Chances Are (1989)

A young District Attorney (Christopher McDonald), whose wife (Cybill Shepherd) is expecting their first child, is killed by a car. He is reincarnated and as a struggling reporter meets a young law student (Mary Stuart Masterson) to whom he is attracted. But when he meets the girl's mother (Shepherd), he begins to understand who he was in his past life and that the law student is his now grown daughter and her mother, his wife. What's a guy to do? This charming fantasy romantic comedy has a lot going for it. Directed by Emile Ardolino (DIRTY DANCING), it has four leading players (Ryan O'Neal is the 4th) with a talent for sophisticated comedy and they are able to ride over the bumps whenever the screenplay falters. The concept, of course, isn't very fresh. The subject was previously handled in HERE COMES MR. JORDAN (1941) and its 1978 remake HEAVEN CAN WAIT to name just two. But it's sharp and engaging and one would have to put up a fight to dislike it (unless you're the type that hates romcoms period). The film's love song After All (sung by Cher and Peter Cetera) was nominated for a best song Oscar. With Josef Sommer, Henderson Forsythe, Fran Ryan and Joe Grifasi.