One More Kiss (1999) User Reviews

Choices that alter and ruin lives----

[Ishallwearpurple · 6/10 · 28 July 2006]

One More Kiss has beautiful cinematography, a lovely score, an interesting premise, and a badly cast role - Sarah (Valerie Edmund).

From our first shot of her on the rooftop with arms outstretched, no matter what the cameraman and director do, they cannot make this into a woman who looks like she is sick, let alone dying. She is too big, strong and healthy. So I cannot feel her pain, sorrow and desperation. In fact, I feel nothing, and that is bad for the role and the movie.

On the other hand, the actress playing the wife, Charlotte (Valerie Gogan) is perfect at showing the panic, resentment and eventual hatred of this interloper in her life. From the very first time she sets eyes on Sarah - in her husband Sams' (Gerard Butler) embrace, even just a friendly one - she is threatened. (As I would have been; confess would YOU come into a room and see your husband with his arms around another woman as just another day at the office?) When Sam introduces them, he even hesitates before he says "my wife." What a slap in the face.

Maybe I'm not seeing the romance in this situation. When Sarah announces she is dying, Sam is nonplussed; Charlotte sees trouble. In the real world, right then I would have said, "sorry to hear that and WE will help if WE can. But that's not this movie.

So we have THE LIST for Sam it get through. Which is just a device to be able for Sarah to manipulate Sam into kindling a romance again. And all the singing together, skydiving and kite-flying and lush background music doesn't make it anything but what it is - seduction of another woman's husband. Leading to predictable harsh words, fights and tears. But Charlotte loves this man; she hugs his jacket and breathes in his smell; and cries in pain.

Meanwhile, we have brave (?) Sarah planning her funeral down to what will be served at the afterparty! I know this is to show her bravery, but I wanted to tell Sam to run out of that house - he is being manipulated. As is her father. Sarah may not be around much longer, but by God, everyone will remember her! Too harsh? Why does she show up at the restaurant just before Sam is to go meet his wife? Didn't know about the concert? Cummon. His birthday! - she knew. And she didn't care. It was all about her - what she wanted.

And that brings us to the most emotionally satisfying scenes in the film with the most beautiful music - Charlotte in her lovely dress, hair just right, sitting and waiting, waiting, waiting for her love and he never comes. I DO feel HER pain.

Where is Sam? Why getting it on with his other love. Sorry I'm underwhelmed.

The last scenes in the hospital are done well, and Gerry is at his most beautiful and touching. He almost redeems the whole film right there. But not quite, for me at least.

Sarah's father, played by James Cosmo, is very good and the part is to underscore the theme of the film - choices we make that alter life.

Try as I might I just cannot see that the choice to break up your marriage (even if not perfect) for a few weeks of what? bliss? great sex? is worth ruining anothers life and possible your own. The only one who ends satisfied is the interloper who we are to feel sorry for, and I just can't do it.

And, of course, she is gone and I suppose, rests in peace.

Rated 6/10.

great

[cdj1967 · 6/10 · 7 June 2005]

I loved this film if only to see a young Gerard Butler. I was annoyed with Sara because even if she was dying she didn't have to ruin a good marriage. Charlotte was the big loser here. She was so desperate in the end. It was sad. I didn't feel bad that Sara died in the end. We didn't get a feel for her relationship with Sam. No back story. Sara just arrived and that was it. Sam was so quick to dump his wife for the selfish Sara. Gerard Butler has such wonderful screen presence.The scenery in Scotland is beautiful. The end is nice and has a happy feel . But overall Sara is trying to find something she should have left alone.

Flawed, but not bad.

[sweeney32 · 6/10 · 18 November 2005]

Like others here, this movie attracted my attention because of actor Gerard Butler. I got the movie for myself (I'm a fan), but more importantly, I wanted to find a Gerard Butler film that my saintly mother can see, because she's a *big* fan. (Some of his other movies, like "Dracula 2000" and "Attila," are a little too strong for her delicate sensibilities!) Well, this movie passes the "you can show it to your sweet saintly mother" test. There is very little objectionable material here, and the filmmakers had very good intentions. It tried to convey a good message, and it did, to a degree.

The problem I had with the film was that the characters were not that well-written. I sometimes wondered how the characters could behave so stupidly. But then, I've never been in their positions, so I don't know.

