THE BUCKET LIST

"Now that's gotta go on the list"

Family man Carter Chambers (Freeman) has just been given the worst news any person could hear. Multi-billionaire Edward Cole (Nicholson) has just received the same news and even though he actually owns the hospital, he has to follow his own policy and share his room with Carter. As the pair go through their treatment, they become firm friends but as they are both given the same prognosis, Carter starts to put together his bucket list, a list of things he would like to do before the end. When Edward sees this he decides to add his own wishes to the list and that he and Carter should do everything on it.

Bringing together two of Hollywood's greatest stars to form a screen double act is nothing new but can 'The Bucket List' inject some life into the 'buddy' movie genre?

When Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman and director Rob Reiner join forces to produce a project, film fans are bound to take notice. Add to this a story about two older, terminally ill gentlemen doing everything they wanted to before the final curtain goes down, then you should be in for a comedic and emotional ride. The good news is that the movie succeeds in this but only just.

Rob Reiner has a skill for successfully mixing comedy with a message. Hits like 'When Harry Met Sally', 'Stand By Me' and 'The American President', all dealt with real life issues such as friendship, growing up, death, relationships and responsibility with a comedic core running through them all. 'The Bucket List' tries to do the same and succeeds for the most part but it does throw on the sentiment.

Any film dealing with death, mortality and terminal illness plays more towards melodrama than comedy but the mix for 'The Bucket List' is just about right. We have the drama of the two main characters coming to terms with their impending death and the reaction of their family and friends but then we have the comedy of doing the activities on the list and their enjoyment of the best things that life has to offer, when money is no object. Getting this mix right is a difficult thing and Rob Reiner and his creative team do a decent job but of course, the sentimentally does get all little much by the end.

For a movie like this to work you have to have two strong actors in the leading roles and you can't get any better than Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. Playing family man Carter Chambers, Morgan Freeman continues to create characters that you quickly adhere yourself to. He is the man who has done everything for everyone else his entire, putting himself in last place for the good of his wife and children. Now that he has been given the news of his terminal illness, he wants to have some time to himself and see the things that only Jack's character can provide. This isn't really a challenging role for the veteran actor and as with most of his films, he gets to provide the narration for the piece but it is one that you cannot not help but connect with and feel attached to. There is an argument that in bigger budget movies, Jack Nicholson basically just plays Jack Nicholson and this could be the case for his performance of billionaire Edward Cole. With his trademark exuberance, smile and show-stopping laugh, Jack is just Jack but this shouldn't take anything away from how powerful a screen presence he is and the amount of charisma is exudes in every role he plays.

'The Bucket List' is one of those life-affirming movies that tries to make you look at your own life in a different way. While we all know we should make the most of the time we have got, we don't really need Hollywood to keep telling us to do so. This is an enjoyable romp however, that while it may get a little too sentimental at times, you can not help but like the two main characters and feel what they are going through.

John Mayer Say Music Video
Writing A Bucket List

As Good As It Gets

---

The Usher Home | Hush, Hush... | The Big Story | The Usher Speaks

Stuck @ Home | Coming Soon | Links | Contact the Usher

2008