Wonderful flick!

I was finally able to sit down and enjoy "Chasing Destiny" today (after having bought it on DVD ages ago). Wow---this is exactly the kind of movie that I love and rave about to other people. Hollywood just doesn't make a lot of these sweet, unpretentious, slightly screwball comedies these days, and we are all the worse for that sad fact. This film is a great combination of elements of "The Shop Around The Corner" and "The Big Easy" (the romantic angle, not the intrigue) with bits and pieces of the best buddy films thrown in for good measure within the subplot about the "old geezers." Thoroughly enjoyable all around.

Granted, I bought this movie for Roger Daltrey; I've always been a fan of his and generally love his performances on film. (The camera still loves those baby blues of his)! His portrayal of the archetypal hippy bass player, Nehemiah, rang true as he endeavored to make his best friend Jet's (Christopher Lloyd) last day as happy as possible. Beyond Daltrey's endearing performance, I was more than pleased that the rest of the cast was also as perfectly cast, especially Casper Van Dien, who turned out to be a great combination of a handsome lead and a clever and charming comic actor in the same mold as James Stewart in "Born To Dance" or Randolph Scott in "Roberta." There's also a neat surprise at the end as the reunion (sort of) of "Burnt Prairie," Jet's 1960s band, plays on during a celebration of their leader's life. I looked up and said, "Hey, isn't that Denny Laine? And Spencer Davis? And that drummer looks familiar...hey, that's Carmine Appice, isn't it?!" (Appice wrote some of the original music for the film, btw). Nice touch indeed to see those historic faces around the place; it made "Burnt Prairie" feel like the real deal.

Bravo and thanks for what's going to now be a favorite among my video collection!