"Angel Eyes" is the opposite of "Casablanca," when what happens to two little people is worth more than a hill of beans than the rest of the world. <br /><br />I went in expecting an erotic film noir, and was surprised that instead it's the intersecting story of two damaged people in dysfunctional family situations surrounded by our violent society who learn to work through it by leaning on each other. (I'm quite sure there were a couple of sexy shots in the trailer that got edited out of the final, along with an explanation of the title.)<br /><br />Though you never forget it's Hollywood -- Jim Cavaziel, the primary reason I went to see it, has the saddest face since Emmett Kelly, so when he suddenly smiles you think "Gosh, what a beautiful smile!" and a second later J. Lo's character says "You have a beautiful smile!" (My dad the dental historian says the perfect smile is an American conceit that's being exported around the world now as a status symbol.)<br /><br />The camera adores Lopez as much as it did Garbo and just when you're thinking for the zillionth time "Gosh, she's beautiful" Sonia Braga as her mother leans into her and says "You're so beautiful!" I also thought it about time that since "Selena" Lopez is finally playing a character with Latina roots.<br /><br />Not that there's any Latin music; the blues and jazz choices are nice, but make the inconsistent use of pop jarring.<br /><br />The movie probably would have worked better as a small indie, and with a lot less uses of the F-word.<br /><br />(originally written 5/20/2001)