No one can deny the magic that happens on-screen when certain actors meet. It’s difficult to predict which actors will provide this kind of magic, but when it happens – it makes you remember why we all love cinema.

Of course, moviemakers also realize it. So when an on-screen couple burns the screen, we’re almost sure to see them reunite, trying to recreate the magic.

So to celebrate the anticipated reunion of Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in Revolutionary Road, here’s a collection of famous onscreen couples. Some managed to keep the charm over the years – and some should have left it at a one-night stand…

Julia Roberts and Richard Gere

First met in Pretty Woman (1990), reunited in Runaway Bride (1999)

Perhaps the most memorable onscreen couple of the last decades, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere hit the jackpot with Pretty Woman, a huge box office success. Audiences found the chemistry between Roberts and Gere irresistible. The prostitution business never seemed more enjoyable! Naturally, this success called for a reunion, which came 9 years later in Runaway Bride. It is actually a triple reunion, since Pretty Woman’s director Gary Marshall also joined in. Unfortunately the magic could not be recreated, and although Runaway Bride was not a flop, it’s considered an average rom com without that special *magic*.

Bottom line: Reunion flops

Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks

First met in Sleepless in Seattle (1993), reunited in You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Hanks and Ryan, then Queen of romantic comedies, actually performed together for the first time 3 years earlier in Joe Versus the Volcano (1990). But it was their greatest hit Sleepless in Seattle that made them such a memorable couple. The fact that they only share about 2 minutes of screen time together did not make any difference for viewers and the critics, who put it in the 10 top romantic comedies of all time (AFI). 5 years later, the couple reunited in You’ve Got Mail. Director Nora Ephron also joined in again, and everybody expected a romantic comedy to shine through all the mediocrity. But most critics agree that although the movie resembles Sleepless in Seattle and the chemistry between Hanks and Ryan is still good, the reunion movie pales in comparison.

Bottom line: Reunion flops

John Travolta and Uma Thurman

First met in Pulp Fiction (1994), reunited in Be Cool (2005)

There is really no need to discuss once again the importance, influence and critical reception of Pulp Fiction. It is obvious that this movie has done great service to both of its stars – reviving Travolta’s faltering career and raising Uma Thurman to the celebrity A-list. And their joint performance is hypnotizing – especially that cult dance, imitated in so many other works. The reunion came 11 years later in Be Cool, and supplied a double disappointment: Be Cool is a sequel to another slick and witty John Travolta hit, Get Shorty (1995), but even Travolta and Thurman couldn’t save this one from disaster.

Bottom line: Reunion flops

Al Pacino and Robert De Niro

First met in The Godfather: Part 2 (1974), reunited in Heat (1995) and in Righteous Kill (2008)

Movie reunions don’t have to be romantic. Sometimes other pairings of great actors can create just as much movie magic. That’s the case with these two masters of acting. They first appeared together in the second part of The Godfather trilogy, when Robert De Niro assumed the role of young Vito Corleone and Pacino continued the role of Michael Corleone from the previous film. Both of them delivered great performances and were nominated for Academy Awards (De Niro actually won). However, they didn’t actually share any screen time together. So when Heat was announced 20 years later, there was a lot of anticipation to finally see the two act together. Heat was a critical and financial success. But Hollywood had to spoil the good taste. Luckily this took 13 years, when recently Righteous Kill was released. The critical consensus was that both acting legends should be much more careful with the scripts they choose.

Bottom line: First reunion rocks, second reunion flops

Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock

First met in Speed (1994), reunited in The Lake House (2006)

Speed was a big success not only because of its great action sequences and thrilling special effects, but also because of the sparks between Reeves and Bullock. The funny, witty dialogues between them made this movie more than just another action flick. The movie was a breakthrough in both of actors’ careers, and they continued to appear in blockbuster sci-fis (Reeves) and romantic comedies (Bullock). As we’ve seen, most uniting couples try to hit it again in the same genre. (Why mess with proven success?) But maybe these two noticed the failure of most of those reunions – and so they mixed it up and reunited in a supernatural romantic drama. Well, The Lake House was no Speed. Critics and audience didn’t like it and the romance was just unbelievable. The chemistry between the duo was supernaturally bitten…

Bottom line: Reunion flops

Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman

First met in Unforgiven (1992), reunited in Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Finally, a magic touch that lasts! Both of these films were also directed by Eastwood, and both are very highly acclaimed: each won 4 Academy Awards, including for the actors. Perhaps it takes no less than two cinematic geniuses to make a reunion work. Although in both cases Freeman’s role is “only” supporting while Eastwood is more of the main character, the chemistry between the two is captivating. Like Heat, this reunion certainly left us wanting more. Unlike in Righteous Kill, we believe that Eastwood’s magic touch can make it work again.

