Movie Review - Regarding Henry (1991) Harrison Ford stars as Henry once a top lawyer who following a head injury has to relearn everything and realises he no longer fits in to the life he once had Movie Review

Regarding Henry (1991)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Regarding Henry (1991)

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Henry Turner (Harrison Ford) was good at what he did which was being a lawyer, but he wasn't so good at being a husband to his wife Sarah (Annette Bening) or a father to his daughter Rachel (Kamian Allen). But that all changed after the night he went out to get cigarettes only to end up being shot during a corner store hold up. A bullet to the skull and another which left his brain starved of oxygen means that Henry needs to learn everything again including talking and walking whilst most of his life before the shooting has been lost from his memory. But with patience and determination he manages to relearn how to walk and talk but is no longer the man he once was trying to fit into the life he once lived.

I will be the first to say that at times I have felt that Harrison Ford has done movies where he has relied on a persona but thankfully "Regarding Henry" is not one of them. Nope in this Mike Nichols movie, which was written by J.J. Abrams, you get to see Harrison Ford the actor at work, playing a character who isn't just the handsome hero with the charming smile and you can see Ford trying to bring out the characters emotions in what has become a confusing world. In truth whilst I enjoy watching Harrison Ford playing the action hero with a witty remark I love his performance in "Regarding Henry" despite it not being completely believable.

It isn't just Ford's performance which makes "Regarding Henry" such an engrossing movie and Annette Bening is on equally fine form playing Sarah in a way that you believe she is clinging on to what they had out of fear and not knowing what is best. As such when Henry returns home after rehabilitation you can see her hoping the old ways would help Henry to return yet at the same time she finds herself falling in love with this new version of Henry all over again. And it is beautiful to see the way her character evolves even though again certain aspects of it, or at least her reactions are not completely believable.

Aside from the acting the actual storyline to "Regarding Henry" is actually not that complicated with 4 clear sections starting with a brief but opening series of scenes to see what sort of person Henry was before the shooting. But the movie really starts with Henry's rehabilitation with a wonderful performance from Bill Nunn as Bradley, the physical therapist who becomes Harry's best friend. What follows the rehab is the new Henry enjoying being a father and husband but trying to fit back in to this life he lived as a lawyer and not only struggling with it but struggling with learning how he was. And then there is the outcome of this which with a few revelations I will let you find out for yourself. It isn't really complicated, it isn't really full of surprises but it is a nice journey which takes you on.

What this all boils down to is that "Regarding Henry" is certainly not the greatest movie ever made, it has several, noticeable flaws. But not only does the story take you on an engrossing journey but it features good performances from both Harrison Ford and Annette Bening who do a nice job of bringing their characters to life in an easy to like manner.


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