This film is about love. It is not about sex, it is not about gay cowboys, it is not about gay cowboys having sex. To a heart wrenching love story told by incredibly talented actors, add in the most beautiful scenery imaginable, and you've got this epic film worth the time to watch over and over.
The real "Best Picture" of 1997 delivers amazing acting by the fabulous cast. The labyrinthine plot, derived so cleverly from the complex novel, all comes together quite nicely.
Some people assume that this movie was a rip-off of Back to the Future, but they really share nothing other than the premise that someone from the 80's goes back in time a few decades. Peggy Sue gets to revisit her own youth as she tries to makes sense of her life and choices in the 25 years since she graduated. This movie is all about memories and things we forget with the time-travel (or is it?) thrown in as a clever plot device.
This is a bit of a fluff film, yeah, but it is well made fluff. Jennifer Garner is believable as a kid in a grown-up's body and Mark Ruffalo is just plain adorable.
This film works at several different levels. On the surface, it is funny and fun. Without taking away from any of that fabulousness, what we learn about the three leads and what they learn about themselves makes this the excellent film it is.