Bottom line: Reunion rocks

Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore

First met in The Wedding Singer (1998), reunited in 50 First Dates (2004)

The combination of Adam Sandler’s childish sense of humor and Drew Barrymore’s cuteness proved highly successful, mainly among teens. Their first encounter in The Wedding Singer was financially successful and brought them several awards and nominations in teen-oriented events like MTV’s Movie Awards. Their reunion aimed to appeal to the exact same audiences and did so with great success: 50 First Dates won even more teen awards and was a box office hit. These movies prove that sometimes, when the chemistry between the two lead actors is right, the romantic comedy formula simply works – at least for certain ages!

Bottom line: Reunion rocks

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman

First met in Days of Thunder (1990), reunited in Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Sometimes the on-screen chemistry is so great that it enters real life. Cruise and Kidman first met in Days of Thunder (a Top Gun remake with race cars), fell in love and got married later that year. Actually, they might have been the ones most convinced their chemistry so great, as the movie was not critically acclaimed and achieved blockbuster status probably thanks to Cruise’s chemistry with the race cars. Right after that, in 1992, Far and Away was released, probably trying to build on the hype the marriage created. So we consider both films as the beginning. The reunion came big-time in 1999, in Stanley Kubrick’s controversial last film Eyes Wide Shut. The irony is that this marked the beginning of the end of their life together. After denying rumors throughout production, the couple eventually got divorced not too long after the film’s release. Some say it was Kubrick’s demand of self- and mutual exploration that caused the first cracks in this seemingly perfect relationship. As for the reunion itself: well, the film was well-received, but mostly thanks to Kubrick’s talent – and the amount of nudity in it helped.

Bottom line: Reunion rocks but real life flops

Woody Allen and Diane Keaton

Met in Play It Again, Sam (1972), reunited in Radio Days (1987)

The case of this on-screen couple is slightly different than others mentioned so far. During the 70s, Keaton was Allen’s favorite actor. She starred with him in many of his films (Sleeper, Manhattan, Annie Hall…) and collected quite a few awards. But as the 80s approached, Keaton tried to break the comic typecasting she had and started to appear in dramas and thrillers, and also tried directing herself. It was not until 1987 that they reunited – this time Keaton was one of an all-star ensemble cast. The film is considered one of Allen’s finest, with 95% good reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. So in their case, the reunion did not fail. Maybe thanks to the fact the Allen was just directing, not starring…

Bottom line: Reunion rocks

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio

First met in Titanic (1997), will reunite in Revolutionary Road (2008)

This couple knows the shoes they’re stepping into, so perhaps wisely they chose to play a very different couple this time around. Even for them it will be a bit hard to break the records established with their bigger than life love story, Titanic, the biggest blockbuster of all time as well as one of the biggest Oscar winners.

So in Revolutionary Road the duo are once again a couple facing disaster, only this time with no special effects… One can say the film picks up where Titanic ended, only DiCaprio didn’t die, and the two got married, bought a house in the suburbs, but can’t last the intense beginning, and the marriage is starting falling apart.

Well, not exactly… but they did choose to star in a drama about a dysfunctional suburban couple. Sounds familiar? Well, the couple did choose an expert of this scenario – Sam Mendes who directed another winning and memorable story of a dysfunctional suburban couple, American Beauty. And so there is already Oscar buzz, as the trio is nominated for the Golden Globes along with the movie itself.

Rotten Tomatoes already gives the reunion 70% fresh tomatoes, saying the duo succeeds once again in delivering a brilliant emotional performance. So is the magic really there once again? Will Mendes’s suburban touch take it all the way to the Oscars once more?

Bottom line: See it and tell us what you think!

In the mood for more? Search on Jinni for -
Reunion * Magical* Blockbuster * Prostitute * Couples * Slick * Witty * Stylish * Special effects * Critically acclaimed * Teens * Car race * Fall in love * Controversial * Infidelity *All star cast * Tragic love * Girls’ night * Suburbs * Golden Globe Awards * Dysfunctional * Crumbling marriage* Ensemble cast

Technorati Tags: Revolutionary Road, Kate Winslet, Leo DiCaprio, Titanic

Popularity: 9% [?]