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Posted in General Comments, Movie Review, Movies, Reviews, tagged Andie MacDowell, Angels, Bob Hoskins, Chicago, Dorothy Winters, Frank Quinlan, General Comments, Heaven, Huey Driscoll, Iowa, Jean Stapleton, John Travolta, Michael (1996) — movie review, Movie Reviews, Nora Ephron, Pansy Milbank, Pulp Fiction, Reviews, Robert Pastorelli, Strong To Highly Recommended Movie, The National Mirror, Vartan Malt, William Hurt on May 12, 2026| Leave a Comment »

“Michael” (1996) — movie review
Today’s second film review is for the mid‑90s fantasy / rom‑com “Michael”, directed by Nora Ephron and starring John Travolta as Michael, a rumpled, cigarette‑smoking archangel on temporary leave from Heaven; William Hurt as Frank Quinlan, a burned‑out tabloid reporter trying to keep his job and his patience; Robert Pastorelli as Huey Driscoll, Frank’s more excitable partner who believes every weird story they chase; Andie MacDowell as Dorothy Winters, a would‑be “angel expert” with a secret of her own; Bob Hoskins as Vartan Malt, their editor back in Chicago trying to keep the National Mirror afloat; and Jean Stapleton as Pansy Milbank, the elderly Iowa woman whose letter claiming she lives with an angel kicks off the whole adventure. The film mixes light comedy, mild romance, and a road‑trip structure as this odd group travels with an angel who seems more interested in pie, dancing, and mischief than anything holy.

Background: This is a re‑watch for me. I’ve seen it well over a half-dozen times, but it’s been a few years since I last enjoyed it. I mainly remembered it as “the one where Travolta saves the dog” and as part of his post‑“Pulp Fiction” run of star vehicles. Released in 1996, “Michael” was a modest box‑office success, but it didn’t receive any Academy Award nominations. Historically, it sits in that 90s space where studios were still making comedies with a light fantasy hook. It’s not a “prestige” film, but it’s a above average title from the mid-90s.

Plot: The National Mirror receives a letter from Pansy Milbank claiming she has an angel living with her. Editor Vartan Malt sends reporters Frank Quinlan and Huey Driscoll to Iowa to check it out, and he insists they bring along Dorothy Winters to give the story a “spiritual” angle. Malt touts Winters to be an expert on angels. When they arrive, they actually meet Michael: wings, feathers, cigarettes, beer, and all. Michael agrees to return to Chicago with them, but only if they drive. The rest of the film is a road trip: diners, motels, bar fights, tourist traps, and a lot of Michael nudging the humans toward dealing with their own emotional baggage. Frank and Dorothy bicker and circle each other, Huey tries to keep up, and Michael alternates between being a mischievous tourist and a being who knows exactly what each person needs. By the time they reach Chicago, relationships have shifted and Michael’s real purpose becomes clear.

So, is this movie any good? How’s the acting? The filming / FX? Any problems? And, did I enjoy the film? Short answers: Mostly; decent; clean and simple; several; yes.

Any good? Mostly. “Michael” is a gentle, slight road movie with a fantasy hook. It’s not a deep film and it doesn’t pretend to be. The story is episodic — you can feel the “now we stop here, now we stop there” structure — but the tone stays light enough that it doesn’t become a slog. When the movie works, it’s because it leans into the idea that Michael is here to fix the people, not the world. When it doesn’t, it feels like a series of skits loosely tied together by car travel and pop songs. By the way, the songs / music are / is outstanding!!

Acting: Travolta carries the film. His Michael is physical, playful, and deliberately un‑angelic: he eats too much, drinks, smokes, flirts, and gets into trouble. Underneath that, though, there’s a sense that he knows exactly what he’s doing with each person he meets. Hurt plays Frank as a man who’s tired of his own cynicism, and he gives the character enough weight to make his gradual softening believable. Pastorelli provides the broader comic reactions, which fit the tabloid‑sidekick role. MacDowell plays Dorothy with an earnest awkwardness that works for the character. Hoskins, mostly back in the office, still manages to give Vartan a sense of desperation and affection for his staff. Jean Stapleton is warm and matter‑of‑fact as Pansy, grounding Michael’s introduction.

Filming / FX: The filming is straightforward mid‑90s cinema: small towns, diners, and roadside attractions all look like the real thing. The cinematography leans into warm daylight and cozy interiors. The visual effects are minimal — mostly Michael’s wings and a few small touches — and they hold up well enough because the movie doesn’t lean on them. The soundtrack is very of its time, but it fits the “easy road trip” vibe. Actually, it’s pretty excellent! LoL. There are really only two FX: Michael dies and fades away surrounded by the three “reporters” and (at the very end,) just before the credits roll, Michael and Pansy dance down a Chicago street and “glow-off” into Heaven.

Problems: Several. The film never fully decides how seriously it wants to take its own premise. Sometimes Michael feels like a genuine spiritual presence; other times he feels like a plot device to move the humans from one emotional checkpoint to the next. The road‑trip structure means some scenes feel like filler. The romance between Frank and Dorothy is predictable and not particularly deep. The tone also wobbles between broad comedy and gentle sentiment.

Did I enjoy the film? Yes (very much). “Michael” is not a great movie in a classic cinema sense, but it’s a pleasant one. It’s the kind of film you can put on, watch in pieces, and still follow without much effort. Travolta looks like he’s having fun, and that goes a long way. I appreciated the small moments where the film lets Michael be quietly kind instead of loudly quirky. It’s not laugh‑out‑loud funny but it does have moments where it is deeply moving (with both miracles and gentle charm).

Final Recommendation: Strong to high recommendation. “Michael” is a light 1990s fantasy / rom‑com with a big‑name cast, a simple premise, and a warm, easygoing tone. It has no Oscar pedigree and only modest historical significance, but it’s an easy watch if you’re in the mood for something fun. Watch it for Travolta’s playful performance, the mild humor, and the reminder that sometimes an angel can still point people in the right direction.

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Click here (12 May) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.