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Home Subscribe About Us Features News Album Reviews Movie Reviews Past Movies Movie Resources Concert Reviews Book Reviews Top 10 Contact Us	The Bucket List Stars: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes and Rob Morrow Director: Rob Reiner Scriptwriter: Justin Zackham Composer: Marc Shaiman Warner Brothers Rating: PG Running Length: 98 minutes The Bucket List---now that is a title for a film. What’s in the bucket? Candy? Money? A hit list? You have guessed it by now, it’s concerned with the phrase, “kick the bucket.” Justin Zackman’s script has two men in their sixties who find they are dying. One persuades the other to write a list of what they want to do in the time left to them. Away they go. What would you do? Part of my list would have something to do with chocolate marshmallow ice cream. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are the stars of this movie. They must have had a wonderful time filming it, as their camaraderie goes to the audience. The film begins with Morgan as a mechanic with a loving wife and family. He has pain and enters the hospital. In the meantime, Jack is a multi-millionaire who owns the hospital and cuts costs by saying, “two people to a room.” Guess what---soon Jack is a patient in his own hospital and his room-mate is Morgan. Eventually, they get along and find they both are terminal, plus end up with the same doctor, Rob Morrow from television’s “Numbers.” What to do? Morgan has a wish list, he calls the “bucket list,” so they decide to do what they want, where they want and how they want until they die, oh, and they use Jack’s money, too. Thus, they avoid Jack’s axiom of “More people die from visitors than illness.” The middle part of the film has the guys sky-diving, auto racing, African safari, visiting the Taj Mahal, mountain climbing and so on, but Morgan’s wife is not part of this, nor is Jack’s estranged daughter. You can take just so much change and then home looks good, so the last part of the film has the men working through their own personalities toward some kind of peace. At least, they have mostly avoided what Jack calls, “The smell of chemo in the morning.” Jack’s assistance, humorously played by Sean Hayes, is an asset in the film. His relationship with Jack is something out of “The Devil Wears Prada.” The Bucket List gives you an idea of what some people would do at the end of their life and with lots of money. This is really a dream wish list, but the fantasy of it is fun. Nicholson and Freeman get into their roles with good timing, witty dialogue and body language that speaks volumes. Sean Hayes connects with them, but no one else need apply. This is a two-man film and director Rob Reiner just lets the guys do their thing. I found The Bucket List to be witty, with the best lines given to Jack, but Morgan’s character does something that irks Jack, too. Morgan’s character is a trivia expert and no one can get the best of him. All Jack Nicholson has to do is lift an eyebrow and you get the message, while Freeman’s stare can stop a buffalo. You wonder why Nicholson and Freeman didn’t do films together before. What a detective team they would have made or a pair of con men (it’s not too late yet, guys.) Copyright 2008 Marie Asner The Bucket List delivers a story that is both heartwarming and uncomfortable. This film deals with several important life subjects and stirs up not only emotion but self examination. Maybe it is the terrific performances by the two main actors. They are so real in their roles that at times I forgot I was watching a movie. These moments are rare in the cinema world but when they happen it brings a whole new dimension to the movie going experience. It is possible that we as humans do not like to be reminded of our mortality and even more so our short comings. So to see them faced, even fictionally, on the big screen by two actors that sell every line, is moving. In the movie, Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) is dying of cancer. He has entered the harsh reality of knowing approximately when he is going to die. He is an intelligent but simple man with grown kids and a wife from whom he has grown apart. A mechanic who skipped his dream of college and worked hard so his kids could have a better life. His room mate at the hospital is also battling a terminal illness. Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) is a man in drastic contrast to Chambers. Three times divorced and with more money than one can imagine. A lifelong business man with everything at his fingertips. He has never given life or others a second thought on his way to the top. And now that he is faced with the end he decides to make the best of it. For himself and Chambers. The Bucket List is an itemization of things you would like to do before you kick the bucket. Chambers has a list and Cole has the money, so off they go. Along the way they experience an understanding for each other and although Cole thinks he is benefiting Chambers he finds out that his life is drastically changed. That is one thing about this film I thought was so meaningful. How the death of a person can actually save the life of another. Also, it was a rude awakening to how fleeting life really is. A few times the characters make reference to how fast time has gone. Maybe the fact that both actors are getting into later years helped them to understand their characters and add to the realness. Also, the film handles the subject of the afterlife nicely without being preachy or one sided. It does so with natural dialogue that doesn't seem scripted or agenda driven. Chambers, the man of faith and hope deals well with Cole's skepticism and refusal to give thought to any form of belief or doctrine. Cole's world is what he has made it and that is all that matters. There is a line where Edward says that he has no faith because he has never been able to wrap his head around it. Carter smiles and in that classic Freeman delivery says, "maybe your head is in the way". Two men. Strangers a week ago. Now bonded together by tragedy. Making the most out of their last days. That is the premise of The Bucket List. But its depth is much larger. It is a stark look at death but with the focus on living. Living each day with joy. The film is rated PG-13 for language, including a sexual reference. Though safe for your teenager this is not the movie for them. I think they would be bored with the subject matter and though there is quite a bit of humor throughout they may find it dull and unable to relate. All other age groups should find meaning in this film and for some it may be the last chance to make your final days count. For others maybe a reminder to live a life of meaning from the start. But everyone will find moments to laugh out loud and moments to quietly reflect. This is a film that is well cast and expertly acted. Rob Reiner directs another classic to add to his list of achievements. I give it a strong 4 out of 5, but only for those ready to deal with the issues within. Matt Mungle 1/08/08 Matt is a member of the North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) and co-hosts a weekly radio feature, The Mungles on Movies, with his wife Cindy. For additional reviews, interview clips and great DVD giveaways, visit the website www.mungleshow.com Review copyright 2008 Mungleshow Productions. Used by Permission.