After meeting under extraordinary life-and-death circumstances, a Chicago police officer (Lopez) and a lost soul named Catch (Caviezel) fall in love. While uncovering the truth about Catch, she is forced to deal with the s... more »ecrets of her own past.« less
Jennifer D. (jennicat) from ST AUGUSTINE, FL Reviewed on 12/30/2014...
This was an awesome movie.
1 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Carol T. (mamatraub) from SACRAMENTO, CA Reviewed on 12/7/2011...
I think Jim Caviezel should be the angel eyes.
1 of 5 member(s) found this review helpful.
Kathryn B. (KathrynBlodgett) from OCEAN VIEW, HI Reviewed on 8/4/2009...
Its cute for a single watch but the characters other than Jennifer Lopez are underplayed. The whole movie is fairly forgettable, infact this is the second time I watched it since I didnt realize I had seen it before. The plot isnt anything special but its a cute movie everyone should see once.
3 of 6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Alice H. (singlegalkansas) from TOPEKA, KS Reviewed on 2/6/2009...
This is one of my favorite movies. It just had the right acting, story and of course Jim Caviezel looked oh so sexy! Has a good soundtrack as well.
2 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Heather F. (8izenuff) from PHOENIX, AZ Reviewed on 9/26/2008...
It could have a better title and a better cover, but this was a great movie from the beginning to the end. This is a keeper to me. Everything just worked right in this movie. James Caviezel was gorgeous. Other reviews fail to mention a artistic love scene with only suggestive nudity and sensuality.
2 of 4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
Exceptionally Engaging Story
Reviewer | 05/16/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"In the lifetime of every individual, there are defining moments which, when added together, equal the sum total of all the good times and bad that person has ever known. And from that whole list, there is probably one that stands out-- that one ?special? moment, or the most significant-- one that was so good you?d like to relive it over and over again, or so bad that you?d like to erase it from your memory forever. In ?Angel Eyes,? starring Jennifer Lopez and James Caviezel, director Luis Mandoki takes a look at the effects of such a moment in the life of Chicago Police Officer Sharon Pogue (Lopez), and again with a man who calls himself ?Catch? (Caviezel); unrelated moments from their past, that are destined to play an even more significant role in their future, when circumstances bring them together on the streets of Chicago. ... The mystery surrounding Catch is what drives this film, and Mandoki does an excellent job of presenting it. He creates an atmosphere that cloaks Catch in shadows, yet keeps him elusive, rather than sinister. Catch seems to float through life, calm and strangely prepossessing, yet detached and ambiguous. ... As Sharon, Jennifer Lopez gives arguably her best performance since 1998?s ?Out Of Sight,? in which she also played a cop. After her turn in ?The Cell,? which wasn?t bad, and the forgettable fluff of ?The Wedding Planner,? it?s good to see her in a challenging role, something she can really sink her teeth into. Which she does, and beautifully. It?s tough for an actress to make a character like this believable (Tyne Daly came close in ?The Enforcer,? Jamie Lee Curtis was a disaster in ?Blue Steel?), but Lopez pulls it off and proves that there?s more to her than just a pretty face. She makes Sharon a very real person, entirely three dimensional, emotionally complex and a woman who seems very capable of doing what she does for a living. She?s beautiful and tough, but sensitive as well, and most importantly, Lopez makes it convincing. As Catch, Caviezel gives a memorable performance that really captures the essence of who this guy is. And his success with this character lies in the fact that he plays him straight, making him exactly who he is supposed to be rather than trying to shade him with some kind of ?dark side? to enhance the mystery ensconcing him. He makes Catch a person you can readily embrace, who though perceived by others as enigmatic, is really only a man coping with a terrible secret and living his life as best he can. Catch is a unique character, in that he is cryptic and accessible at the same time; and Caviezel captures his spirit with astounding acuity and nuance. It?s an honest portrayal, devoid of any pretentiousness or falseness-- quite simply an excellent piece of acting. The supporting cast includes Sonia Braga, Terrence Dashon Howard, Daniel Magder, Jeremy Sisto, J.J. Evans, Alfonso Arau, Victor Argo, Monet Mazur and Shirley Knight. Extremely well developed and delivered, ?Angel Eyes? is a story of loss and love, and redemption; but more than that, it?s about ?Time?-- how much we?re given and how we use what we have. Call it a reflection on mortality; it?s a film that will make you stop, think and consider-- about the way things are, and perhaps how they could be-- if you?d only take the time to make one of those ?special? moments that last forever."
