Mr. Destiny (1990)
Larry Burrows is unhappy and feels powerless over his life. He believes his entire life could have turned out differently had he not missed that shot in a baseball game when was a kid. One night he meets this mysterious man, who could change his fate by offering him that alternative life he always dreamed of. But as Burrows embarks on this journey of self discovery he realises that even this new life has its problems and drawbacks..
Imagine a remake of "It's a Wonderful Life" set in the 1980's and removed from its Christmas holiday timeframe. But this version is much more humorous and considerably less preachy, making for delightful viewing. This is a dessert of a movie. Sweet, immediately satisying, and not particularly nutritious (read: intelligent). If you allow yourself to be immersed in the premise (not all that difficult), this is an enjoyable ride into the land of your lost dreams. Now if you want your lost dreams to work out much better than the life you are actually leading, this story isn't for you. Like Jimmy Stewart, James Belushi learns that the life he has come to feel estranged from is actually the best of all lives for him. His fantasy woman (Rene Russo)is his wife in the new reality. But despite her great beauty and surprisingly deep devotion to him, she turns out to be no match for his continued attraction to his real life's actual wife. In the fantasy reality she only knows him as the evil CEO in the coroporation that she(adorably played by Linda Hamilton in a Meg Ryan type of role) is the chief union negotiator for the employees. I chanced upon this film channel surfing one night, and was so caught up in the plot that I didn't notice the parallels to that old holiday classic. So when Belushi wisely returns to his real life at the end to be REALLY surprised at his surprise birthday party (he had thought every one, even his wife, had forgotten), I got suckered right into it. Having lost to divorce a wife every bit as attractive and loving as Linda Hamilton, that final scene devastated me. I sobbed for a half hour, actually gulping for breath because it touched my heart and echoed my actual life so deeply. Even if it doesn't have anywhere near that degree of connection to your own, this playful fantasy will entertain, and perhaps even make you think.
