“The Bucket List”, Rob Reiner’s movie (Rumor Has It) about
old men getting their last wishes, is a good, simple movie, without any edge to
it.
One would say that the storyline is not original as many of
us have seen it in other movies and TV series, better or worst.
The movie has two academy award winners playing in it so
this should at least draw some attention.
Jack Nicholson (“One Flew Over the Cuckoos’ Nest”) and
Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) play the roles of two elderly man who
happen to discover they both suffer from cancer in terminal phase and end up in
the same hospital room.
Nicholson plays Edward Cole, an arrogant businessman who
drove away his family a long time ago. His only close relationship is with his
assistant, played very nicely by Sean Hayes (”Will and Grace”). Cole owns
hospitals and comes to a decision to cut costs in hospitals so he says that a
room will have to be shared by two people, without any exception.
So as what goes around comes around when the time comes and he
receives the diagnose and has the operation, he has to share a room with
Freeman’s Carter Chambers and endure together with him the chemo sessions.
Chambers on the other hand is a mechanic, and an aspiring
history professor. He was forced to give up his dream because his wife was
expecting his child.
Even though Chambers missed his career as a historian and
still answers Jeopardy questions ahead of the contestants, he has something
that Nicholson’s character lacks: a family.
Cole on the other hand is alone and has a history of
divorces.
Both receive the same diagnose prediction: almost six moths
to live.
As you probably imagine the first encounters between the two
are full of poking, bickering, and they seem that they hate each other.
Still, they cross the gap between them when Chamber brings
the “bucket list” as in the things they have to do before they kick the bucket.
Among the things Chamber wants to do before he dies are to
“help a perfect stranger” and to drive a Mustang Shelby.
Cole is attracted by the idea and adds a few things to the
list like to get himself a tattoo and go sky diving. So with him on board
Chamber doesn’t need to worry anymore about the material part and gets to do the
things he always wanted to do.
We get to see the two men going on a trip around the world
in Cole’s private jet from the pyramids, to Taj Mahal in India, to dinner in France,
racing in classic cars, safari in Africa to driving a motorcycle on the Great Wall of China.
Of course along the way the two get to discuss about some
important things in their life, and that’s how Chambers gets the idea of getting
Cole back together with his estranged daughter. Also he wants to free himself a
little from his long marriage.
With the script written by Justin Zackman, “The Bucket List”
received mixed critics in the U.S.
Amy Biancolli wrote for the Houston Chronicle: “Hollywood should
release more films like The Bucket List.
It should make more movies about death, cancer and old folks jumping out of
planes. And should cast Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson in every single one.
But The Bucket
List has a few things going for it, the first two being those
marvelous coots in the leads.”
“Mainly, though, the movie is maudlin
and false, and yet Nicholson and Freeman are neither. They're grounded and
connected, playing off each other, enjoying the other's artistry and company,”
wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle
Mick
LaSalle.
The
movie will be released in the U. S on January 11.
Movie Type: Action/Adventure, Drama
MPAA Rating: PG-13; for language, including a sexual
reference
Running Time: 97 minutes
Directed By: Rob Reiner
Cast: Hugh B. Holub, Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Rob
Morrow, Sean Hayes
Written By: Justin Zackham
Released: Jan 11, 2008 (Nationwide)
