Where to watch Hero
2 Stars
Hero has a wonderful premise and some good performances, but it’s undermined by a third act that is so formulaic that it cancels any goodwill the film had built up to that point. The hardworking cast does their best with the material even as it grows steadily more ludicrous. Dustin Hoffman merges characteristics from his portrayal of the autistic Rain Man and the compulsive criminal of Straight Time. He does brings some energy and appeal to the picture but he is let down by a script that lurches toward a climax that absolutely does not work.
Gale Gayley (Davis) is the host of the hottest television news magazine on the air. She becomes national news when a domestic flight she’s traveling on crashes into a Chicago Bridge. In the smoke and darkness, she’s saved by a rude, foul-mouthed “hero,” who promptly disappears into the night leaving only his shoe behind. When Gale’s TV station offers a million dollars to the mystery man, a handsome, gentle Vietnam Vet (Garcia) steps up and claims the prize-promising to share it with the homeless. This complicates the fact that the real hero is a smalltime crook (Hoffman) whom nobody believes.
Oscar winning screenwriter David Webb Peoples’ (Unforgiven, Blade Runner) script begins with a fantastic idea, develops into a satire, and concludes in an unsatisfying manner. And yet the movie itself has admirable qualities, among them Hoffman’s performance. If Hero hadn’t captivated me during it’ opening act I wouldn’t have felt so betrayed by it’s final twenty minutes.
Director: Stephen Frears
Stars: Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, Andy García