by Thomas Ferguson

Seniors are doing it for themselves. As we all know, Hollywood seems to be all about youth. It sure is refreshing to see people over sixty getting lead roles. Lead roles that refuse to depict them as feeble or helpless. The latest Rob Reiner comedy The Bucket List is all about two golden guys who learn they are about to die. Instead of retreating and giving up, these two mavericks decide to go down in a blaze of glory.

Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) is a filthy rich corporate billionaire who finds out that he has terminal cancer. His hospital roommate Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) is a history obsessed mechanic who learns he suffers the same fate.

The two dying men develop a friendship and decide to make the most of the rest of their lives. They comprise a “bucket list”. A list of all the things they want to do before they kick the bucket. They forgo experimental cancer treatments and go on a road trip around the world, taking in all the beauty that life has to offer.

Along the way, they discover more about themselves; each other, and more importantly, they re-discover what is most important in life…family.

Going into this movie I thought, how can they make this subject matter funny? Well, they tried, but came up a little short. The jokes were stale and done many times before. I found myself smiling a couple of times, but only one laugh-out-loud moment for me. I saw this with an audience of predominately older people and they seemed to laugh a lot more than I did.  This movie is definitely a movie for older audiences.

Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman were wonderful together and that comes as no surprise. These two men are acting gods and to see them on screen together was a true delight. Unfortunately, the script itself did not measure up to the talent on screen.

There were a couple of supporting roles that garner attention. Will and Grace’s Sean Hayes was memorable as Edward’s unappreciated personal assistant. Not to mention, Beverly Todd (Lean on Me) who beautifully plays Carter’s patient wife. She doesn’t know why her husband needs this road trip.  She believes he should be at home with his family.

I truly enjoyed the ending of this movie. It was so profound and so beautiful. It made up for the script’s fluffy middle…Bring your tissues.