Michael (1996)
50%RT Audience Score: 39%
Awards & Nominations: 1 nomination
John Travolta plays an angel in Nora Ephron’s maudlin Michael, a grating comedy that doesn’t tap into the heavenly charms of her best work
If you’re looking for a movie that’s as sweet as a batch of freshly baked cookies, then Michael might be the one for you. Sure, some critics might call it an unfocused mess, but who needs focus when you’ve got John Travolta playing an angel with a love for cigarettes and fried food? It’s a bizarre plot, but it’s also weirdly charming. And let’s be real, who wouldn’t want to see Travolta bust a move in a dance number? So grab some popcorn and settle in for a folksy, earnest, and just plain weird ride.
Production Company(ies)
CNN Films, Statement Pictures,
Distributor
New Line Cinema, Warner Home Vídeo
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Gruene Hall – 1281 Gruene Road, New Braunfels, Comal County, Texas, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for a mild barroom brawl, some language and sensuality
Year of Release
1996
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 45m
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Language(s):English, Portuguese
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Country of origin:Austria
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 1996 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 12, 2006
Genre(s)
Drama/Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring John Travolta, Andie MacDowell, William Hurt, Bob Hoskins, Robert Pastorelli, Jean Stapleton, directed by Nora Ephron, written by Peter Dexter, Nora Ephron, Delia Ephron, Jim Quinlan, produced by James Jacks, Nora Ephron, Sean Daniel, Drama, Fantasy, PG, reviewed by David Ansen, Owen Gleiberman, Emanuel Levy, Nell Minow, Mick LaSalle, James Berardinelli, Mattie Lucas, Matt Brunson, Sean Collier, Matthew Turner, Chuck O’Leary, box office gross $95.3M, budget, angel, relationships, faith, miracles, Iowa, Chicago, journalist, angel expert, heavenly charms, quirkier, off-center
Worldwide gross: $119,718,203
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $228,511,582
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 622
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 24,919,475
US/Canada gross: $95,318,203
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $181,938,192
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 411
US/Canada opening weekend: $17,435,711
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $33,280,335
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 397
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Andie MacDowell – Dorothy Winters
William Hurt – Frank Quinlan
Bob Hoskins – Vartan Malt
Robert Pastorelli – Huey Driscoll
Jean Stapleton – Pansy Milbank
Director(s)
Nora Ephron
Writer(s)
Peter Dexter, Nora Ephron, Delia Ephron, Jim Quinlan
Producer(s)
James Jacks, Nora Ephron, Sean Daniel
Film Festivals
Cannes
Awards & Nominations
1 nomination
Academy Awards
All Critics (41) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (14) | Rotten (27)
I feared that Nora Ephron’s angel movie, Michael, would offer another heap of predigested uplift but was pleasantly surprised to find something quirkier and more off-center.
December 7, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: D+
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Travolta’s charismatic presence is the only positive element in Nora Ephron’s flawed romantic fable marred by rough narrative spots and scattered direction, again showing that Ephron lacks the most basic technical skills.
December 27, 2006 | Rating: C-
Emanuel Levy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Some moments as lovely as the smell of cookies, especially the dance number.
August 20, 2003 | Rating: 3/5
Nell Minow
Movie Mom
TOP CRITIC
June 18, 2002 | Rating: 1/4
Mick LaSalle
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2.5/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
An unfocused mess that, despite a few highlights, is one of Ephron’s weakest films.
September 23, 2020 | Rating: 2/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
Cinema as artificial sweetener.
August 16, 2020 | Rating: 2/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Even as you’re inclined to root for the film’s folksy earnestness, you’re put off by some of its bizarre plot points and general weirdness.
February 24, 2020 | Rating: 4/10
Sean Collier
Box Office Prophets
March 1, 2012 | Rating: 4/5
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon
October 8, 2005 | Rating: 1/5
Chuck O’Leary
Fantastica Daily
June 19, 2005 | Rating: 2/5
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com…
Plot
Frank Quinlan and Huey Driscoll, two reporters from a Chicago-based tabloid, along with Dorothy Winters, an ‘angel expert’, are asked to travel to rural Iowa to investigate a claim from an old woman that she shares her house with a real, live archangel named Michael. Upon arrival, they see that her claims are true – but Michael is not what they expected: he smokes, drinks beer, has a very active libido and has a rather colourful vocabulary. In fact, they would never believe it were it not for the two feathery wings protruding from his back. Michael agrees to travel to Chicago with the threesome, but what they don’t realise is that the journey they are about to undertake will change their lives forever.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
John Travolta plays an angel in Nora Ephron’s maudlin Michael, a grating comedy that doesn’t tap into the heavenly charms of her best work.
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