What is the meaning of life? What is its purpose? How might be live our lives to get the most out of them, and to give the most to them? Those are pretty big questions for a movie to try to answer…and I’m not sure that any movie that I know of does that. But some movies make the questions a little more present in our minds, a little more pertinent, and little more poignant.
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I saw a movie on the airplane on the way home from Chicago the other day, and it stopped me in my tracks. I didn’t expect it to be so good. The trailer for the film was horrible, and gave no indication at all of what was coming; it offered not even a glimpse of what was in store…
For this reason, we ignored the film — my beloved and I — when we saw it on the menu of the in-room movies offered at our hotel the night before. We watched that trailer and it gave us the impression that it was a silly, slapstick comedy about nothing, going nowhere…just a make-money-quick vehicle for its stars.
Then, on the airplane, here comes the film again. It was a four-and-a-half-hour flight, so we thought, what the heck…put on our headsets and watched.
Wow.
Don’t miss this film.
First, it is directed by Rob Reiner, and I guess we should have known it was going to be good just from that. Then, it starred Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, two of my favorite actors in the world, and two of the very best in Hollywood. All of this should have recommended it, really, but I’m not kidding about that trailer. It made it look like one of those silly films that you’d just rather not even watch. I mean, give me a good book any time.
But we watched it on the plane. Don’t ask me why we opted for it. We both actually had good books. But the pictures flashed on the overhead screens and I guess we just got caught up in the images, which start out in a hospital…so we put on those headsets and boy, are we glad we did.
The Bucket List is just one of the nicest movies I’ve seen in a long, loooong time. It is simply wonderful. The acting in it is beyond superb, with Freeman and Nicholson coming off so naturally, it’s hard, in places, to think of this as a movie. It’s like watching real people live real life, in many of the not-so-far-out scenes. The dialogue is terrific, too. The film boasts a truly wonderfully crafted screen play. Many of the lines made me laugh and cry at the same time.
And Reiner’s direction is right on the mark. He has a light touch with his actors (with these two, very little dramatic direction must be needed, I would think), and his choice of shots and angles is wonderful. His pacing of the film is also perfect. Slow-fast, then slow, then fast — funny-serious, then funny, then serious again. I felt like Messrs. Reiner, Nicholson, and Freeman were pulling me all over the emotional map. And I was happy to make the journey.
You may have heard about this movie. It’s the story of two older men, occupying the same hospital room, both of whom have been diagnosed with terminal cancer. They’ve each been given months to live. They make a list of the things they’ve always wanted to do — and now really want to do before they “kick the bucket.”
Nicholson’s character has been made insanely rich, to facilitate the plot line. In other words, the two men actually can do the things on their list — including journey all over the world, seeing the pyramids, driving race cars on tracks that have been opened just for them, etc. But it turns out in the end that these adventures, while fun and spectacular, have nothing to do with what the heart and soul seek to achieve before departing the body…
An example of the excellent and clever writing: Nicholson (playing the part of “Edward” to Freeman’s “Carter”) puts on The Bucket List that one of the things he wants to do before he dies is “kiss the most beautiful girl in the world.” The dialogue that follows:
Carter: (chuckling when he sees this on the list) And just how do you think you’ve going to accomplish that?
Edward: (with a wink and a old man’s smile…) Volume.
He actually achieves this goal, and how he does it is the sweetest moment in the film, and one of the sweetest moments in any film anywhere.
When the two men are sitting on a brick wall overlooking the Great Pyramids there is more wonderful dialogue…
Carter: The Egyptian Ancients said that just at the gates of paradise you are asked two questions. They said that your answer to the questions determines whether you get admitted.
Edward: (After a short pause) Okay, I’ll bite. What are they?
Carter: Did you find joy in your life?
Edward doesn’t say anything.
Carter: Well, answer it.
Edward: You want me to answer that?
Carter: Yeah, answer it.
Edward: (After an obvious and questioning mental review of his life) ….Yes. Yes, I did.
Carter: Okay, now the second question. Did your life bring joy to others?
Edward: (Again thinking about it, this time with discomfort) …
Well, actually, I’ll let you watch the movie and hear how this dialogue plays out…and how its playing out affects the movie itself.
Listen, this is a film with a little bit of insight, a little bit of spirituality, and yes, a little bit of schmaltz…but you’re going to love it. You’ve going to love it because it’s a heart-opener, and we all love to feel our hearts opening.
So, if you’re looking for a really good evening, a nice, nice weekend video rental…make some popcorn and sit down and enjoy…
The Bucket List
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