Watch Hope Floats
- PG-13
- 1998
- 1 hr 54 min
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6.0 (30,947)
Hope Floats is a 1998 romantic drama film that tells the story of Birdee Pruitt (Sandra Bullock), a once happy and popular girl who had it all - a successful marriage, a great daughter, and a flourishing TV career. Birdee's world comes crashing down when she discovers that her husband, Bill (Michael Paré), has been cheating on her with her best friend. Humiliated and heartbroken, Birdee moves back to her hometown, Smithville, Texas, with her daughter Bernice (Mae Whitman), hoping to find a fresh start.
As Birdee struggles to come to terms with her husband's betrayal and her new life as a single mother, she starts to reconnect with her past and the people she left behind. She reunites with her mother, Ramona (Gena Rowlands), who she had not seen in years, and goes back to her roots, getting a job at a small-town beauty parlor where she reconnects with her old friend, Justin (Harry Connick Jr.).
Justin, an old flame of Birdee's, is happy to see her back in town and tries to rekindle their relationship. Though Birdee is hesitant at first, she eventually gives in to her feelings for Justin and begins to open her heart to love again. Bernice, on the other hand, finds it hard to adjust to her new life in a small town and misses her father terribly. She refuses to talk to her mother and acts out in school, drawing attention from the mean girls who taunt her relentlessly.
As Birdee tries to balance her new life, her relationship with Justin, and her troubled daughter, she realizes that the only way to move forward is to confront her past head-on. She confronts her mother about their strained relationship and why she and her husband had to leave their hometown so suddenly. She also confronts her husband, Bill, when he comes to town hoping for a reconciliation.
The film culminates in a heartwarming scene at a town dance where Birdee and Bernice dance together, Bill apologizes to Birdee, and Birdee finally opens herself up to the possibility of a new beginning with Justin.
The movie is a touching and emotional story of hope, love, and family. It deals with themes of betrayal, forgiveness, and resilience, and portrays the strength of the human spirit to overcome life's challenges. The performances by Sandra Bullock, Gena Rowlands, and Harry Connick Jr. are outstanding, and the chemistry between them is palpable. The film's beautiful cinematography and soundtrack add to its charm and make it a classic romantic drama that still holds up today.
Hope Floats is a 1998 romance movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 54 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.0 and a MetaScore of 42.