Widely recognised as the angry green monster, the Hulk from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Mark Ruffalo has always had a distinct presence in the film industry with his unprecedented talent and prolific acting skills. Having struggled with undiagnosed dyslexia and ADHD in his childhood, Ruffalo worked various odd jobs before landing his debut role in This Is Our Youth that marked the commencement of his acting carer.
While it is a sin on MCU’s part to not grant a solo film to Ruffalo’s Hulk, it did not deter him from being one of the most sought-after actors in the industry. Ruffalo has worked in films across all genres, namely Spotlight, The Kids Are All Right, Infinitely Polar Bear, In the Cut, Ride With the Devil, The Dentist, Windtalkers, Shutter Island, Begin Again, Zodiac, 13 Going on 30, the Avengers franchise etc. Ruffalo’s oddball, eccentric energy and laughing eyes often imbue his performances and add a goofy and kind aura to his characters.
While many of his films are severely underrated, one of his forgotten rom-com films with Reese Witherspoon seems to have caught the audience’s attention on Netflix.
Mark Waters directed the 2005 film Just Like Heaven, adapted from Marc Levy’s famous French novel. If Only It Were True. It starred Mark Ruffalo, Reese Witherspoon and Jon Heder. In what seems to be a romantic version of The Sixth Sense, the unique storyline of this film explores the mysterious bond between one’s body and the subconscious.
Ruffalo plays a character named David who finds an excellent apartment only to find its allegedly dead and overachieving doctor tenant, Elizabeth haunting the apartment. Slowly, his attraction for her transcends the mere boundaries set by mortality, and he falls in love with her.
While most couples in rom-coms are separated by obstacles like class difference, lack of communication, and others, the central conflict here is death. However, they soon discover that Witherspoon is simply unconscious and comes back to life. After a few other chaotic conflicts regarding amnesia and more, the duo unite.
With a bizarre ending to the film and a complicated plot embedded in fantastical elements, the film has struck a chord with Netflix viewers who seem to be loving it. Just Like Heaven is a brilliant film to explore powerful performances from the leads, especially Ruffalo’s effortless acting and incredible range.
Watch Just Like Heaven on Netflix now.
