Chances Are

PG

Released Mar 10, 1989

1h 48m

Romance

Comedy

Fantasy

List

67%

33 Reviews

Tomatometer

65%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A man's love for his pregnant wife, Corinne Jeffries (Cybill Shepherd), is interrupted when a car accident sends him to heaven. He is reincarnated, however, and two decades later he is a writer named Alex Finch (Robert Downey Jr.). But when Alex starts dating Miranda Jeffries (Mary Stuart Masterson) -- his all-grown-up daughter from his previous life -- he remembers his love for Corinne. This spells trouble for his past-life best friend, Philip Train (Ryan O'Neal), who is now pursuing Corinne.

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What are the chances are you get a second chance at life? Cybil Sheppard, Christopher McDonald, and a young Robert Downey, Jr Louie Jefferies has a good life with his wife, a baby on the way, and a best friend in the 1950s But he's unceremoniously killed from a car accident and his soul is between bodies Louie hurries back too quick though and ends up in a different body...cut to present day and he's reborn as Alex Finch Alex is a successful writer but the problem is that he ends up unknowingly dating his own daughter Miranda--then he starts remembering Corinne, the actual love of his life It also means he's interrupting his best friend Phillip's love life since he's also falling for Corinne Alex tries to get the love of his life back but it isn't without a fair share of awkward situations This moves by so slow and should've had more wacky shenanigans Yet Downey and Sheppard make for a cute pair This is another one of those stories where sadly we realize we have to let go of our old lives, if there is a second chance we should take it to start over again for potential happiness Could've been better and is hampered by being overly familiar but still innocent enough

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/11/24

Full Review

Holly

How was RDJ even this bad at acting 😂 it passed the time.. completely silly! Just a shame there was no chemistry! Xx

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/30/23

Full Review

Carrie D

The movies is so interesting from start to finish. This movie introduced me to Robert Downey Jr, how much of a good actor he is to drum up such chemistry with the older Cybill Shepard that it's believable to see them romantic with each other (made me wish they have another May-December movie paired with each other). The ending was super sweet like how the whole movie is.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/09/23

Full Review

Serana V

Father marries his daughter after getting reincarnated…

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/18/23

Full Review

Christine G

I love this movie. It's one of my favorites. Robert Downey Jr is great. Cybil Sheppard and Ryan O'Neal are at their hottest. I've seen it many many times since I first caught it on TV as a child, until now, when I bought it on Amazon Prime. Campy, sure, but I just love it all the way through. And the Peter Cetera / Cher song "After All" is so perfect. I recommend it for anyone who loves a feel-good rom com. Critics of this movie saw it too late in life and/or are not actually fans of romantic movies. Not everything has to be plausible! It's a movie for heaven's sake. Ahem.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/25/23

Full Review

Steve M

Very good rom-com with a twist. At the start, looks like a love triangle movie, but no. Many twists and turns that will keep you involved.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/07/23

Full Review

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Emile Ardolino

Director

Cybill Shepherd

Corinne Jeffries

Robert Downey Jr.

Alex Finch

Ryan O'Neal

Philip Train

Mary Stuart Masterson

Miranda Jeffries

Christopher McDonald

Louie Jeffries

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

A lot of fun.

Feb 27, 2008

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

A potentially charming premise yields only a handful of chuckles.

Feb 27, 2008

Full Review

Trevor Johnston

Time Out

This went direct to video in Britain, but as latter-day Hollywood romantic comedies go, it has a bit more style than you might expect.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Kristin Battestella

InSession Film

Instead of focusing on the fantastical bells and whistles, the romantic farce here remains charming thanks to the focused humor, ensemble interplay, mature dialogue, and sophisticated chemistry.

Apr 19, 2024

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...a fairly unique premise that’s employed to watchable yet consistently erratic effect by Ardolino...

Rated: 2.5/4

Feb 17, 2024

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Although it's a romantic comedy, its so over-the-top, implausible, and routinely uncomfortable in its sexual concepts that it’s somewhat difficult to enjoy.

Rated: 5/10

Aug 9, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

A man's love for his pregnant wife, Corinne Jeffries (Cybill Shepherd), is interrupted when a car accident sends him to heaven. He is reincarnated, however, and two decades later he is a writer named Alex Finch (Robert Downey Jr.). But when Alex starts dating Miranda Jeffries (Mary Stuart Masterson) -- his all-grown-up daughter from his previous life -- he remembers his love for Corinne. This spells trouble for his past-life best friend, Philip Train (Ryan O'Neal), who is now pursuing Corinne.

Director: Emile Ardolino
Screenwriter: Randy Howze, Perry Howze
Distributor: TriStar Pictures
Production Co: TriStar Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 10, 1989, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $15.7M
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Surround

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