Director Danny Boyle had established himself as a very credible British director with his first two films Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, but his third film went a bit the other direction. Basically in Heaven, Gabriel (Commando's Dan Hedaya) tells angels O'Reilly (Holly Hunter) and Jackson (Delroy Lindo) to go to Earth to bring two people together, and if they fail cannot return. These two people are Robert Lewis (Ewan McGregor) who lost his job as a janitor to a robot and is mad at his boss Naville (Sir Ian Holm), and the boss's daughter Celine (Cameron Diaz) who Robert kidnaps. Celine realises that Robert isn't experienced in kidnap at all, and she is actually interested in helping him for the money he can demand, so she makes him ask for a high price ransom. As time goes by and they stick together throughout everything the kidnap scenario is fading away as Robert and Celine may be developing feelings for each other, just as Gabriel had planned. O'Reilly and Jackson know that the best way to bring them even closer is to put them in jeopardy, and they get help from Celine's father in order to track them down and do this themselves, but they are foolish in how they do it. There is the point when they have an argument and split apart, and then the angels take Celine in order for Robert to be mad enough to go after her. In the end the dream that Robert had been having for some time about saving the life of Celine indeed becomes reality, and O'Reilly and Jackson return to Heaven as their mission was successful, the happy couple even get married. There is also a short bit of Claymation where we see them retrieve the suitcase of ransom money from earlier on and get a castle in Scotland, and there are bits and pieces of the other characters. Also starring Ian McNeice as Mayhew, Frank Kanig as Ted, Mel Winkler as Francis 'Frank' Naville and Stanley Tucci as Elliot Zweikel. McGregor was reasonable, Diaz was sexy and sassy, Holm got his moments, and Hunter and Lindo were indeed completely miscast, Boyle doesn't quite have a grasp on what to do in each scene, the road movie thing with angels chasing them is alright, overall, it is a film too silly to take seriously, a pretty daft romantic comedy. Adequate!

In Los Angeles, the janitor and aspirant writer of trash novel Robert Lewis (Ewan McGregor) is fired and replace by a robot. He goes to the office of his boss Naville (Ian Holm) and has an argument with him, demanding his job back. When the security guards surround him, Robert abducts the daughter of his boss Celine Naville (Cameron Diaz) to escape from the building. The witty Celine convinces Robert to request a large amount for ransom to her father. Meanwhile, the fallen angels O'Reilly (Holly Hunter) and Jackson (Delroy Lindo) are assigned by their chief Gabriel (Dan Hedaya) to help Robert and Celine to fall in love with each other, otherwise they will never return home.

"A Life Less Ordinary" is a highly entertaining romantic comedy with a crazy and funny story. Cameron Diaz is awesome in the role of the spoiled Celine, and show a wonderful chemistry with Ewan McGregor. They form one of the most unlike couples, forcing the angels to use unconventional methods to bring them together. I saw this film on 03 July 1999 for the first time, and today I have just watched it again on DVD. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Por Uma Vida Menos Ordinária" ("For a Life Less Ordinary")

The premise of "A Life Less Ordinary" is an old one. Two beings (or non-beings) from beyond (in original and earlier versions they would be angels) are sent to earth to make sure that two people meet, fall in love and marry. The chief who gives them this last chance (or they will be doomed to live on earth), laments the high rate of divorce from the past work of these two "spirits" in human form.

The two objects of their "mission" are a disgruntled former employee of a mega-firm, and the spoiled rotten rich daughter of the belligerent, brash billionaire boss of the mega-firm. Any viewer would make a connection that it's no wonder their marriage matches fail.

What transpires in this film is a series of mishaps, accidents, crimes, chases, and goofy goings-on. But they are not funny – even tragic in some instances. The script is weak and the whole plot just doesn't come off as comedy. Nor is the romance even imaginable, let alone believable. This appears like two films intertwined. The one is the fantasy, with the two spirits on a mission of "love." The other is crime, or more properly a bag of crimes. And somehow, comedy is supposed to link these. But it doesn't work.

The cast mostly are OK in the characters they have to play, but overboard at times. There isn't a single likable character in the film. Ian Holm is the greedy, controlling, self-centered billionaire dad, Naville. Cameron Diaz is his spoiled rich, greedy, self- centered daughter, Celine. Like father like daughter. But in this case it's hard to like either character. This is a picture of a super wealthy dysfunctional family.

Ewan McGregor is the disgruntled former employee who was replaced in his cleaning job by a robot. He is naïve, hapless and not very convincing in his role as Robert Lewis. Holly Hunter plays the extraterrestrial O'Reilly and Delroy Lindo is her cohort, Jackson. O'Reilly spends much of her time in bandages, splints and crutches from mishaps. Stanley Tucci is Elliot Zweikel, another supposed character for comedy.

The mayhem amongst this motley assembly of characters is no more funny than someone shooting your best friend. That's what this film is – a collection of shootings and assorted crimes for laughs. It sends a message that all this is OK if the two subjects come together in the end. Since when does the end justify the means? Besides, who could believe that this match would last?

It's easy to see why this film flopped at the box office and lost a few million dollars.