boorish archangel is sent to Earth to perform a series of tasks, including mending wounded hearts.
The story
When a tabloid editor receives a tip about a woman living with an angel in a small Iowa town, he sends three staff members to investigate. They encounter Michael, the commander-in-chief of Heaven's armies, who lives in a boarding house. Despite his celestial status, Michael is a boorish, smoking, and drinking individual who enjoys the pleasures of physical incarnation. After the woman's unexpected death, the investigators decide to take Michael to Chicago. During the journey, Michael's true mission is slowly revealed: he is tasked with getting two of the investigators together despite their past romantic failures.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
A tabloid editor sends three staff members to investigate a report of a woman living with an angel in a small Iowa town. They meet Michael, the commander-in-chief of Heaven's armies, who resides in a boarding house. Michael is portrayed as a boorish, smoking, and drinking archangel who enjoys physical pleasures. Following the sudden death of the woman, the group travels to Chicago. Along the way, Michael engages in several fights using improvised weapons. It is revealed that his primary mission is to facilitate a romance between Frank and Dorothy, two of the investigators who have suffered from past heartbreaks. During the trip, Michael uses up his allotment of miracles to bring a dog back to life, causing him to weaken. He eventually sees the Sears Tower before disappearing. Finally, Michael returns one last time with the deceased woman to successfully reunite Frank and Dorothy for good.
- First release year
- 1996
- Runtime (minutes)
- 104
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; Portuguese
- Directors
- Nora Ephron
- Writers
- Nora Ephron · screenplay; Delia Ephron · screenplay; Peter Dexter · screenplay; Jim Quinlan · screenplay; Jim Quinlan · story; Peter Dexter · story
- Cast and characters
- John Travolta · Archangel Michael; Andie MacDowell; William Hurt; Bob Hoskins; Robert Pastorelli; Jean Stapleton; Joey Lauren Adams
- Genres
- fantasy comedy; road movie; romantic comedy; comedy-drama
- Themes
- wisdom; love; physicality of the divine
- Tone and mood
- maudlin; grating; slovenly
- Premise and plot tags
- road movie; fantasy; comedy; romance
- Content notes
- smoking
- Reception
- The film received mixed to negative critical reviews but was a commercial success, finishing number one at the box office on its opening weekend.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 36% · review count: 42
- Production trivia
- The dance scene and other location shots were filmed at the community center of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in New Corn Hill, Texas.; Michael is portrayed as a heavy-drinking, smoking slob despite being an angel.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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