Two If by Sea (1996)

The basic premise of the movie is the story of two thief Roz (Sandra Bullock) and Frank (Denis Leary). There is nothing new in this movie in terms of plot, great character development or mise en scene. But it is still quite enjoyable due to the great on-screen chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Denis Leary. I watched it as I was (I still am) a huge fan of Sandra Bullock and she didn't disappoint. She had quite a different role in this movie as a "Bad Girl" persona compared to her previous "The Sweet Girl Next Door" character movies she did like Love Potion No. 9, The Net, While You Were Sleeping and Speed. Her character, costumes and her interactions with Denis Leary makes it a worthwhile movie for fans of Sandra Bullock and a an interesting Friday Night movie for everyone else.One honourable mention is Yaphet Kotto as FBI Agent O'Malley, he basically steals every scene he is in even when Bullock and Leary are present.

Two if by Sea (1996): Dir: Bill Bennett / Cast: Denis Leary, Sandra Bullock, Stephen Dillane, Yaphet Kotto, Mike Starr: One of the lamest titles in recent memory as if the writer thought it poetic that Denis Leary and Sandra Bullock break up if they did not live by a frigging beach. They play thieves who are delivering a rare expensive painting to their boss. After losing police they shack up in a deserted house. Bullock begins to question her lifestyle and is charmed by another man. Leary does everything to prove his loyalty. Director Bill Bennett does a stylish job but the screenplay would make better toilet paper. Leary makes an attempt to learn other skills that don't involve cheating, stealing and robbing but he soon must stand up for his relationship. Bullock wants out of the unlawful lifestyle yet is easily charmed by deceptive males. We hardly care about this. The ending is hardly believable and makes one wonder what was learned. Supporting roles are lousy and include Stephane Dillane as the stranger trying to court Bullock while having other plans in mind. Unfortunately those plans didn't involve kidnapping her and escorting themselves to the set of a superior film. The role is standard and predictable, and Yaphet Kotto is wasted. It is yet another boring romantic comedy retread with no real purpose other than to reflect that Bullock has done better. It is pointless fluff that should be buried at sea. Score: 2 / 10

TWO IF BY SEA, in my opinion, is a charming romantic comedy about two lovers on the lam that'll make you laugh and smile from start to finish. If you ask me, Frank (Denis Leary) and Roz (Sandra Bullock) made an absolutely cute couple. I just don't understand why Frank felt he had to pull off that one last job before making amends with Roz. However, when she impersonated Homer Simpson, I laughed really hard. Someday, I'd like to go to somewhere in New England for a vacation. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that the production design was nice, the costumes were perfectly designed, and the performances were great. Now, in conclusion, I highly recommend this romantic comedy about two lovers on the lam that'll make you laugh and smile from start to finish to any Denis Leary or Sandra Bullock fan who hasn't seen it.

Denis Leary: One of the greatest Irish American comedian/actors to emerge in the Nineties.Sandra Bullock: One of the most engaging actresses to emerge around the same time.When they appeared in Demolition Man in 1993, there was little chance to see any chemistry between the pair for all the big bangs and special effects. They rarely shared any scenes together which made matters worse.So when this movie put them together three years later, the going looked good. Great Nova Scotia scenery and a screenplay partly written by Leary looked promising.Alas, while both stars are still great, the script and pacing lacks a lot. As a fan of both stars, I could only watch half an hour before I had to go to bed.The fact that I saw it after the dreadful Speed 2 made it a little easier to palate, but not much.If you want to see a great movie involving Leary and a stolen painting watch The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) instead.