DVD Review | Regarding Henry
Written by: Kage Alan

Critics are a fickle bunch.  They don’t like horror films, they bitch that comedies aren’t funny enough, that thrillers aren’t thrilling, dramas aren’t dramatic and they whine when a film tries to show us that we need to slow down a bit and reevaluate what’s important in our lives.  No, they didn’t care for “Regarding Henry” either, but I liked it.  Actually, this is one of the films I watched with my partner before he ever was my partner, so, needless to say, I have very fond memories of it.  Hmm…perhaps critics need to start seeing these films with better company than each other.  It might improve their moods.

Henry Turner (Harrison Ford, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”) is a cutthroat Manhattan lawyer working for an incredibly successful firm and representing clients in the only way he knows how, by doing whatever it takes to win.  He’s the guy who’s polite to the judges and persuasive to the jurors, but outside of the courtroom he’s rude to his administrative assistant, has face-value relationships with his partners, is a taskmaster to his young daughter and a husband in word only to his wife (Annette Bening, “An American President”).  They are the perfect looking family as long as nobody scratches the surface.  All of that changes one evening, however, when Henry goes to the corner store to pick up some cigarettes and is shot twice during a holdup.

Waking up unable to speak, move or remember anything about his previous life, Henry begins a long and frustrating rehabilitation before being reunited with his wife and daughter.  Since he’s essentially starting over and from the perspective of a child, he’s unable to come to terms with the picture others paint of his old self, the things he knowingly did wrong and the kind of man some hope he’ll become again.  Will his memory come back or will Henry follow a new path that might just lead to the personal redemption of someone he never knew; himself?

Accused of relying on clichéd dramatic moments that are sickeningly sweet, “Regarding Henry” uses two different extremes to show us a middle ground.  Not all lawyers are as cold, distant and mean-spirited as the ones portrayed here and not everybody would have the same second chances that Ford has either.  By establishing Henry’s flaws very quickly on and switching gears, it allows the family dynamic to be explored and, hopefully, healed.  If only the rest of us who place so much emphasis on work could be so lucky.

Paramount has released “Regarding Henry” in a nicely solid Widescreen transfer.  Video quality is fairly good with a minimum of flecks, specks and grain while the audio sounds as good as it needs to be.  Personally, I loved Hans Zimmer’s score, but then I like just about everything the man does.  Unfortunately, there are no extras to be found here, not even a trailer.  I would have enjoyed listening to Director Mike Nichols making a case for his film as well as how the actors prepared for their roles, especially Harrison Ford.  I guess that just wasn’t meant to be, though.

“Regarding Henry” was one of those films I’d seen previews for, was intrigued by and then heard nothing good about, so I avoided it until it came on cable.  Thank goodness for cable!  This film is a little gem that gives us hope that what should be more important in life, family, no matter how flawed, is where we belong.

Film Rating: B
DVD Special Features: N/A