{SPOILERS} I felt the relationship between old flame Sam and his wife was not handled well at all. Certainly the wife would feel jealous when Sam starts to take Sarah on outings to fulfill the things on her "list," but the fact was, initially, nothing that inappropriate was happening. Flying kites or skydiving—these are not grievous activities, especially when they are not made a secret from the spouse. However, it would have been better if some sort of compromise was at least offered (bringing the wife along on the outings too, perhaps?). I don't understand why the characters didn't at least discuss some sort of solution or compromise. Since Sam's wife seemed prone to jealousy from the start, perhaps no solution would have been reached, but it didn't appear as if anyone tried.

Sarah was surprisingly free of any symptoms of a fatal illness. That didn't ring true. Also, she seemed rather self-absorbed and to an extent, shallow. But then, so did most of the characters.

However, the film was not without merit. Firstly, I *can* show it to my saintly, gray-haired mom (who will be pleased to see a lovely Gerard Butler sporting a head full of dark curls!) without fear of any excessive violence or offensive content. Also, there is a good message nestled in there.

Furthermore, even though you'd anticipate that this film would be a "downer" movie about dying of a fatal disease, it really isn't all *that* depressing. Partly, I think it's because you don't really care about Sarah all that much. (Maybe this was just me, though.) But also, it didn't dwell too much on doom and gloom, but was trying to drive home the message—live your life to its fullest. Don't be afraid to dare. You're never too old to start a new life. It does succeed, to some extent, to illustrate this message. So, it's really not a bad little film.

A genre movie of course but a surprisingly raw and frank one that is all the better for avoiding the sentimentality of its daytime-telly peers

[bob the moo · 19 April 2006]

Having left her native Scotland to go to New York to pursue her career, Sarah returns home to tell her family and friends that she has cancer and has little time left to live. Specifically she has returned to spend time with her ex-boyfriend Sam, who is now married. His wife Charlotte is not supportive but Sam does it anyway. While the two of them spend time together they start to become a bit closer and recall memories from the past; meanwhile Sarah also tries to mend things with her present but emotionally distant father Frank.

Within five minutes I realised that I had started watching a genre film in a genre that I generally don't like – the "seize the day while at death's door" movie. Generally an excuse for a load of hankies to come out and the audience to be put through the Hollywood emotional mangle, it is not an experience that I enjoy that much. However, despite some clunky and preachy moments, this is actually quite an engaging and raw experience that I found quite enjoyable, well, maybe "enjoyable" is not a good word. The characters and the emotions are well painted and I can forgive the film its soapy, sweeping opening sequence mainly because it does get much closer to reality from then onwards. Of course it is still a genre movie and it does have its fair share of "seize the day" dialogue but it generally avoids the clichés, cheese and moods that you will find in countless television movies cluttering the daytime television schedules.

The cast help this by being pretty convincing and bringing the best out of the good script. Edmond worried me at first but got stronger as it went on; she was convincing in the main and she works well with her support cast. Butler is not quite as good but he works well with Edmond although he could have done better with Gogan, who herself is perhaps weakened by the fact that her character is not all that it could have been. Cosmo is as solid as he always is and I found him to be easy to care about and relate to (perhaps due to him being rather bottled up). Jean's direction is good and generally avoids sentimentality, to the benefit of the material generally.

Overall then this is a genre film but it is one that is worth a look if, like me, you generally don't care for the genre. It is soapy at times (specifically the opening ten minutes is very "genre") but generally it is convincingly raw and all the better for it. The cast bring this out well and director Vadim Jean seems to have little or no interest in manipulating the audience emotionally or drawing out fake emotions and despite my initial concerns, it was certainly one of the better films I have seen albeit in a generally weak genre (in my opinion).

I liked it!

[pjbarner · 7/10 · 30 September 2006]

I liked this movie. It was sweet, sad and slow.

I wasn't blown away, but I got the message and enjoyed the ride. I thought all the main players were good, but of course Gerard was lovely! He is worth a look anytime. I had no trouble understanding the Scottish dialect and certainly had no need for subtitles, as someone suggested in another review.

I especially liked the music. It was a nice combination of old and new -- and everything in between. I can never get enough of the Scottish scenery, as well.

Was this an Oscar-worthy movie? No. Was this a thoughtful, story about real people with real problems? Yes. I will watch this movie again...with pleasure.

Hated it

[karenc403 · 3/10 · 23 May 2019]

It was mean and selfish of her to come back in his life and destroy his marriage when you know you are dying. I felt so bad for his wife. I had no sympathy for sarah because I am watching her destroy a marriage. No wife would have put up with your ex lover returning and wanting your husband. I was glad his wife put him out at the end.

