Very well executed

Let's be realistic.

Absolutely the worst movie.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Joe Bank (Tom Hanks) has a depressing job in the Advertising Dept of American Panascope in Long Island City, New York. They make rectal probes. He suffers under his supervisor Mr. Waturi (Dan Hedaya). He's diagnosed with terminal brain cloud with six months to live. He quits and asks out his co-worker DeDe (Meg Ryan). Wealthy businessman Samuel Graynamore (Lloyd Bridges) needs to placate locals on an island to mine a rare mineral. He hires Joe to jump into the volcano to appease their god. Joe hires limo driver Marshall (Ossie Davis) to help him spend the money. Samuel's flighty daughter Angelica (Meg Ryan) picks him up at the airport in L.A. Angelica's half-sister Patricia (Meg Ray) captains the yacht that brings him to the island.I like his surrealistic work life. It reminds me of Brazil. The movie does get uneven at times. After getting the credit cards, Joe goes back into the real world. I expected more surrealism. After that, the surrealism returns with Meg Ryan playing another character. It makes shopping in Manhattan out of step.The 3 Meg Ryan performances are a little jarring at first. I enjoy DeDe as a little wacky and a little darker than her usual fare. Angelica is not as enjoyable. She seems to be trying to hard with her voice. She should pull back a little with the crazy voice and she could replace Ossie Davis on his shopping trips. Patricia is classic Meg and shows their easy chemistry once again. Overall, this may be uneven at times but there are plenty of interesting imaginative concepts.

This is the most shocked I have ever been by an IMDb rating. Particularly when I first watched JVTV a decade ago, it struck me as a wonderful, fun film that I was sure people loved; now, having found out differently, I am reminded of just how subjective these things are.I don't really think that the film was difficult to understand or too complex or not capable of striking some chords, but it's an interesting thing here... The story is SO understandable and, at times, clichéd, that it turns itself from an actual story into an allegory of a story. There's some pretentiousness, certainly, but the simple-mindedness of it should be forgiven by just how entertaining it is. The characters are fantastic and well played (my favorite is the luggage guy, and when I tell people "may you live to be a thousand years old, sir" they never get it. their loss) and I thought the pacing and dialog were great. It's funny, light in the best ways with just a few of those moments where Joe takes stock and says what people need to hear a relatable character say.Some of the parody might be too in-your-face, like the office scene. But the thing is, that's a great scene, hilarious and very satisfying. Meg Ryan is good here, and I usually don't think she's a great actress. Tom Hanks is, well, Tom Hanks, the perfectly-manufactured everyman. I'm a cynical bastard today, and this isn't my normal kind of film. I like darker movies, and usually shrug off pap. But I still enjoy JVTV, so I'd recommend that those who haven't seen it give the film a chance. It's not for everyone, but if you are one of the people who enjoys it, then you will REALLY enjoy it.

When I see the words Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan and romantic comedy all together in a film's description, it's usually back on the shelf before I can read another word. I had good memories of this one, though, so I chanced it and came away happy. Hanks, still early into his burgeoning film career, hits two wildly exaggerated extremes in his portrayal of Joe, the hopeless working stiff who learns he's got roughly six months to live and rediscovers the miracles of spontaneity. Behind the film's absurd premise and a few witty, hilarious caricatures lies a pointed, layered look at the trappings of modern society and the gray fog we spew around ourselves to cope with our dull nine-to-five schedule. It's an original take on the message, and one which is constantly reinforced by a quirky, distinct visual style and playful personality. Hanks is as eccentric as ever, flying around the screen like a kid chasing a superball, while Ryan stretches herself with three wildly different roles. Loads of fun, even if the ending flies a bit over the top.

...and I've watched a few.There is so much going on in this movie and I am not sure that Hanks and Ryan understood exactly what they were a part of, but then that is also a message we can take from it - who really understands life?Other messages; we are all in danger of losing our soul; life is a crooked path; clothes maketh the man; once you are a grown up no-one feels good (implying that we should not allow that to happen); embrace your destiny no matter how bad it might lookAnd the above are just a small subset. Symbolism is rife, the sets are a clever mixture of real and surreal, the script is tight, the storyline flies along, and the entire event is a sparkling jewel. Of course you might not agree with any of this, its not in IMDb's top 500, but it takes someone special to jump into a volcano.