Yes it's the typical love story, William Petersen is mad that his love is going to marry someone else and he goes to win her back, it's a very ordinary typical story, with an original bitter sweet ending. GREAT performance by William Petersen. It's about a man who finally realizes that he took advantage of the best thing he had, and in a 2 day span i believe he matures more in his entire life. Joey (William Petersen) plays the cool captain of the football team, lady's charmer, bad boy rough neck who's used to always having everything go his way. He loves to travel for long periods of time leaving his wife and daughter back home.The only way the marriage has lasted this long is because he comes home sweeps his wife off his feet, becomes dad of the year for one day out of the year, mends his wife's heart only to rip it out again and leave. Finally his wife is tired of being a life long one night stand, and is engaged to Walt. Joey's daughter (who absolutely idolises her father) sends him a wedding invitation so he'll come back home. He's oblivious to the fact they even got divorced, and he is stabbed with cold jealous Immaturely he first gets to town and walks up and punches walt in the face. The next day he tries his hardest to win his wife back, and she realizes she does still love him. The night before their wedding they have a romantic intimate night and Joey thinks everything is alright. But Walt comes to the house the next morning and she chooses him. Hurt and confused he goes and gets a job, prooving to his wife he swears he will not leave (which is NOT another lie, he finally realizes how great he has it and is serious about staying.) His wife explains that she loves him, but she can't go back to all the heartache and she's made her decision. Finally he matures and it hits him that he screwed up the best thing he had, and for once he can't fix it with his charm, and he accepts it. The last scene wraps it all up; it's him and his daughter swinging and he's promising that he'll come back next summer and they can build a cabin together and she says "Daddy, you don't have to make me promises, i'll love you anyways."And he realizes this extreme truth out of his third grade daughters mouth, that love is complex and you can't weasel your way in and out of it. EVerything falls into place, he realizes the way things are suppose to be. Really great movie.
Review of Hard Promises