Not the most powerful or effective movie concerning its subject but it's originality and acting makes this movie worthwhile.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 8 July 2008]

For a movie with a subject such as dying, this movie certainly lacks in some strong and effective emotions. There are lots of better movies out there that mixes romance and death but as a whole this movie certainly is not a bad one. On the contrary and this little unknown Scottish movie is very well worth your time.

You can also praise this movie for not trying to be emotional. Normally these type of movies will try to play you with it's emotions, in an often very forced and formulaic way. "One More Kiss" is not a typical sort of dramatic movie and it instead uses some interesting angles, by not mainly concentrating on the main character and her approaching death but also on those around her, who love her and how it affects their lives and makes them think about were they currently stand in life.

But what mainly makes the movie work out so fine is it's acting. Quite amazing how much different Gerard Butler still looked in 1999. Back then he still mostly used the name Gerry Butler, which should also tell you something about the way he looked. He had curly hair and certainly no muscles and seemed like a very young boy still back then, even though he already was 30 at the time of this movie. He of course just like the rest of the cast plays a fine role. Especially James Cosmo was also really great.

The movie doesn't necessarily concentrate on sickness or death but more on life and tells you to get out of life what you can, while you still can. But it doesn't does this in a forced way or anything like that. The movie features some simple but honest storytelling and is skillfully directed by Vadim Jean, who provides the movie with a nice overall style.

A nice little movie.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

A hodge-podge script short on character development and long on unbelievable plot points.

[Irishmugs · 1/10 · 9 January 2007]

I was really disappointed with this movie. It was a hodge-podge script short on character development and long on unbelievable plot points.

Some, but by no means all, of the problems I had with the movie:

In the opening scene of the movie suicidal Sarah is standing on what, we find out later, is supposed to be the Empire State Building. Tribesmen in Papua New Guinea would know that wasn't the Empire State. Why bother with the pretense?

Sam's supposedly the love of Sarah's life. She's gone for 7 years and never hears he's given up on her and married someone else. Telephones don't work between NYC and Scotland, no email, no snail-mail?

In what I imagine is supposed to be a desperate attempt to tie Sam to her, Charlotte suggests they have a child. His response is to humiliate her in front of their restaurant staff and customers. The scene then devolves into an even more embarrassing fight between the characters amid rather perplexed diners. In the next scene she offers him opera tickets! As if it were a minor disagreement and the fault was mostly hers!!??!!??!! He's off with another woman and she's trying to woo HIM back? She should have taken a cue from the Jude character and copped it ASAP and escaped this movie.

What's with that ramshackle stone cottage Sarah keeps ending up in? Couldn't there have been a line or two about its previous connection to ANY of the characters? Sure it's a semi-romantic location for Sam's and Sarah's obligatory sexual reunion but I kept wondering about how much it rains in Scotland and gee, that's an awfully big hole in that roof. Hey, "suspension of disbelief" only goes so far.

Sarah's supposed to have had this wonderful life and been such a terrific person? Some vague references to her "success" in NYC and some incredibly bitchy behavior and she's a great gal? What a loss to humanity!

At the end of the movie my sympathies were with most of the actors, what a waste of talent. If this had been my first Gerard Butler movie I would have suggested he switch to a career in male modeling. Fortunately, I'd seen Mr. Butler in better vehicles prior to viewing this mess.

One real worry is that the director of this disaster has been listed as the director of "Burns", should that project ever get off the ground. If it does one hopes they find a better director.

poignant, sad

[eustfam · 8/10 · 7 May 2005]

I bought this DVD because I just love Gerard Butler. It is a sad film because it deals with cancer and Sarah, the female protagonist, comes home to Scotland to prepare for her death and to do the things she's always wanted to do before she dies. She has a list which include flying a kite, skydiving, seeing the pyramids, etc. and she asks her former boyfriend, who in now married, to help her accomplish all these things in the short time she has left. His wife, Charlotte, resents it naturally but Sam, Gerard Butler's character, decides that he needs to help her as he has not really gotten over her and loves her still.

Sarah even prepares a speech, which she records, to be shown at the reception after her funeral. And she asks Sam (he's a chef)to prepare a reception for 30 of her dearest friends and relatives. The film gives an insight to the range of emotions that cancer patients go through as they face their mortality. It also teaches the viewers not to take their lives for granted and to live their lives to the fullest...as Sarah said in her farewell speech, "Seize the day, do not go gently but rage, rage at the dying of the day."

I hated this movie.

