DASHING hotshot advertising executive kid Buddy Amaral (Ben Affleck) is all set to catch a night flight out of snow-laden Chicago.

But he is persuaded to give up his seat to another traveller, Greg Janello (Tony Goldwyn), who is desperate to get home to his wife and child.

When the flight subsequently crashes, killing everyone on board, Buddy struggles to come to terms with his near brush with death.

As much as he is grateful to be alive, he feels responsible for Greg's death and turns to the bottle to assuage his guilt.

A few months later, after a brief spell in rehab, Buddy decides to find Greg's widow Abby (Gwyneth Paltrow).

There is an instant spark and the pair's relationship gradually deepens into love. Abby believes fate has brought her a second chance at happiness - but of course Buddy knows different.

Spurred into action by his acid-tongued, no-nonsense assistant Seth (Johnny Galecki), Buddy tells Abby the truth about his involvement in Greg's death.

Understandably, the relationship hits turbulence and the couple brace themselves for a messy crash landing.

Writer-director Don Roos coats Bounce with sugar and schmaltz, and it could be any other romantic drama, ticking off the cliches on the flight log.

The sole reason for watching the film is for Affleck and Pal-trow playing out their headline-grabbing on-off relationship in front of the cameras.

The frisson between them is palpable from their first meeting, and their unforced chemistry is the film's biggest selling point.

Unfortunately, it also guarantees a soppy, feel-good ending which nullifies any dramatic tension.

Both the leads look great and ply their charm, but they don't have a great deal of emotional meat to get their teeth into.

Affleck's performance barely scratches the surface of his character's all-consuming guilt and Abby's grief at losing her love quickly disappears once he swaggers into the frame.

Pint-size Alex Linz, playing Abby's young son, is drafted in to up the cute factor. But keep a sick bag handy - Bounce will to make you feel nauseous.