Touched (2005)

the audience applauded

Stylish but barely mediocre overall

just watch it!

Just so...so bad

Without a doubt, I was absolutely touched by this movie. It really hit close to home for me due to my mother passing away while in a coma. After reading previous comments, I see that people don't understand why certain things were even included in the movie. For instance, the situation with her brother. However, I think if you or someone you know has been through such a tragedy....you realize even more just how precious life is and how it can end at any minute. That is the reason that I believe that specific story line is included in the movie. It goes along with the theme. I was crying throughout the entire movie...It really touched my heart. I, like many others I'm sure, believe that I was meant to see this movie for a reason. I lost my mother in February and to this day.... do not feel the loss getting any easier to cope with. I still grieve every single day....and I was recently told by a friend that I needed to let her go in peace. To hear what the little boy said to his dad about letting go...let's just say I could have filled a bucket with tears! Anyhow, long story short...I was so impressed with the movie and the actors. I plan on buying it.

This is a terrible film, although the lighting is nice and some of the furniture is quite stylish. The plot, or to be more specific, premise, is absurd, the dramatic pauses are chasms, and the piano score drowns out the whispered and banal dialog. This is a soap opera film -- the type that usually requires several hankies -- but you'll find yourself shredding Kleenes out of boredom, and spending more time looking at your watch then the screen. Yes, the female lead is lovely. Put her naked in a zombie movie. THe male lead appears as if he escaped from daytime TV, and is none too happy about it. The actor who looks like Ed Begley Jr isn't Ed Begley Jr. Oh, there are two "music video" sequences that went out with "Play Misty for Me." I thought this film might be a pleasant romance with fantasy overtones -- the fantasy was all mine.

The plot is horribly sappy and painfully slow. And I even like tear jerkers! I have absolutely no medical training but I can't imagine the this story being medically possible.But those long long long face shots give you lots of time to admire Jenna Elfman's marvelous face. I have to wonder if this movie was made to prove that Jenna Elfman can do serious drama. Well, she can! But, what she really needs is a movie that shows off her considerable range.... funny, sexy and serious.This movie shows her as sexy and VERY serious. VERY VERY serious.The supporting roles are unmemorable and the plot is just plain taxing. The production values are fine although the movie is just drowning in patina.But if you love Jenna Elfman, as I do, you'll want to see her in "Touched" since you just can't get enough of that face.

This script (or its editing) was saved by a combination of great acting by Randall Batinkoff (the reason I watched this film in the first place), Jenna Elfman and Bruce Davison; the good camera work; and moving music.And by a totally surprising ending. I won't say more about that.Jenna Elfman's character is a very sad person. A life full of tragedy and depressing mundaneness. I can't fault the rabid Scientologist's performance, I think it was technically very good in a moment by moment measure. Appropriate tears, thoughtful movements, the whole nine yards. But I never felt that the character was doing anything more than delivering lines and emotions - which, again, she did very well. There was no cohesiveness to the character or her back story. One moment apathetic and depressed, one moment suffering while painting a wall she never finishes (yawn and took too much time from story development - someone thought they were making a music video) and in the next delivering a witty line that jarred you right out of the character - a line that could have been delivered without JE's famous comedic timing and in the same emotional state that the character had the rest of the movie. There were also things the character did that did not seem consistent with the scene before - I'm not sure if that was editing or writing - I suspect both. There were many scenes and moments where JE had no lines, which saved the character from being totally annoying. There were also a few other stories that the character tied together, but again not cohesively (did that guy survive the heart transplant? What was the point of the brother?) Ultimately, the character was the movie's linchpin and she served in that capacity well.Randall Batinkoff's performance was excellent, but he was not in this story enough. That was because his tragedy was meant to highlight something about JE's character. I can see that his acting has gotten even better than it ever was - and he's just as attractive as ever. I really hope to see him in more meaty roles in the future.Bruce Davison, also given short shrift in appearances, did very well with what he had. The parallels of the loss of his character and Randall's was something I really appreciated.I love Samantha Mathis. Love her in everything she does. I'm just not too sure why she was in this movie. I enjoyed seeing her, but again her character was more of a prop for JE than anything. I kept wanting more from her.This is a well done Lifetime movie. Better quality and different mood than most. A good couple of hours on a weekend.