[htaylor-8 · 1/10 · 2 May 2007]

I watched it because Gerard Butler was in it, but I thought the movie was terrible. Sara deserted Sam seven years earlier. It was selfish and cruel of her to come back and destroy his marriage. Charlotte put it best when she told Sam that Sara did not care anything about him when she was healthy. Charlotte loved and married Sam in good faith. If Sam was still in love with Sara, then he should never have married Charlotte. Sam betrayed Charlotte and his marriage when he pushed Charlotte aside to be with Sara. Sam got what he deserved in the end when he came home after the funeral to find his belongings packed and set outside his door. Sara had left Sam alone and broken hearted seven years earlier and came back to leave him alone and broken hearted again. Sara was a very unsympathetic character, Sam was a fool, and Charlotte should have kicked Sam out a lot earlier in the movie.

poignant and realistic

[fan-33 · 10/10 · 21 March 2005]

The performances by all the cast were extraordinary. I bought this on DVD, because I am a fan of Gerard Butler, who played Sam, the childhood sweetheart of the dying Sarah, who returned home to Scotland from NY to find him, when she learns that she is dying of cancer.

Gerry Butler gives a very believable performance as Sarah's married former sweetheart, who still loves Sarah, and arranges to spend as much time with her as possible doing many of the things she always wanted to do.

Frank, Sarah's father had spent the last 7 years sitting around waiting to die, Sarah's return forces him to start living again. This story takes us inside a therapy group for cancer sufferers, where we meet a 24 year old man who rages because he never had a chance to do anything with his life. It is a quiet gentle movie, with a lesson for everyone about making every day count.

Unsettling

[iciicioh · 1/10 · 1 March 2018]

I've seen several movies of this genre before but this one was just unsettling and disturbing for me (I suppose it was realistic and honest, though).

Stupid Movie

[maryannwb · 5/10 · 3 November 2005]

I bought this movie on E-Bay not knowing anything about it but being seduced by the title, the fact that Gerard Butler was in it, and the description from the video jacket. One More Kiss? A definite waste of money. The heroine was a royally selfish pain who left me cold with her plight: I kept wanting to smack her instead of empathize with her. James Cosmo and Gerry Butler in their roles were excellent. Perhaps the heroine was told to play the role as she did but if so, the director should have been shot. It would have helped a lot to those who are hard of hearing and those of us who are not too familiar with Scottish dialects to have had captioning. The only saving grace was looking at the scrumptious Gerard Butler.

"I don't want to let anyone down" - Sam

[Cat-Squire · 10/10 · 26 January 2006]

Sarah (Valerie Edmond) has returned home to Scotland, having lived in New York for seven years, to tell her childhood sweetheart, Sam (Gerard Butler), and her dad, Frank (James Cosmo), that she is dying of cancer. She wants to spend as much time as she can with Sam and complete her list of things to do with him. However, Sam is now married to Charlotte (Valerie Gogan) who doesn't like the idea. However, Sam agrees to spend time with Sarah and gradually his marriage starts to fall apart. Then Charlotte presents him with opera tickets for his birthday and Sam is left with the ultimate dilemma: Charlotte or Sarah?

One More Kiss is a very moving film and should strike everyone on some level. The characters are played believably with the best performances coming from Gerard Butler (the reason I bought this film) and James Cosmo. Valerie Gogan is very good as the jealous wife, but Valerie Edmond came across very rehearsed, it didn't seem natural and Danny Nussbaum playing Jude, a fellow cancer sufferer, was also a weak performance.

You react strangely to the characters than you would expect. Sympathy lies with Sam who's best friend is dying and his wife is getting very angry with him. You also feel sorry for Frank, who is lovable and rather clueless and out-of-touch, which adds some comedy to the film. At first you dislike Charlotte because she's trying to stop Sam from seeing Sarah, despite her condition. However, this initial thought changes as you see, along with Charlotte, her perfect marriage crumbling before her. She is very cold in things she says about Sarah. At one point Sam says "She's dying, Charlotte" and Charlotte says that Sarah should "get on with it." This doesn't really strike as a cruel blow because her life (Sam) is being taken away from her for someone who is doubtful that they'll last the year. At first you feel sorry for Sarah as she has returned home to spend time with her childhood sweetheart and his wife is reacting coldly to her. However, Sarah appears more and more selfish, wanting Sam to put his life on hold for her to live what she has left to the full. You see the presence of Sarah tearing apart the marriage of Sam and Charlotte, until it comes right down to the dilemma mentioned earlier.

A stand out quote in this film, which I really liked, is when the cancer sufferer group is in a meeting and Jude is being a whiny, self-pitying child and says in a raised, angry voice: "Would anyone like to buy more f*cking cancer?" and one man says softly "I would buy it from you, Jude. If I could." Just a very touching moment.

