J.J. Abrams is known today for reinventing the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises and his popular sci-fi television efforts with Lost and Fringe. Yet, long before he became a household name, Abrams was just an aspiring young screenwriter telling grounded human tales about fate and identity. Among the biggest highlights of his early career was writing for superstar Harrison Ford’s 1991 melodrama Regarding Henry. For all of his heroics and man-of-action performances in the ‘80s, Ford entered the ‘90s with an introspective performance under the direction of Mike Nichols (The Graduate, Working Girl). Regarding Henry arrived at a time when Hollywood had a trend of exploring adults with childlike mindsets, as seen in Big with Tom Hanks and Awakenings with Robert De Niro. Abrams, listed in the credits as “Jeffrey Abrams”, was 24 years old at the time of production, and it would be another two decades before he would direct Ford in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Even at such a young age, Abrams shared a unique view of an adult’s detachment to family over career obligations, only to rebuild their identity when the old one is erased.
What Is ‘Regarding Henry’ About?

Image via Paramount Pictures

Ford’s Henry Turner is introduced as a ruthless New York attorney, admired by his colleagues for his cutthroat nature and a slicked-back Pat Riley hairstyle. But a near-fatal shooting at a bodega at the hands of a mugger (John Leguizamo) wipes his memory, leaving him unable to recognize his wife Sarah (Annette Bening), and daughter Rachel (Mikki Allen), recall his past, or even perform basic functions. From his rehab with assistance from friendly physical therapist Bradley (Bill Nunn) to his struggles to return to normal existence, Henry unravels clues about his troubled past while breaking down the barriers that caused distance from his family.

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Despite Abrams’ future success in popular sci-fi franchises, the melodramatic elements of Regarding Henry paved the way for themes he continued to explore throughout his career. One of which is the concept of the strained family desperate for reconciliation. Such strain is apparent in Henry’s relationship with Rachel. The initial self-centered lawyer treats his daughter as an afterthought, opting to send her off to boarding school rather than to be a devoted parent. Then Henry’s shooting leaves him in a vulnerable child-like mindset where he needs to lean on Rachel to regain his memories, and in the process discovers life’s simple joys. Many of Abrams’ projects in later years would continue to deal with inattentive parents reconciling with their children, including Sydney and Jack Bristow on ABC’s Alias, Deputy Jack Lamb and his son Joe in Super 8, and in recent years Han Solo and Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens.
‘Regarding Henry’ Was an Early Use of J.J. Abrams’ Mystery Box

Regarding Henry features Abrams’ earliest use of his signature “mystery box” trope. Whether it’s the mystery of the island in Lost, the Rabbit’s Foot in Mission: Impossible III, or Rey’s parents in The Force Awakens, nearly all his projects have the ongoing setup to keep audiences invested. Though not the finest concept, Regarding Henry’s mystery box involves Henry’s obsession with Ritz crackers after his shooting. He not only eats them but also paints portraits of the packaging. The plot device is not something that keeps the audience guessing, as there’s more interest in whether or not Henry can regain all his memories. Only when the mystery gets resolved through his encounter with an unsuspecting character does the full truth about Henry’s dark past come to light, justifying his transformation into a far more loving man.
Abrams’ signature mystery box trait has often come under fire from audiences who find the payoffs to be underwhelming. Regarding Henry was no different with the Ritz crackers motif. Critic Roger Ebert slammed the subplot in his review and felt that the movie as a whole “aims without apology for easy emotional payoffs, and tries to manipulate the audience with plot twists that belong in a sitcom.” Even with too simple of a character arc, Ford succeeds in shedding his standard leading man persona to play helpless and desperate for attachment. His childlike behavior shines through when he refuses to leave the hospital to reunite with his family. The attachment he has to Bradley is no different from a child afraid of their first day at a new school, and Ford’s explosive temper captures that feeling perfectly.
For all its endearment as a tale about putting family over career, Regarding Henry’s flawed narrative showed that Abrams still had a ways to go before transitioning into a successful filmmaker. Yet, he scratched the surface of the themes and signature traits that would lead to his winning formula for movies and television for decades to come.

Regarding Henry

Release Date

July 10, 1991

Runtime

108 minutes

Producers

Scott Rudin