Finding the Joy
posted on Wednesday, February 06, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Bucket List isn’t the deepest or most original movie out there today. In critical terms, it’s a schmaltzy piece of work that sacrifices story for sentimentality. But at the end of the day, it’s just a film with a lot of heart, buoyed by the strength of its two leads. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in buddy film together; that may be all some people need. Carter and Edward are two old men who form a friendship while sharing a hospital room. They are opposites: Carter’s the hardworking family man who’s never had the chance to live out his dreams, while Ed is a multiple-divorcee who has too much money to count. When they’re told that they only have a few more months to live, they decide to accomplish a bucket list: a list of things they want to do before they die.
It’s a pretty simple concept, one that provides for some pretty good dramatic possibilities. For the most part, the film makes good use of that list, giving the audience a lot of great little moments. I’m unsure if these moments could have worked if it weren’t Nicholson and Freeman who were doing all those things, but that hardly seems to matter now. The story does rush to its conclusion though, and while the story is ultimately satisfying, it seems strange that it would give so much time watching these two men race cars, while scrimping on the most important character moment of the film.
Rob Reiner has had a pretty long career in Hollywood, and he does know how to make a film. The old men visit a lot of fascinating places in this film, and Reiner gives us some pretty stunning views of them. The film is shot with a veteran’s eye, picking up a little more than what is usually given. There are a few pacing problems, but overall, this is a solid, well-made film.
But the film really rests on the shoulders of the two main actors. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are two of the greatest actors America has ever produced, and in this film, they truly elevate the material. Honestly, I could go on about story flaws and weak dialogue and whatnot, but these two make you forget about all that. They have a profound screen presence together, and they make the film entirely watchable. They just do what they do best, and it’s great.
Sentimentality isn’t very highly prized by critics, myself included. Sentiment is often too easy, and a lot of filmmakers try to get away with making subpar films by glossing over their flaws with a healthy dollop of cheap sentiment. But The Bucket List earns its sentiment, if nothing else, by sticking two great actors together. Nicholson and Freeman inject so much pathos into their characters that sometimes, the tug on your heartstrings feels genuine. It won’t win any prizes, but The Bucket List makes for good, life-affirming viewing.
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