Chances Are movie synopsis. Louie Jeffries is happily married to Corinne. On their first anniversary, Louie is killed crossing the road. Louie is reincarnated as Alex Finch, and twenty years later, fate brings Alex and Louie’s daughter, Miranda, together. It’s not until Alex is invited to Louie’s home that he begins to remember his former life, wife and best friend. Of course, there’s also the problem that he’s attracted to Louie’s/his own daughter.
Chances Are is a 1989 American romantic comedy film directed by Emile Ardolino and starring Cybill Shepherd, Robert Downey Jr., Ryan O’Neal, Mary Stuart Masterson, Christopher McDonald, Josef Sommer, Susan Ruttan and Franchelle Stewart Dorn. The original music score was composed by Maurice Jarre.
About the Story
Young D.A. Louie Jeffries is hit by a car and dies in 1964, but manages to slip by the pearly gates and is instantly reborn. In 1987, 23 years later, his widow Corinne still misses him, ignoring the frustrated devotion of his best friend Phillip Train, who has pretty much raised his only daughter Miranda as his own.
Miranda, while a student at Yale University meets Alex Finch, who works in the library but is about to graduate. After graduation, Alex heads to Washington, DC, where he makes his way to the offices of The Washington Post. His first attempts to meet with Ben Bradlee thwarted, Alex schemes his way into the office of newspaper editor Ben Bradlee by pretending to be a delivery man. Alex walks into Bradlee’s office, with Phillip behind him. Bradlee, confounded by the young man, asks who Alex is.
When Alex attempts to remind him of their meeting at Yale, Phillip vouches for him, which changes Bradlee’s mind about giving him a meeting. Unfortunately, Bradlee feels Alex needs more time working on smaller papers before he can offer him a job. Alex, feeling defeated, leaves his office. Phillip finds Alex downstairs in the lobby. Alex offers Phillip a ride, during which Phillip invites Alex to meet the Jeffries family over dinner.
Alex begins to have flashbacks that take place in the Jeffries home, a home to which he’s never been. Freaked out, he begins to act crazed and confused. Putting the pieces together, Alex realizes he is Louie Jeffries, Corinne’s dead husband, reincarnated.
His memories of his life as Louie return just as Alex begins a romantic involvement with Louie’s (i.e., his own) daughter Miranda. Instead, Louie then spurns his daughter’s advances and begins romancing his widow Corinne, frustrating Phillip’s attempts to court Corinne, and resulting in a number of comic mixups. Soon, however, Alex/Louie realizes Phillip and Corinne should be together and arranges things so they can realize their love and he can get out of their way.
Chances Are (1989)
Directed by: Emile Ardolino
Starring: Cybill Shepherd, Robert Downey Jr., Ryan O’Neal, Mary Stuart Masterson, Christopher McDonald, Josef Sommer, Susan Ruttan, Franchelle Stewart Dorn
Screenplay by: Perry Howze, Randy Howze
Production Design by: J. Dennis Washington
Cinematography by: William A. Fraker
Film Editing by: Harry Keramidas
Costume Design by: Albert Wolsky
Set Decoration by: Robert R. Benton
Music by: Maurice Jarre
Distributed by: TriStar Pictures
Release Date: March 10, 1989
Visits: 530
