Too many fans seem to be blown away

A different way of telling a story

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

The main feeling I had towards the girl's central problem here was... one of total indifference. You see, she has to pick between between two specimens of manhood: The 'Mr Reliable But Boring' who she's been shacked up with for a few years... or her ex, 'The Rebel' who let her down badly once, but has just come roaring back into town. All of these thinly-written protagonists failed to hold my attention for very long, and by the time the oh-so-clichéd ending arrived, I was already preparing supper.Lauren Holly, last seen by me showing off her butt in Dumb & Dumber is a babe... but an utterly bland lead who's choices were as inconsistent as she is dull. As for her potential love interests, one is a rock star in real life (I wouldn't be too pleased as a fan to find out Bon Jovi's latest album was delayed because of THIS) and the other is Edward Burns... the director/writer of this feature. He perfectly masters the art of mediocrity is all his various assignments. Well done, that man.I literally have nothing else to say. Bye for now. 5/10

No Looking Back (1998)A grossly underrated film--but also not an "enjoyable" movie in the normal sense. It is such a realistic slice of life about a group of lower-middle class Long Island shore town dwellers, it sometimes fails to rise above its own material into a meaningful narrative. And that is what most movies find a way to do.But you might reassess that intention and bask in a situation so simply wrought--the houses, the beach, the old cars, and most of all the array of people who fix cars and wait tables and hang out in ordinary working class bars. It all feels good even though it's not, overall, a feel-good movie. And the acting is generally spot on, even the doubtful inclusion of Jon Bon Jovi as one of the two main guys.At the center of it all is the young woman, Claudia, played by Lauren Holly, who is trying to find a way to "not look back" and yet finds herself trapped by the town and her devotion to her friends there. (This is a slight flaw all along--this seemingly bright and striving young woman is still working at a diner when she could easily move on, or go to college, or get another kind of job.) But still, Claudia is nearly engaged to the nice guy Michael (Bon Jovi) when her ex-boyfriend Charlie from three years earlier returns to town. Charlie is played by writer/director Edward Burns and he might not be everyone's taste as a leading type, but he works in this role for me. He's charming and unreliable even in his actions, which are too coy and sweet and lovable for his sudden appearance in town. So the conflict is there, and maybe it's not enough for a feature film. What fills in the gaps are small things, like a past abortion and its consequences, or a mother (played with utter brilliance by Blythe Danner) struggling with her own man issues. There are bar friends and a sister and a mechanic or two on the side, and it mixes and matches and floats and often avoids high drama or deeper plot development. Even the characters are left someone simple, partly because there are so many of them, but they become increasingly convincing.What then makes the movie work? All of this, as it is, including its restraint and lack of the sensational. And most of all it's Holly's performance that builds and holds together through it all. I was surprised by the depth of what she pulled off and yet I'd never heard of her. It turns out she's been very active but in mostly smaller roles, both in movies and television. This is one movie never mentioned in highlights of her career, and I think it's a shame. Burns clearly pulled together people of talent for this small, focused movie, and as an independent movie with an independent feel it rises above its smallness. I have a feeling it will survive over the years and continue to be interesting for its honesty.

I`d never heard of Edward Burns untill I saw NO LOOKING BACK but if his other films are anything like this then I won`t be very sorry if I never hear from him again . This low concept movie has little to recommend it , there`s no real plot and the characters are unlikable and slightly foul mouthed . Okay it`s fairly well acted ( Even by Jon Bon Jovi ) but that`s not enough for audiences who are looking for an entertaining story

My biggest grievance with No Looking Back is that it doesn't have a character like the ones Mike McClone played in The Brothers McMullen and She's the One. He had a great chemistry with Ed Burns who just isn't as funny without him. Having said that, No Looking Back is a nice little slice-of-life thing. It won't change your perception of life or anything else except perhaps Lauren Holly who is quite adorable. I give it a 6 out of 10.