The Fugue

Sometimes even the best of us can't avoid a chick flick. That's why it's important to pass it on when we find one worth watching.

There was nothing good in the theater (that we could agree on), so we went to the video store. Although I wanted to get Proof, my wife prevailed with Just Like Heaven.

What's to like about Just Like Heaven? Jon Heder, The Cure, Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo, a story that isn't lame, and Jon Heder.

The story is no Lord of the Rings, but it's fun and not inconsistent. Inconsistency is a plague of the silver screen these days, and it's nice to see an unblemished specimen.

Mark Ruffalo is refreshingly Not Tom Cruise. I was forced to watch 13 Going On 30 once, and he saved my sanity, so I owe him a debt of gratitude.

Reese Witherspoon is delightful as ever. I loved her in The Importance of Being Earnest (an even better chick flick), and I loved her here.

The closing titles roll to The Cure's song of the same name. I wasn't familiar with the song, but it's now on the list of "The Cure songs I really like." Some of the other music was deliciously alternative, too.

The real reason to get this film is Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite). This is his first flick since Napoleon Dynamite, and although his role is minor (IDIOTs), he's freakin' awesome.

So next time your S.O. wants to rent a chick flick, be proactive and pick up Just Like Heaven.