Okay, settle in, grab your preferred beverage (maybe something you used to sneak during late-night movie sessions?), and let's rewind the tape back to 1989. Remember browsing those towering shelves at the video store, the colourful boxes promising laughter, romance, maybe a little bit of… heavenly intervention? Tucked amongst the action heroes and screaming queens was a gentler, quirkier offering: Chances Are. It’s one of those films that radiates a specific kind of late-80s warmth, blending screwball comedy timing with a surprisingly heartfelt, high-concept premise.
When Lightning (and Love) Strikes Twice
The setup is pure fantasy rom-com gold: Corinne Jeffries (Cybill Shepherd) is living a picture-perfect life with her loving husband Louie. Tragedy strikes, Louie dies unexpectedly, and Corinne is left heartbroken, vowing eternal devotion. Cut to 23 years later: Corinne’s daughter Miranda (Mary Stuart Masterson) is off to college, and who should she meet but the charming, slightly chaotic Alex Finch (Robert Downey Jr.)? Here's the twist: Alex isn't just any student. Thanks to a bureaucratic snafu upstairs (literally, in heaven), Louie’s soul was hastily reincarnated... into Alex. When Alex visits the Jeffries home, memories flood back, and suddenly he knows he's Louie, head-over-heels in love with his own widow, who happens to be his girlfriend's mother. Oh, and Louie’s best friend, Phillip (Ryan O'Neal), has been patiently carrying a torch for Corinne all these years. Cue the romantic chaos!
A Cast That Clicks
What really makes Chances Are sparkle, even decades later, is the ensemble cast. Cybill Shepherd, fresh off her Moonlighting run, is effortlessly luminous as Corinne, grounding the fantastical plot with genuine warmth and bewildered comic reactions. She sells both the lingering grief and the eventual romantic confusion beautifully. Then there’s Robert Downey Jr., crackling with that signature energy even back then. It's fascinating watching him essentially play two characters – the young, modern Alex and the soul of the older, more traditional Louie trapped inside. He navigates the physical comedy and the sudden shifts in persona with infectious charm. It's a role that requires balancing youthful appeal with the mannerisms of a middle-aged man, and Downey Jr. absolutely nails it. Interestingly, this film came during a period when RDJ was working hard to establish his leading man credentials after intense roles like Less Than Zero, showcasing his versatility.
And let's not forget Ryan O'Neal as Phillip. He brings a gentle, understated yearning to the role of the lifelong friend finally seeing his chance, only to have his deceased best buddy pop back up in a very inconvenient form. Mary Stuart Masterson also deserves a nod as Miranda, reacting to her boyfriend suddenly hitting on her mother with understandable confusion and frustration.
Ardolino's Touch and Heavenly Hiccups
Behind the camera was Emile Ardolino, a director who knew a thing or two about crafting crowd-pleasers, having helmed the absolute phenomenon that was Dirty Dancing just two years prior (and later giving us Sister Act). Chances Are has that same polished, accessible feel – it looks bright, moves briskly, and focuses squarely on character interactions and emotional beats. The heavenly sequences, while brief, have a certain charmingly dated, almost bureaucratic feel that adds to the lighthearted tone. It wasn't a CGI spectacle, relying more on clever editing and performance to sell the reincarnation angle.
The premise itself, while playing into the late 80s/early 90s mini-trend of supernatural romance and body-swap comedies (think Ghost, Made in Heaven, Like Father Like Son), feels uniquely handled here. It leans into the inherent awkwardness and comedic potential without sacrificing the romantic core. Remember how utterly strange yet funny it felt when Alex suddenly demonstrated intimate knowledge only Louie could possess? That blend of laughs and heart is the film's sweet spot.
The Sound of Forever (or Maybe Just the 80s)
You can't talk about Chances Are without mentioning the music. While the title evokes the classic Johnny Mathis tune (which does feature briefly), the film launched its own iconic ballad: "After All," performed by Cher and Peter Cetera. This power ballad became a massive hit, soaring up the charts and even snagging an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. It perfectly captured the film's sweeping romanticism and undoubtedly helped cement its place in the pop culture memory of the time. Hearing it instantly transports you back, doesn't it?
Flipping the Tape: Legacy and Reception
Upon release, Chances Are performed modestly at the box office, making back its estimated $16 million budget but not setting the world on fire financially. Critical reception was generally warm, with many praising the performances and the charming execution of a potentially tricky premise (Roger Ebert, for one, quite liked it). It wasn't aiming for deep philosophical insights into reincarnation; it was aiming for laughs, swoons, and maybe a tear or two, and on that level, it succeeded. It remains a beloved title for those who caught it back in the day, a comforting piece of romantic fantasy from the VHS era.
***
VHS Heaven Rating: 7.5/10
Why this score? Chances Are gets high marks for its winning cast chemistry (especially Shepherd and Downey Jr.), its genuinely funny and heartfelt handling of a quirky premise, and that killer theme song. It’s pure, unadulterated late-80s romantic fantasy comfort food. It loses a couple of points perhaps for playing it relatively safe and for some plot mechanics feeling a tad convenient, but its charm significantly outweighs any minor dated elements.
Final Thought: In an era before slick digital effects smoothed every edge, Chances Are offered a brand of romantic fantasy built on star power, witty dialogue, and a willingness to embrace the delightful absurdity of its own concept. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most charming movie magic comes not from pixels, but from personality. Definitely worth dusting off the metaphorical tape for a rewatch.