Great Movie, DONT LISTEN TO WHAT OTHERS SAY
Frank | NY | 10/04/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Jennifer Lopez is the real thing, one of those rare actresses who can win our instinctive sympathy. She demonstrates that in "Angel Eyes," playing a tough cop who does everything she can to wall out the world, and yet always seems worthy of trust and care. The film's story involves the cop's skittish, arm's-length relationship with a man named Catch (Jim Caviezel), whose walls are higher than her own.Who is this Catch, anyway? He walks the streets in a long overcoat, head down, lonely, depressed, looking like one of the angels in "Wings of Desire." Once a week be brings groceries to a shut-in named Elanora (Shirley Knight). The first time he sees Sharon, the Lopez character, he stops and stares at her through a restaurant window--not with lust or curiosity, but as if he's trying to repair some lost connection.Lopez constructs Sharon, not out of spare parts from old cop movies, but in specific terms. She is a good cop from a technical point of view, firm, confident, brave. She wants to do well and punish evil, and only gradually do we learn that her orientation toward this career may have been formed early, when she called the cops on her abusive father (Victor Argo) as he beat up her mother (Sonia Braga). Her father has disowned her for that, her brother is still mad about it, and even her mother defends the man. He never did it again, after all, she argues, to which Sharon replies that perhaps he would have, if she hadn't acted. Fighting other lawbreakers may be her way of proving she was right in the first place.The movie, directed by Luis Mandoki, has intriguing opening scenes. Is this a thriller? A supernatural movie? Who do the angel eyes belong to? An angel? Or does Catch only come on like a guardian angel while reserving secrets of his own? We are still asking these questions during a stretch of the film where Sharon is staring at a gun in her face, and her life is saved by . . . Catch.They talk. It is like a verbal chess game. Catch doesn't simply answer questions, he parries them; his responses redefine the conversation, as an unexpected move changes the logic on the board. She invites him home. He pokes through drawers. She likes him. She begins to kiss him. He doesn't want to be kissed. They settle into a cat-and-mouse rhythm in which one and then the other flees, and one and then the other pursues. She follows him to his apartment. It is empty except for a futon. "This is it," he says. "I live here. I walk around town. That's it, except for how I feel about you."But how does he feel about her? "Angel Eyes" is a complex, evasive romance involving two people who both want to be inaccessible. It's intriguing to see their dance of attraction and retreat. Meanwhile, secrets about both their family situations emerge; credit the screenwriter, Gerald DiPego, for not resolving the standoff with the father with an easy payoff.There are lots of movies about cops because their lives lend themselves to excitement in a movie plot. They get involved with bad guys. They see action. They spend a lot of time drinking coffee in diners, because a booth in a diner provides an ideal rationale for a face-to-face two-shot that doesn't look awkward or violate body language. For these and other reasons "Angel Eyes" is a cop movie, but its real story doesn't involve the police, it involves damaged lives and the possibility that love can heal.Jim Caviezel, who has been in movies for 10 years, emerged in "The Thin Red Line" (1998) and then played Dennis Quaid's son--the one who contacts his father with a radio signal that travels back in time--in "Frequency." Here he has an elusive, dreamy quality, using passivity as a mask for sharp, deep emotions. Since he apparently has no desire to meet anyone, why is he so attracted to Sharon? The answer has been waiting for us since the opening scene.Lopez has a hard assignment here, remaining plausible in action scenes and touchy, slippery dialogue scenes. She and Caviezel play tricky notes, and so do the other actors, especially Victor Argo as a stubborn, hard man and Sonia Braga as his conflicted wife. The screenplay doesn't let them off the hook. And notice what simplicity and conviction the veteran Shirley Knight brings to her role, never straining for an effect, never punching up false emotions, embodying acceptance. This is a surprisingly effective film."
JLOve story
D. Roberts | Battle Creek, Michigan United States | 03/12/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Here is a surprisingly good movie that has a poignancy I didn't expect. It revolves around the fallout of a horrible traffic accident and the long-term effects it has on two lives. One is the police officer (Jennifer Lopez) at the scene and the other is one of the many victims (James Caviezel). The accident causes their lives to be bound in a way that neither of them could have imagined.JLO plays a tough cop who is afraid of getting emotionally attached to people whom she encounters in her austere profession. Caviezel is a nice-guy extraordinnaire who is always looking to give people a hand. In their own way, both characters are out to help people, albeit via different approaches.The film does an excellent job of engaging an important but often ignored facet of today's society: domestic battery. It happens with egregious frequency these days, yet it continues to be a subject that is "swept under the rug." This DVD is bold in its presentation of what is a very touchy theme.Although JLO is usually best known for her appearance, in this film she demonstrates some credible acting talent. That was a bit surprising for me as I've only seen a few JLO movies to date. But, surprising in a positive way!If you like love stories / chick flicks, this one is highly recommended. If you want a love story with a few twists, this one is even better. Most of all if you want a movie that deals with current & relevant themes that effect today's society, this one is a can't miss."
