A Life Less Ordinary (1997)

I absolutely love A Life Less Ordinary! It's quirky and original and always a pleasure to watch. Our story begins as the self-centered daughter (Cameron Diaz) of a cold-hearted corporate mogul (Ian Holm) throws a snit in daddy's office just as a disgruntled janitor (Ewan McGregor) bursts in protest his employer's indignities. Words and actions escalate until the daughter engineers her own abduction -- all to get back at daddy (who refuses to give a whit). Ewan does very well at playing such a sincere, um, putz that Cameron realizes she has to teach him how to phone in a ransom demand much less act like an alpha male. Better still, two angels in human form (Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo, who could pass for Morgan Freeman) have been banished from heaven until they can cause this hapless road-tripping couple to fall in love. Delroy is the steady head but Holly has an attitude -- plus, as the stress gets to her, she starts to become unhinged. My favorite scene is when she breaks out a sniper rifle, determined to do whatever it takes to finish the job and get back to heaven -- as if! Ewan and Cameron evince an easy chemistry -- flashing in anger but eventually warming in affection. This is just a sweet, loopy love story that's extremely fun to watch -- so much so that I had to own it. 5 stars.