A small-time crook becomes convinced he is an angel after a traumatic incident and resolves to perform the work of one.A small-time crook becomes convinced he is an angel after a traumatic incident and resolves to perform the work of one.A small-time crook becomes convinced he is an angel after a traumatic incident and resolves to perform the work of one.
- Thug
- (as Peter Mark Vasquez)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to Paul Hogan, when he was interviewed about the film, he had been offered the lead role of Sam Wheat in another supernatural film, Ghost (1990), which eventually went to Patrick Swayze. Hogan said he had read the script and it was not funny. He wanted Swayze to play the role of Steve Garner in this film, but Swayze passed and the part went to Elias Koteas.
- Goofs(at around 1 min) The priest is shown Terry's arrest record by a police officer. The record is for an arrest on January 12, 1986, and shows his date of birth as October 25, 1952, and his age as 37. Terry would have been 33 on that date in 1986, not 37.
- Quotes
Terry Dean: I'm dead aren't I? Where the hell am I? You God?
God: You're not a religious man are you, Mr Dean?
Terry Dean: No but, I did plan to get very religious just before I died. You know, just in case.
God: Yes.
Terry Dean: Left it a bit late, didn't I?
God: Hmmm. Let me put it in language you'll understand. You're on probation, Mr Dean. Think of me as your probation officer.
Terry Dean: Probation officer? Sure.
God: I've been through your sheet, Mr Dean. You have a criminal record that started when you were nine years old.
Terry Dean: Yeah, well... I don't suppose I can lie to you, Sir.
God: You can try. You're almost a mystery. In your entire life you did nothing but take. Yet at the end you gave the noblest gift; you gave your life for another being.
Terry Dean: Well it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.
God: Rubbish! It was instinct. If you'd had time to think you wouldn't have done it. Nevertheless, your instinct has earned you another chance. Probation, Mr Dean.
Terry Dean: How does that work?
God: You will go back and dedicate yourself to helping others. Giving not taking. You will become an Angel of Mercy.
Terry Dean: An angel? Me?
God: Probationary. Strictly on a trial basis. You will not speak of this incident to anyone.
Terry Dean: Your honour, does this happen all the time when people get sent back to help out?
God: From time to time, worthy people are chosen to be Angels of Mercy. But these are difficult times, Mr Dean. In this century you're the first scumbag we've sent back.
Terry Dean: Scumbag? That's a bit much, isn't it? Scumbag?
- SoundtracksSome Wings
Music by Maurice Jarre
Lyrics by Ray Underwood
Performed by Vanessa Williams
Conducted and Produced by Maurice Jarre
Paul Hogan will forever be known as the bloke from Crocodile Dundee, a highly efficient fish out of water comedy that became a huge hit. However, the sequels and his other subsequent film's are either roundly ignored or highly frowned upon. That's a shame because Almost An Angel is a very engaging comedy, the sort of picture that stands up like a Capraesque piece for the 90s. It's the sort of fable that cheers one up when the blues draw in and then turn into a blackly dark cloud, yes it be true, old craggy faced Paul Hogan has the gift of comedy. True enough the doses of sentiment are at times like a treacle itch to be scratched, but is that a bad thing? Watching a street wise criminal turning his less than honourable skills into a thing of goodness?
The film has many visual gags to go with the ream of religious ones that flow within the piece, be it Hogan attempting to fly or a quiet word about Elvis, Almost An Angel delights if one accepts the nature of the beast. Linda Kozlowski again teams up with Hogan (after the earlier Crocodile Dundee pairing), here she has very little to do but she slots in very nicely, even if a pre-end credits sequence does her and everyone else no favours at all. The best actor on show is the criminally undervalued Elias Koteas, playing the wheelchair bound Steve Garner, he exudes a believability factor that many modern day actors can learn from, where, the ability to act with just your face is high art if it's done correctly. Check out both the first and last scenes that Koteas shares with Hogan, great stuff that seems to have been forgotten due to the disdain shown for this particular film.
I rate it 7/10 because it hits my spot when I need a pick me up, perhaps that is too high in this age where comedy is the hardest genre to succeed in? But don't believe the low rating here on this site, it's a delightful little comedy that is far from perfect, but hell! It's a heavenly piece knowingly incorporating the serious side of religious beliefs.
- hitchcockthelegend
- Sep 6, 2008
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $25,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $6,939,946
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,608,365
- Dec 25, 1990
- Gross worldwide
- $6,939,946
- Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1