The Classical Hollywood Cinema in Just Like Heaven

The classical Hollywood style is defined by several characteristics. Bordwell and Thompson say that to be considered a classical Hollywood style film the action has to spring primarily from individual characters as the causal agents, that is, the narrative is centered on personal psychological causes, such as desire, choices, decisions and traits of character. Moreover, what moves the narrative is the desire of the characters, they set up a goal and the development of the narrative will involve the process of achieving that goal. The chain of actions is the result of the psychological causes that motivate the characters to act. In addition, time is subordinate to this chain of actions. Durations in time will be omitted in order to show what is really important in the narrative. Finally, classical Hollywood style films tend to present closure at the end. The fate of the characters is shown to the audience; the audience learns the outcome to each conflict of the narrative.

Just Like Heaven (Mark Waters, 2005) tells the story of Elizabeth Masterson and David Abbott. Elizabeth is a dedicated doctor who is too busy to have a personal life. When her sister set her up on a date, “Lizzy” gets into a tragic car crash and ends up in a coma. David is a widower architect who spends his days on the couch watching TV and drinking beers. When he moves to San Francisco, David moves into Elizabeth’s apartment, and starts to see her ‘spirit’. Lizzy’s spirit does not remember who she is or what she did, and she starts to haunt David, since he is the only person who can see her. David thinks he is crazy by seeing Elizabeth's spirit and tries all ways to get rid of her, but she just will not go away. When trying to figure out who she is, they eventually fall in love for each other, but Elizabeth’s sister decides to turn off the machines that keep her alive. Desperate, David asks his friend John to help him steal Elizabeth from the hospital, but the respirator that keeps Lizzy alive gets pulled out while they are running away, and her spirits starts to fade. With no other choice, David kisses Lizzy then, which brings her back to life. However, when she wakes up, Elizabeth does not recognize him. At the end of the movie, David creates a garden for Lizzy in the roof of her apartment, and when he touches her to give her keys back, she remembers everything and they kiss. 

The movie Just Like Heaven is a very good example of a classical Hollywood style film. The action is centered in David and Elizabeth, although there is an accident, it is the desire of Elizabeth to “survive” that keeps the action going, as well as the desire that David has to help her out. The choice David made by moving into her apartment is what causes both of them to meet. The narrative is centered then is saving Elizabeth’s life. Time is suppressed only to show the important events in the film, for example, we do not see David convincing his friend John to help him, but we see John already on his way to steal Lizzy’s body from the hospital with David. Moreover, there is closure at the end of the movie, after Elizabeth remembers David, they kiss and the audience learns that the couple will be together, solving the conflict and creating the happy-ending.