A hard-nosed chicago journalist has an unlikely love affair with an eagle researcher. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 06/01/2004 Starring: Elizabeth Young Eddie Schwartz Run time: 103 minutes Rating: Pg Di... more »rector: Michael Apted« less
Sharon F. (Shar) from AVON PARK, FL Reviewed on 6/13/2023...
Very cute romantic comedy about opposites attracting. I miss John Belushi.
Movie Reviews
From alcohol to the alps
todd rich | hickory, nc United States | 05/20/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"John Belushi is forever connected to the alcohol abusing, self depricating , and party animal charators that he 's reknowned for playing in other films. Luckily , before his untimely demise , he participated in this project...Continental Divide. It totally seperates him against typecast and shows just how much diversified acting ability , he had .Whereas , alot of people (typical Belushi fans)didn't appreciate this effort, I think it was extremely refreshing. It only took me about five minutes to forget that it was John Belushi portraying Ernie Souchak. A top dog columnist who's forced out of town to do a safer article , at the request of his boss , to save him from danger. Blair Brown's Nell Porter, provides the perfect opposite, for Belushi's Souchak. The film has a very basic "boy meets girl " formula. However ,the script and actors take this film to an all time high. It is a very special film that provides very special and cinematic moments. I enjoyed it when I was a teenager and I hated love story's. But there's more to this tale than just a typical spin. Definately not a film to be missed."
Love It!
Jake McKay | sumter, sc | 10/19/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This film is very old....but that's what makes it great. It's interesting to see the old computer equipment the newspaper used, and the old Amtrak trains throughout the finale. I also like it because John Belushi was a comedian attempting to make that cross-over to drama (of course this isn't a stone cold drama like "Out of Africa" for instance). Many comedians have failed in this...like Chevy Chase in "Foul Play" and John Candy in "Only the Lonely" and Richard Pryor in "Which Way is Up?". I think Belushi pulled it off beautifully. It's also the type of movie that leaves you with your heart exposed...it leaves you with a sense of longing deep in your soul....as Belushi rides off in the final scene you can't help but think of how the story goes on from there. You can't help but think that you want to be there, you want to feel like they feel as they proceed into the unknown area of post-credithood."
Sweet Romance From The Early '80's
Susan K. Schoonover | Boulder, CO | 02/17/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"CONTINENTAL DIVIDE is a sweet, predictable romantic comedy of two opposites who in classic movie fashion can't stand each other at first but then fall madly in love. Although this is a comedy there is also lots of drama and John Belushi's portrayal of Ernie, an intelligent Chicago investigative reporter, is far from his role as ANIMAL HOUSE'S Bluto or most of his other characters in SNL sketches. Ernie needs to get out of town for awhile because his investigating has angered some powerful and corrupt politicians. His editor suggests he hide out in Wyoming and get an interview with Nell, a woman who has been studying bald eagles at her remote mountain top home. Ernie with his chubbiness and chain smoking is a typical fish out of water in this rugged terrain. He ends up staying at the cabin of the beautiful self-reliant eagle expert Nell played by Blair Brown who is at first immune to Ernie's charms. It will come as no surprise to frequent viewers of romantic comedies that after a series of misunderstandings and misadventures Nell and Ernie find they can't live without each other. Of course there's a problem - her life is in Wyoming protecting and studying the eagles and his is in Chicago protecting the city from corruption. Aside from the love story the movie offers some beautiful mountain scenery, shots of Chicago that make it look like a glamorous city and views of bald eagles who are thankfully not nearly as endangered as they were in 1981 when the movie was made. Lots of other things from dress styles to office equipment have changed since the early 80's and the Chicago portion of the film stands as a window in to that time."
A fun and poignant story about "true" love
Anthony E. Pomes | 03/22/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've always remembered this movie from when I was a kid and saw it on cable TV. Having seen it again, I think what really makes this film such a sweet and wonderful thing is how the main characters (played by John Belushi and Blair Brown) stay true to themselves as individuals even while falling in love. Without giving too much away here, it's very refreshing to have a romance film in which "love" has as much to do with mutual respect and deep caring for another human being as it does with good ol' reliable movie-screen passion. Ernie Souchak (Belushi) and Nell Porter (Brown) have what is considered a far-from-perfect predicament in the game of love, but the way in which they find a solution together makes for one of the sweetest love stories I've ever seen in a movie.
Of course, there's no way to watch this film without feeling the sadness and lament over Belushi's too-soon death at age 33. And yet, I think it's really remarkable to see Belushi "the actor" overcome some of the jokier elements in the film that I think were included only to appease Belushi fans who wanted yet another variation on Bluto from ANIMAL HOUSE or Capt. "Wild Bill" the crazed fighter pilot from Spielberg's 1941. In the end, his commitment to playing a character rather than a cartoon is to be praised and appreciated with a viewing of this special little film.
And this film would be the worst kind of insipid without the great actress Blair Brown bringing some very real dimension and humanity to the character of Nell Porter. Bringing undeniable intelligence and unbent courage to the role, her performance reminds viewers how much fun and challenge there is when you fall in love with somebody in real life.
One last thing -- I'm standing up here to praise the great character actor Allen Garfield (who changed his name back to Allen Goorwitz by the time he made this film). He plays Ernie Souchak's editor Howard ("a man with a newspaper to run," as he tells nearly everyone throughout the film), and his performance is note-perfect. A totally believable human being - Goorwitz lives up to the finest virtues a working actor can achieve. Kudos to him - I will always wish that he had done more films.
So if you would like to feel again that this is a pretty darn good planet filled with some pretty darn good people (some of whom want to save eagles), I strongly recommend that you see this movie. Enjoy!"
SENTIMENTAL CLASSIC
MovieMaven | Sunny California | 04/17/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As one of Lawrence Kasdan's first screenplays, Continental Divide still holds its own with the best of his later, more popular works. Blair Brown is excellent, as usual, in the lead role, and John Belushi shows surprising range. All in all, money well spent!"