In this supernatural romantic drama, Seth (Nicolas Cage) is an angelic messenger who guides the dying on to the after-life. When Maggie (Meg Ryan), a heart surgeon, loses her patient on the operating table, Seth is there to guide the dying man. He also helps Maggie cope with the despair she feels at losing her patient.Through Seth, Maggie comes to a new understanding about life... that she isn't in charge, that there is a Higher Power. Angels possess many gifts, including the ability to calm and focus human minds, travel at the speed of thought, love unconditionally, and allow humans to see them when they choose. Like humans, angels possess free will. When Seth falls in love with Maggie, he decides to ignore the advice of his angelic friend Cassiel (Andre Braugher), exercise his free will, give up eternal life, fall to Earth and take on human form so he can be with her.
Love stories are at their most powerful when both lovers are equally open, committed and vulnerable. In choosing to become human, Seth demonstrates the ultimate vulnerability. He lives an entire life of love in a single day, and experiences the ultimate joy and the ultimate heartache. He expresses the intensity of his love for Maggie when he says: I would rather have had... one breath of her hair... one kiss of her mouth... one touch of her hand... than an eternity without it. One. If you enjoyed Somewhere in Time or Phenomenon, I predict you will enjoy City of Angels.
Labels: drama, fantasy, romance, tragedy
IMDb 67/100
MetaScore (critics=54, viewers=81)
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=58, viewers=82)
Blu-ray
James Berardinelli's review (3 out of 4 stars)
