Even Though He Won't Admit It, This 1996 John Travolta Movie Made My Dad Cry, And It's Still Great

I wouldn't call my dad “a tough guy” by any stretch of the imagination (I mean, his favorite genre is musicals, and his favorite movie is My Fair Lady).

That said, one thing my dad will say, with certainty, is that he doesn't cry when watching movies. “Are you kidding me?” he’ll always tell me. “It's just a movie.” And, even though I'll openly admit that I've cried while watching plenty of films, my dad is adamant: “Movies don’t make me cry.”

That's actually not true, since I’ve SEEN him cry (even though he won’t admit it), and that was when we watched 1996’s romantic fantasy drama, Phenomenon, together. It’s one of my favorite John Travolta movies (Though probably not one of his best), and I think it’s still great today. Here’s why.

At First, It Seems Like It’s Going To Be A Sci-Fi Movie

Do you want to know a movie I really like? K-PAX, starring Kevin Spacey. I only bring it up since throughout its runtime, you’re not really sure if Kevin Spacey’s character, prot, is an alien or not, making this film almost a quasi-sci-fi film (I’d categorize it more as a drama). And, in a lot of ways, Phenomenon feels like a sci-fi movie, too, for a lot of its run-time.

John Travolta plays a mechanic named George Malley, who’s a nice man who has the hots for a single mother named Lace (Kyra Sedgwick). Malley is celebrating his birthday at a bar, and that night, he goes outside and sees a strange light in the sky, and then BAM! He’s knocked out. Perhaps it was aliens? Well, anyway, when he wakes up, he has strange powers and super intelligence. It’s almost like a superhero movie in a way since Malley has acquired telekinetic powers, which he uses for good.

The town benefits from his new abilities, but things start to go awry when the FBI thinks he’s some kind of code breaker since he can pick up on signals from an air force base. Then, his newfound intelligence, which seemed like a blessing at first, has become a curse.

However, later on in the film, we learn that it wasn’t aliens at all that gave him his powers, which I’ll talk about next.

When We Learn What It’s Really About, It’s Even More Interesting

Now, my dad doesn’t mind science fiction, but you won’t see him having a marathon of some of the best sci-fi movies of all time, because it’s not really his thing. In fact, he much prefers when there are elements of science fiction (such as The Twilight Zone, which my dad loves) rather than it being completely sci-fi, which might be a reason why he really loves Phenomenon.

Because even though we might be led to believe that the movie is science fiction, what with the glowing lights in the sky, and the acquiring of powers, we actually learn that Malley didn’t have an encounter with aliens at all, but rather, that he has a brain tumor. And, with that knowledge, the film turns from being fascinating to really sad (and perhaps even maudlin, which my dad is a sucker for).

This tumor diagnosis recontextualizes the whole movie. At first, we think that an alien race has gifted him with this ability to chay-yee-ange the world, but really, it’s something that’s existed inside of him the entire time. And, instead of him getting really sad about this and getting the medical help that is being offered to him (though, it's mostly as a means for doctors to get a better look at his brain), he’d rather go out on his own terms, spending his last days with his best friend, Nate (Forest Whitaker), and his newfound love, Lace.

In fact, this last aspect - the love between Malley and Lace - is what really makes this film special, as it brings it beyond just being a cool movie about a guy who develops powers. In fact, it’s mostly what makes this film a tearjerker in the first place.

The Love Story In-Between Is Really Sweet

Kyra Sedgwick may not be the main character of this film, but she’s definitely this movie’s beating heart. She plays a single mother of two children, and at first, she doesn't take to Malley's feelings toward her because you get a sense that her last relationship really must have hurt her.

And, the film does a good job of “will-they-won't-they” storytelling, as we're so wrapped up in what is happening to Malley, that this romantic angle hangs on the outskirts until we realize that this is what the movie is actually about. Lace starts to welcome Malley's presence once he becomes a brainiac, and it's not like she didn't like him before his change. Au contraire, we find out she always liked him, but he becomes irresistible once he changes.

Meanwhile, we also have the budding romance between Forest Whitaker's character, Nate, and a Portuguese woman he likes after Malley saves her son. Malley is pretty much Nate's wingman, and we see Nate’s and this woman’s relationship blossom by the end.

Honestly, as good as this movie is, it's the “romantic” part of this romantic fantasy/sci-fi drama that really makes it work, which only adds to the part that made my dad cry (despite what he says).

The End Made My Dad Cry, And It Is Pretty Sad

Now, I'm going to spoil a nearly 30-year-old film, but at the end of Phenomenon, Malley dies. The brain tumor gets the best of him, and despite the miracles he performed for the rest of the town, he can't save his own life.

Now, while Malley's death likely didn't break as many hearts as, say, Apollo Creed’s death, or Dobby’s (who was a free elf!), it certainly got my dad to unleash the waterworks, and it's for one primary reason. It's at the end when you see Malley's smiling face above the bar.

In fact, the only reason I knew my dad was crying was that I heard him sniffling in between Eric Clapton's singing (which I'll get to in a moment). When I turned my head, my dad's eyes were glassy. And, while I didn't see him wipe away any tears (because I wanted to see the ending, too), when the credits rolled, I distinctly remember my dad getting up very quickly and heading toward the exit.

And, do you know what? It is pretty sad. We come to love Malley, just as the town does, and to see the film end on his smiling face, well, it really does hit you in the feels. The music plays a large part in that as well, which I'll get into last.

That Eric Clapton/Babyface Song Is Still Fantastic

Lastly, I'm not sure if the ending would have been as effective as it is if not for the song, “Change the World” by Eric Clapton and Babyface, which is still (even separated from the film) a beautiful melody.

In fact, this was actually the first song by Clapton that I could identify as Clapton. I had been familiar with Babyface at the time, but aside from “Layla,” which I associated with a group called Derek and the Dominoes, I didn't even know who Eric Clapton was.

This song changed all that, though. And, even though I'm very familiar with Eric Clapton today, this is still my favorite song of his. It's absolutely wonderful.

Has Phenomenon made you (or a loved one) cry? I’d love to hear your thoughts!