The Bucket List

No Such Turn As Wrong

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The only way to captivate an audience's blind attention more profoundly than introducing an actor-giant is: introduce TWO of them, and see if anyone can resist. While - usually successful - attempts to blow us away via the ruthless utilization of character pairs are almost as old as motion picture itself, - Laurel and Hardy, Kommissar Derrick, Tango & Cash, K.I.T.T. and The Hoff!, Arnold and Danny, you name it - writer Justin Zackham comes up with a story that is absolutely tailor made for the archetype-characters of Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson.

The most notable aspect of this tale and the fluent movie output Rob Reiner directed upon it is the sheer simplicity the buildup develops with - though sometimes a story needs quite immense of a startup boost to unravel itself with such elegant ease and coherency. How about the start The Bucket List introduces? Both characters suffer from terminal illness, and have but months back from their lives. They decide to compose a list of all the things they are most longing for, and sure, they make a serious run for them prior to death's imminent arrival.

The Bucket List is a crystal clear movie, one which fortunately does not pose interest towards judging/reforming inner realities, rather it wisely reckons it's two main characters strong and relevant enough to deliver subtle, yet quite significant spiritual outputs via the dialogs the protagonists are having. Worry not though, as the narratively spoken words by Freeman's character are setting the score precisely in place in case you would have any doubts at any given time about the correct/intended interpretation. I did not mention this latter notion to imply that the movie would have a persistent urge to get it's messages through, those personal conclusions made by Freeman's figure do add to the content, enriching the result further via the sane, very mature stances Morgan seeks and eventually finds while death's eyes are set upon him superclosely.



It would be not correct to regard The Bucket List as "just a serious movie", though - while regarding it as just the "hilarious comedy" it similarly is - would be even bigger of a flaw. Writer, director, actors all recognized the endless stream of character comedy ready to get utilized here, thus it is used thoroughly, giving us exceptionally well placed moments and dialogs you would anticipate from the "grouchy-type" Nicholson and a calmer, but very wise and highly analytical Freeman. Both actors have the liberty to render and unleash the natural emotional channels and intellectual driving factors they are operating on, I think it is safe to say that you are not witnessing two "roles" dealing with imminent death, you indeed witness Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson dealing with it. Not many persons have the stupendous, natural canvas presence enough to make noticeable efforts at acting a redundant action to perform, yet these two actors are such, without a doubt. They shine brilliantly in The Bucket List, and do so through the natural, familiar archetype forms we recognize and massively appreciate them of.

The friendship developing between them is very easy to relate to, as initially they are as far away from each other as you could possibly conceive, - Freeman is terminally ill, and ends up in Nicholson's OWN hospital, an institution in which the proprietor has to share his room with ANOTHER patient, bah!, what NONSENSE! - yet that bizarre bond of mutual shadow of death they are standing in serves them with an immediate urge to account on every aspect of existence they can and willing to think of - soon standing welcomely free and deprived of the walls of taboo usually surrounding these kinds of lamentations. They arrive at a point where they grow quite eager to hear out the other man's output on the subject, a subject only someone who is in death's closest vicinity is entitled to have a truly legit, accountable opinion on. Through the execution of the listed actions they are gradually opening up, developing a more sophisticated/mature stance towards death as their fresh stances have the elements of the other man's way of looking at life and stuff related, too.

Of course both characters are having their most significant, though seemingly superfragile wishes waiting to be fulfilled, cautious, slippery aspirations to generate clever, layered conflicts between the two men in the climax portion of the buildup - though whether these wishes could be fulfilled should remain the answer one needs to check The Bucket List out for. One will find the answer in that bucket.


- Having a good time??
- Kinna. That shape is in me view though.

A very straightforward, solid narrative buildup is established and fluently presented in The Bucket List, making it an effort not worth missing out on. Rob Reiner's latest delivery is a relatively rare kind of addition to present day motion picture, mixing the elements of quality character comedy with legit, serious spiritual drama. The best aspect of the flick remains it's uncompromised approach of taking both directions it relies on quite seriously, thus it succeeds considerably at unleashing top notch content and efficiency on you via both channels.

Not many would possibly think that a motion picture with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in it could go sour - and it could not, indeed. Rather it chose to turn out extrasweet, making it the easiest, safest recommendation to date in this year. A very pleasant surprise to the early segment of 2008 - check it, and remember it.

ONE thing is STILL bugging me, though:

Listen to Morgan Freeman's narrative thoughts.
Heck, am I the only one to think it is the not-in-helmet-mode
Darth Vader speaking when Morgan Freeman is speaking?

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