Lopez is Heaven Sent in "Eyes"
paul_m | Gulf Coast, USA | 05/20/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The folks in the marketing department at Warner Bros. should be scolded. They are trying to sell "Angel Eyes" as a crime thriller, with some ads almost making it look like an emotional "Fatal Attraction" type clone. They could not be farther from the truth. "Angel Eyes" is a gripping, honest, very original crime drama about the theory of predestination, and the effects of true love.Jennifer Lopez is flawless as Chicago Police Officer Sharon Pogue. In the first portion of the film, we see her in action. We see that she is a good person at her core. She believes in her job, and she executes her duties to the best of her ability. She is honest, yet tough. Just, yet vulnerable. Then comes a day when she becomes involved in a violent brawl and is rescued from a bloody execution by a mysterious stranger (Jim Caviezel). From that moment on, their lives would never be the same. As the two strangers meet, and eventually fall in love, dark secrets from their respective pasts emerge, and they are both forced to confront the pain that has left them unable to receive love for so long."Angel Eyes" is potent and convincing. Part crime thriller in the first half, to flat out drama in the second, it never once loses its grip on the audience. Credit screenwriter Gerald Dipego and director Luis Mandoki for keeping the atmosphere dark and brooding when need be, and light and hopeful when called for.Jennifer Lopez gives what I think to be the best performance of her career, although her turn as Federal Agent Karen Sisco in "Out of Sight" comes a close second. She is a true entertainer, whose appeal goes clear across the board. She is flat out mesmirizing in this film. Jim Caviezel proves yet again that he is a talent that is here to stay. In the last year, he's played similar characters in "Frequency", "Pay it Forward," and now "Angel Eyes," but in each film, he gives his character subtle details that make them a far cry from the one before. He is a true actor.Some people are being put off by this film, and I'd once again have to blame the marketing department. Why they think that people would only respond to the trailers of a crime thriller instead of the trailers of an intelligent, adult drama baffles me. If it's good, it will be seen...and "Angel Eyes" is good, it is very good."
Intriguing character study. Excellent acting and directing.
flickjunkie | 01/20/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
""Angel Eyes" is an excellent character study that is not likely to have much mass appeal. It requires a very patient viewer due to its deliberate pacing and subtle presentation. The great majority of viewers want to be actively entertained when they go to the movies and this is not that sort of film. Viewing this film is more like trying to navigate a ship through a fog. You have to stay alert and try to figure things out as you go.The story by Gerald De Pego is well written, presenting two very flawed characters that spend the entire story struggling to overcome a considerable amount of emotional baggage. I give director Luis Mandoki extremely high marks for his presentation. Mandoki takes his time and unfolds the story gradually with great nuance. He takes great care to make sure to avoid being obvious. Despite the fact that it is readily apparent that Catch (James Caviezel) is the same man that Sharon (Jennifer Lopez) helped in the car wreck in the opening scene (no spoiler here, they almost spoon feed this to you on the movie jacket) everything else needs to be discovered. Mandoki artfully introduces characters in a consistently nebulous way. When we meet a new character we are not exactly sure during the beginning of the scene to whom we are being introduced and why he or she is important. It is as if we are overhearing a conversation between two people and we are trying to figure out how they know one another. The viewer is forced to think (a risky concept with today's fast-food-cinema mentality). Mandoki constantly supplies us with vague information, making us ask ourselves, "Okay, how does this fit in." It makes the film much more intriguing.My only criticism of Mandoki is that he tries to do too much with Sharon's family relationships. He makes it a full blown subplot that bogs down an already convoluted tale, taking us away from the real story which is about Catch and Sharon. The entire party scene after the renewal of vows is completely superfluous. The scenes of Sharon and her partner having soul searching conversations should also have been cut. Another annoying detail is that Sharon and Catch are constantly driving around wearing no seat belts, which seems to me to be terribly incongruous given that one is a cop and the other a serious auto accident victim.The acting is terrific. This is the best performance I have seen to date by Jennifer Lopez. This part tests her talent with its breadth and she delivers a full ranging performance. Sharon is an extremely complex character filled with self doubt, anger and misplaced aggression. Lopez plays her flawlessly with a delicate combination of toughness and emotional vulnerability, which is a difficult balance to achieve. Her love scenes are tender and sincere, and her banter with fellow cops is smart and feisty.I was impressed by James Caviezel's performance in "Frequency", but I enjoyed this role even better. Catch is an enigmatic character drifting through a period of anomie. There is a duality to him, defeated and despondent, yet with a hint of seemingly inconsistent strength that emerges occasionally from his listlessness. Caviezel's performance appears uneven as we watch it, yet it is perfectly presented and fits the character completely once we learn the whole story about him. It is a marvelous interpretation of a complicated and puzzling individual.This film is a wonderful character study that is likely to be grossly unappreciated for its intricacy and strong direction. The character development is masterfully done and the acting is superlative. I rated it an 8/10. It is an intelligent and sensitive story for the refined viewer."