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John Travolta, Andie MacDowell, William Hurt, Bob Hoskins, Robert Pastorelli ... see more see more... , Jean Stapleton , Teri Garr , Blue Deckert , David Harrod , Tom Hodges , John Hussey , Wallace Langham , Donald J Lee Jr , Peyton E. Park , Richard Schiff , Tracy Doyle , Joey Lauren Adams , Jane Lanier , Joann Fregalette Jansen , Calvin Trillin , Catherine Lloyd Burns , Mark Nutter , Dianne Dreyer , Margaret Travolta , Carla Cugino , David Bernstein , Betsy Sokolow , Deborah Nunez , Dell Aldrich , Kay Colvin , James Garrell , Tim Harrison , Daniel Mimura , Carla Gugino , Andie Mac Dowell

There are angels among us, and they like lots of sugar in their coffee, in writer-director Nora Ephron's comic fantasy Michael. Vartan Malt (Bob Hoskins) is the editor of a tabloid called the National... read more read more... Mirror that specializes in unlikely stories about celebrities and frankly unbelievable tales about ordinary folks. When Malt gets word that a woman is supposedly harboring an angel in a small town in Iowa, he figures that this might be right up the Mirror's alley, so he sends out three people to get the story -- Frank Quinlan (William Hurt), a reporter whose career has hit the skids; Huey Discoll (Robert Pastorelli), a photographer on the verge of losing his job (even though he owns the Mirror's mascot, Sparky The Wonder Dog); and Dorothy Winters (Andie MacDowell), a self-styled "angel expert." They arrive at the rooming house of Patsy Millband (Jean Stapleton), who informs them that she does indeed have an angel for a tenant, and introduces them to Michael (John Travolta). Michael has wings like an angel, but the resemblance ends there; Michael loves cigarettes, has an uncontrollable sweet tooth (and a pot belly to match), tends to use a large number of non-angelic phrases, is not much on personal hygiene, and likes to hang out with the ladies. Michael informs his visitors that in Heaven, an angel is allowed a certain number of "vacations" on Earth, and he's in the midst of one now; trouble is, this is the last one he's entitled to, and he wants to make the most of it. Frank and Huey then stumble on a great story idea -- if Michael wants to have some fun, why not take him to Chicago, where he can really kick up his heels? Michael was written in part by Jim Quinlan, himself a one-time reporter, though with a much more respectable tabloid than the Mirror -- he wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

52% liked it

108,285 ratings

Critics

36% liked it

36 critics

PG, 1 hr. 45 min.

Directed by: Nora Ephron

Release Date: December 25, 1996

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DVD Release Date: June 10, 1997

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Stats: 2,543 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,543)

  • ScoopOnline
    December 8, 2009
    ScoopOnline
    I love this Movie somuch. It makes you believe Wonders happen.
  • stormyweather980
    October 15, 2009
    stormyweather980
    Not one of Travolta's best, but I definitely liked it more than I anticipated I would.
  • FilmFanatik
    November 20, 2008
    FilmFanatik
    Not a great film. Ok, but not that great.
  • newvogueravyn
    November 8, 2008
    newvogueravyn
    Parts are cheesy, parts are quite sweet. I do like Travolta's portrayal of an rather unconventional angel though.
  • thmtsang
    April 12, 2008
    thmtsang
    Michael is an angel on one last mission before going back to heaven.
  • deano
    January 11, 2008
    deano
    This film is fun, just not very memorable.
  • tsigur
    December 10, 2007
    tsigur
    Travolta riding that gravy train.
  • Redlats
    July 17, 2007
    Redlats
    Michael is different -- a scruffy angel. John Travolta plays him well. He is part charm and part scruff. You have to decide if it is all a lark, or is it thought-provoking?
  • garyX
    March 15, 2007
    garyX
    After Battlefield Earth and Phenomenon, Travolta once again proves he shouldn't be let out on his own. And it's got McDowell in it. If I was duped into falling in love with Her, I'd sue.
  • dreamfaeries
    January 2, 2007
    dreamfaeries
    It was alright.

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Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy
December 27, 2006
Emanuel Levy, Variety

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 ba... Full Review

January 1, 2000
USA Today

Fatally earthbound.

Michael Dequina
January 13, 2004
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com

Not much in the way of laughs or anything else. Full Review

Nell Minow
August 20, 2003
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

Some moments as lovely as the smell of cookies, especially the dance number.

Clint Morris
July 11, 2003
Clint Morris, Film Threat

Travolta magic is sprinkled everywhere

Frank Ochieng
May 29, 2003
Frank Ochieng, Movie Eye

A cloying and cloudy romantic comedy in which Travolta dons angelic wings. Michael is innocuously whimsical but wasteful

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
August 28, 2002
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Magical movie about an archangel who has a great set of wings, loves sugar and makes women swoon. Full Review

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

John Travolta's Ever-Sap - Coming Soon to a Supermarket Near You

Nick Pinkerton
February 15, 2012
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice

Click to read the article Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
September 7, 2011
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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