Just Like Heaven Analysis

Just Like Heaven

 

Just Like Heaven is a 2005 film by Mark Waters. It stars Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo. The story is about 'A lonely landscape architect (Ruffalo)  who falls for the spirit of the beautiful woman (Witherspoon) who used to live in his new apartment' (imdb).

At the start of the film you see the Dreamworks logo, this is of the clouds and the blue of the sky. This then goes into the the main film, with the camera spiralling down out of the sky through the clouds, this suggests to me as a viewer that it could be an angel falling from the sky. It also makes the scene misty when you are shown the woman in the rose garden as you seem to still be in the sky amougst the clouds, this is very dreamlike, but it also links to heaven as you expect everything to be perfect and peaceful which is exactly how you see it. It also links in with Adam and Eve and you know the story of them in the garden, however in this case it looks as though she hasn't got an Adam, but maybe he'll come along.

As you are shown in the garden the woman looks relaxed, you then see her slowly being shook, this is where you learn that Reese's character Elizabeth is waking up after falling asleep on her job. It is here you learn that her character is a doctor, and that shes been working for 23 hours. This gives you the impression shes a hard worker.

You later see her surround by three other women in the bathroom. These woman are either married, divorced or have children. But it's Elizabeth who is the odd one out as she has no one but her job. This then creates sadness which you see when a mirror shot is used of Reese, this shows her to be looking down through a close up, which in a way makes you feel sorry for her.
You also see that her sister is married and has children, this could make her feel more alone as her sister ends up setting her up on a date.

As you know Elizabeth (Witherspoon) is a Doctor, reverse tracking is used to show her working in this enviroment. It shows her to be busy and very confident in her work. Panning of the hospital is also used to do the same thing.
Jump cuts and superimposition have been used to show the passing of time, both are able to show you how much Elizabeth does, it also shows you the amount of time shes been working. From these shots you see that Witherspoons character also drinks a lot of coffee, this also shows the time as it suggests she's got to keep herself awake. You also see that she is good with people of all ages, from children to the eldely. This too comes across with the use of sound, especially when one of the old men propose saying 'marry me' this happens 3 times across the time period.
Music is also used, at the start of the film a song called 'Just like a dream' is played, this isnt the studio's sound but it could be a possible theme tune. Two others songs are also played throughout the opening, these are both upbeat, pop songs.

The titles you are shown at the start of the film are pink, this alone suggests love could be on the cards throughout the film, but alongside this from the bright blue of the sky it makes it very positive as theres no darkness being cast. The titles then turn white as they carry on into the film, these titles show the rest of the cast and the director.

Near the end of the opening sequence, you learn that the film is set in San Francisco, this is when Elizabeth is driving to her sisters after finding she had got a promotion, however this soon becomes an unhappy scene when the music 'let the good times roll' is played and then all of a sudden a bright white light takes over the screen, suggesting that something has certainly gone wrong.