An initially iffy but often effective fantasy that pulls relentlessly at our emotions in its later stages. Four people, each with things in life to do, are killed, along with the driver of their bus, whose gaze strays too long to a courting couple in the car speeding alongside. Also caught in the impact is a pregnant mother, whose baby, born there and then, finds himself with four guardian angels, as the dead people are 'missed' in the pick-up for Heaven. So is he there to help the lost souls achieve their ambitions? Or are they there to help him achieve his? Director Ron Underwood's answer is a bit of both in a film that largely endears itself, but occasionally embarrasses when the spirits step into Robert Downey Jr, as the grown boy, and take over his body. A string of good performances here, from Charles Grodin, Kyra Sedgwick, Tom Sizemore and Alfre Woodward as the quaint quartet, David Paymer as the bus driver and Elisabeth Shue, who makes more of Downey's long-suffering girlfriend than is really there. Only Downey himself seems less than at ease with it all.

©ipc tx. Film content from TVTimes