It is truly astonishing how a film as formulaic and trite as VIEW FROM THE TOP managed to get on board such a cast of Hollywood big-hitters and near big-hitters (Gwyneth Paltrow,Mike Myers,Kelly Preston,Christina Applegate,Candice Bergen,Mike Ruffalo),because in essence it is little better than a slightly (but only slightly) above average TV movie in it's plotting,production values,direction and performances.<br /><br />Paltrow plays an aspiring air hostess with ambitions to travel the world,rather than just domestically in the US,but is torn between love for her boyfriend back home (Ruffalo) and eventually goes back to him.And,er,that's it.A story so paper thin and obvious that it seems to have been written by an inexperienced,first time hack (as indeed it apparently was),with forced and shallow comic situations,dialogue and characterisations.Some surface attractiveness and slickness do not detract from it's persistent banality and lack of depth,and events did conspire against VIEW FROM THE TOP from the start.Filmed in 2001,it's original release was held back (due to the events on 9/11) until two years later,by which time it flopped rather dismally.<br /><br />Myers raises a few smiles as a lazy-eyed air crew trainer,but it is still baffling how this eclectic cast felt there was any mileage from a minor potboiler such as this,especially Oscar winner Paltrow (who has since described the film as 'terrible' in a subsequent UK newspaper interview).Gwynnie is a fine actress,and has ability in light comedy (as proved by her AA triumph in 'Shakespeare IN LOVE'),but she can do little with the feeble,uninspiring part she has taken on here (though she does look lovely in the numerous,if rather tacky outfits she wears),as is the case with other cast members such as Ruffalo and Applegate.There are also some rather pointless cameos from Rob Lowe and George Kennedy (recalling his Joe Patrone character from the AIRPORT series,which are actually rather funnier than this film),and the short running time (around 80 minutes) also indicates that much re-cutting and deletion took place beforehand (it sadly didn't improve the quality).<br /><br />VIEW FROM THE TOP is not particularly offensive but a considerable disappointment considering the talent involved,and La Paltrow's career since her Oscar nearly a decade back has not really developed as it should've done,not surprising when she takes on roles as trivial as this.Maybe she's being punished for that notorious acceptance speech..........<br /><br />RATING:4 out of 10.