Wednesday, December 12, 2007

The Bucket List (Review)

Rob Reiner does a damned fine job of channeling former brother-in-law Gary Marshall in this flick. Its an overly sentimental, manipulative and predictable story. But the timing and performances from Nicholson and Freeman make this holiday feel-good fluff worth a look.

As anyone can see from the trailers, Nicholson plays a wealthy hospital corporation owner who gets sick and ends up in one of his own hospitals in a room with Freeman. They are both sick, form a bond and decide to do everything they ever wanted to do with the months the doctors give them.

There are the typical life lessons that one teaches the other and both characters have enough depth for you to invest in their happiness. The funny parts are great (Nicholson is the joker while Freeman plays the straight man as expected). While there is a whole lot in the film to be cynical about if you just take it for what it is, an enjoyable way to spend 2 hrs and you leave feeling just fine... though not worthy of lengthy review.

B (How this made NBR's Top 10 of the year I have no idea)

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