As I've said the story is great, the acting is great and I strongly recommend this film to anyone. I'm a horror movie fan and I loved this. 10/10 from me. Check it out and see if my character summary is right.

one more kiss

[nk44ab · 10/10 · 27 December 2006]

This movie shows a sensitivity and finesse that do all of the actors huge credit. I became quickly immersed in the story line and thought how delicately it was handled. Gerard Butler seems to have a rare ability when it comes to this type of subject. His character Sam was a delight a rare man who showed true compassion for the young girl suffering from cancer. She was so brave and matter of fact that she scared me. I have commented on Gerard Butler before and each film I see convinces me that here we have a rare talent. He is truly a master of his craft. Thank you for so much enjoyment even if I cried a river. Wonderful Stuff more please.

One More Kiss engaged me from the start

[arion214 · 9/10 · 8 December 2005]

This movie takes a hard look at life, love and death. Complacent people live lives of quiet desperation while days, months and years slip through their fingers without really being noticed. Sarah steps back into the humdrum lives of her father, ex-boyfriend Sam and his wife, and shakes up their lives forcing them all to take stock of what really matters. What really matters is to live each day as if it were your last -- to spread your arms wide and fly even though there is a real chance you will hit the ground hard. What would you do for love? Would you know how to meet death? Is your life ticking away? None of the characters is perfect nor are their actions always "moral" but they wrestle with their choices and make mistakes along the way. We can judge them and say we would be "better" people but does anyone know that unless faced with this movie's dilemma? And, yes, Gerard Butler is beautiful and touching as Sam, the man caught in the middle with everything to lose.

This movie rates high on my list of favorites from this talented actor and his thoughtful director.

One More Kiss

[SandyLiz · 8/10 · 14 April 2006]

I watched the movie because I am a huge fan of Gerard Butler. I disagree with some comments about the movie--that Sara was being selfish. When Sam came to see her the 1st time, she did tell him to go away--she respected the fact he was married. But he kept coming back. I thinkCharlotte was the selfish one! I just don't understand that kind of jealousy. If my husband was dear friends with someone and wanted to be there for her while she was dying, I would love him all the more forit. And I would also be there for her, for them both. We would love her to death, in a good way. I didn't get the end. Did Charlotte really pack Sam's bags and leave them at the door or what? I don't know. It left me hanging there in confusion. I am glad Frank opened up and found a more active life because of Sara's helping him handle her dying. I missed captioning...hard of hearing & accents are difficult. I know I will watch it again and again because I love Gerry. He is a brilliant actor, very expressive with facial expressions and emotional acting--not overdone. I came to love Sara and saw what Sam and Frank saw in her. It's so true that the dying seem to have a mission to teach us sleep-walkers something. I worked in hospice and saw that dying isnot some horrible fearful thing, but can be a beautiful part of the cycle of life offering everyone an opportunity to share and love and live more fully. I didn't see the one last kiss. Where was that? (And I think it was tragic that Sara died "too soon" because of going for the surgery. I don't know if I'd attempt to that...wanting to live fully right up to the last minute. Oh well, to each his own, live and learn.

Comment about film "One more kiss"

[helenwhite1969 · 10/10 · 6 August 2007]

This film is incredibly moving its also very funny in parts and can have u both laughing and crying within the same minute. Gerard Butler's performance stands out a mile and truly shows his natural talent. Yes he's absolutely gorgeous but there is so much more than his beauty, he is one of those rare finds we seldom get to see these days, a real actor who can play any part, from Phantom of the opera,(singing beautifully) gangster, comedy parts, hero, everyday bloke, he changes his appearance, accent, weight, a real De Niro in essence, we need to see more of him and i do hope that he gets the recognition he deserves asap. I wish him the very best in his life and career.

An Eric Rohmer style film.

[frankiehudson · 8/10 · 29 May 2007]

I liked this film because of the fantastic outside, location shooting, mainly of Berwick-upon-Tweed. It is similar to the way Eric Rohmer would film somewhere like Le Mans in his film le Beau Marriage (1982).

Indeed, the dour, granite buildings seem to sum up the awful plight of Sarah (played very ably by Valerie Edmond). She returns to her father's house, right behind the sea wall and the beach in Berwick, which, of course, is not even in Scotland. It's one of those border towns between Scotland and England, the scene of many violent fights to the death over the years. Perhaps there's some symbolism in there somewhere.

James Cosmo is very good as Frank, Sarah's father. Worth watching.