Regarding Henry

Directed by Mike Nichols, Regarding Henry follows Harrison Ford’s hotshot lawyer Henry Turner as he’s forced to start over after a gunshot to the head leaves him with almost total amnesia. It’s an appealing premise that’s employed to deliberately-paced yet ultimately rewarding effect by Nichols, as the filmmaker, working from Jeffrey Abrams’ screenplay, delivers a methodical endeavor that’s been suffused with a whole host of ingratiating elements – with, especially, the picture benefiting quite substantially from its raft of above-average performances. (And although the film boasts solid work from folks like Annette Bening and Bill Nunn, Ford’s increasingly captivating and spellbinding turn remains a highlight from start to finish.) The episodic midsection occasionally does suffer from a somewhat hit-and-miss feel, and yet there’s little doubt that Regarding Henry only grows more and more engrossing as it progresses – with the movie finally arriving at a completely satisfying and unexpectedly heartwarming third act. The end result is a top-tier melodrama that features career-best work from its performers and a handful of absolutely enthralling sequences, which renders the film’s few missteps moot and effectively cements its place as one of director Nichols’ very best efforts.

***1/2 out of ****