Creepy is not the word I would think of for Justin. It's just that he has obviously always had a soft spot for Birdee and has trouble giving her the space she needs. I'm really surprised at the low rating on this one because it's one of my favorite Sandra Bullock movies. Sure, we could use a little more back story, but HCJ is great in it, really good supporting cast, soundtrack, everything.

last two posters: I have to agree with you two on thisI watched this last night and it would help the audience more in understanding why she is the way she is.
I love all the attention that surrounds her and Justin. I love the two of them in this movie because they have a really good energy about the two of them when they are together.
Great movie!

@ red_rackham_77,agree to you.It would have made more sense to see more about Birdee's past with her husband Bill.I think,the whole story about them was a bit too short!

I think we should have had more flashbacks of Birdee's life both in high school, college and her days as her husband homemaker. Give you a more depth idea of what kind of a person the character Birdee was and what she became then what she is going to become at the end, you know?

OMG, I can't believe that anyone would think Harry Connick Jr and his character in the movie were.creepy????
Oh wow.
It was a sweet movie. I cried. I was inspired and I was so happy for her. (But.Her little girl was bratty.)
AGAIN.I can't believe that anyone would not love this film!
Just unbelieveable.

I haven't seen this movie in a few years, but I came on here now because the movie is playing on tv right now ((I'm not watching it now though) and it reminded me that I never came on the boards to read other peoples opinions of the movie. And I wanted to see what other peoples opinions are about Justin. I didn't really liie Justin, either. Yeah, he is supposed to be that handsome, kind hearted, small town guy that the main character once loved but left behind, and because of a reunion, the guy and the main character come together again. But he just seemed overbearing to me. Everytime I have watched the movie, his behavior irritates me. It doesn't matter that Birdie's ex-husband was a jerk. Birdie still needed time to deal with the whole ordeal and then move on.
"There is no world without Verona walls." Shakespeare

I agree that this wasn't a great movie. I was very disappointment because I heard
Hope Floats
is an awesome film but it seemed choppy & lots of holes. I was also very annoyed & angry at Ramona because it was very apparent Bernice was still in denial that her parents were separated & was not ready to see her mom with someone new but Ramona kept pushing Justin & Birdee to be together. & when Bernice made hurtful comments to Birdee in front of Ramona like "dad left because of you" & kept blaming Birdee, Ramona didn't stop Bernice but instead, hugged her & I took that as a positive reinforcement.

I agree he was kind of sleazy but I thought he was just a bit backwards. He took her to the old make-out place where the teenagers used to go which was kind of sweet but also rather naff.
Also I thought the scene where he made her eat alone made him look like a prick. If he liked her he would have joined her, I don't know what stunt he was trying to pull but it made him look like a tosser.
It annoys me that Birdie leaves her husband and then the very next man she meets is the guy she ends up with. What a perfect scenario that is!

I don't recall Justin specifically trying to 'sleep with' herI see it as Justin just trying to spend time with her and possibly establish a relationship in the future. I don't find him overbearing or creepy in any way. he's damn sexy in my opinion. He shows his frustration with a situation where a woman he cares about is stuck with feelings for a man who doesn't deserve her love or kindness. I think he handles Birdie better than most men would - in reality!

I get what you are saying, but let's also remember he is just human. He loves her. It's well established that Bill was always a womanizer. Justine truly believes that he can offer her true love. And he does.

I disagree that he was creepy! I found him to be the kind of man most of us dream of finding!

I love this movie, however, I agree about the comments on Justin's character. The story wants him to be portrayed as her knight in shining armor who is trying to make her feel good about herself after her nasty divorce, yet honestly all I keep seeing is a man trying to make HIMSELF feel betterI mean, who the heck pressures a woman in these circumstances to sleep with him? She obviously wasn't ready and yet he kept pushing her. A real knight would show restraint and only be there as an emotional support, not as a physical one.

Weird ? You have to look at the story. He is finding her love, her high school or first love in his country after such a long time. He is so excited and Sandra Bullock whose whole heart is still to the man who shocked and cheated her. She is awsome there with love for her husband and trying to accept a high school mate whose first love is her. So it may seems a little weird or complicated. We have to see that Sandra's heart is still too her husband and she can't give any heart to Justin at all.
That makes such an awsome movie and obviously it's country people's way of love that is diff to city people.
''Just because you've got the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn't mean we all have''

I'm about to divorce after 20 years of marriage myself, Carla. How are you doing all these years later?

Yeah you gotta have suffered some hardship to relate, I'd lost a parent, been humiliated by an ex, picked on in school so I related to some of Birdie's trials, Bernice's 'Big Delores' situation and 100% what Travis was going through. It's a very comforting and inspirational film if you relate to it, I actually reached out and held my partner's hand really tightly in the finale' last night as I even related to the ending, I watche the film many times in the late 90's and revisit it each 3 or 4 years and it makes me remember how lucky I am now to have a strong supportive relationship and happiness in my life.

Well everyone has a right to their own opinion, so here is mine. I watched this movie as I was going through a divorce after 20 years of marriage. I found it inspiring. The message is to give hope a chance. That thought got me through some dark days. I love it. I think this movie is probably lost on tthe young. But those of us that have lived through life's hardships find it inspiring.

I think,Birdee and Justin didn't make a nice couple.They looked weird together!

I wouldn't say creepy, but definitely sleazy. I've always felt that the character was just trying too hard to be slick, and just wound up being overbearing and annoying.
I had actually gotten on the forum just to ask the population at large the same question. Beat me to it. :]

Harry Connick Jr Creepy? Oh man this person needs a hint at what creepy really is

Creepy? IMO Harry Connick Jr. is adorable. And so darn sexy!!
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