MovieMantz Review: ‘The Bucket List’

“The Bucket List”
Starring:
Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman
Directed by: Rob Reiner

If I knew that I had just 6 months left to live, and I had to make a list
of all the things that I wanted to do before I died, watching “The
Bucket List” would not be one of them. Granted, I say that now, after I
already spent 97 minutes watching the darn thing, but what can I say —
we all have our regrets.

To be fair, “The Bucket List” is not the
worst movie I’ve ever seen — far from it, actually — but it’s
definitely one of the most calculated and contrived. That’s because it
checks off every life-affirming cliché in the book in an effort to make
it as commercially appealing to older moviegoers as possible. The
problem is, it reeks of manipulation and doesn’t ring true for a New
York minute.

But there’s something to be said about watching
great actors do their thing, even if the “thing” they have to work with
is beneath them. In this case, Oscar-winners Jack Nicholson and Morgan
Freeman perform a minor miracle by making the cheesy screenplay
(written by Justin Zackham) sound better than it really is, and their
“Odd Couple” chemistry is about the only thing the movie has going for
it.

Nicholson plays Edward Cole, a successful healthcare mogul
with a trail of ex-wives, a lavish lifestyle and an affinity for
gourmet coffee. Freeman plays Carter Chambers, a lifelong auto mechanic
with a devoted wife, a big family and an encyclopedic knowledge of
useless information. Both men have nothing in common, except for one
thing — they’re dying.

With the clock ticking away, they decide
to make a “bucket list” — a list of all the things that they want to do
before they “kick the bucket.” Against doctor’s orders, they check out
of the hospital and hit the road for the adventure of a lifetime. But
while crossing items off their list, they gain a deeper understanding
of what really makes life worth living — even if it’s short.

If
that sounds deep, don’t be fooled — “The Bucket List” isn’t that
profound. It isn’t that interesting either, especially during the first
40 minutes, when Nicholson and Freeman are confined to their hospital
room. But when they finally break out for a world tour that takes them
to the South of France, Egypt, India and China, the action picks up —
and so do the “living life to the fullest” clichés.

Jack
Nicholson goes down the surly, sarcastic “Something’s Gotta Give”/“As
Good as it Gets” road yet again, while Morgan Freeman is effectively
endearing as his insightful opposite (complete with his now trademark
voiceover). But Sean Hayes (TV’s “Will & Grace”) barely registers,
since he does nothing to elevate his underdeveloped role as Nicholson’s
punching bag of an assistant.

For a movie that’s supposed to be
about taking chances, “The Bucket List” plays it way too safe. Director
Rob Reiner — who directed “When Harry Met Sally…” and worked with
Nicholson before on “A Few Good Men” — just seems to be coasting along,
and it shows. The characters played by Nicholson and Freeman may be
terminal, but as for the movie itself…well, it’s just terrible.

VERDICT: Skip it!

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