One can make excuses for a 23-year-old writer's misunderstanding of human behavior, but how could Mike Nichols look at himself in the mirror when he directed such dumbfounding scenes.

This is a film of obvious and shallow contrivance, which aims without apology for easy emotional payoffs, and tries to manipulate the audience with plot twists that belong in a sitcom.

A cynical, manipulative exercise that remains compulsively watchable despite its flaws thanks to the star power on board.

While not a huge highlight for either Ford or Nichols, Regarding Henry remains a sweet, entertaining morality tale that's run to revisit.