Iffy for 14+
Strong cast is best part of tragic romantic drama.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that the subject matter of this romantic drama -- mortality and pining for a lost love -- is profoundly sad. The relationships are complicated, bordering on scandalous (a love triangle between two men and a woman emerges, and one character who's about to be married propositions another on the eve of her wedding), and a thick pall of regret and death hangs over the film, which may be tough for young viewers to process. There's also plenty of drinking and smoking (not unexpected, given the '50s setting), and some cursing (mostly mild, with one notable use of "f--k"). If you're expecting the movie to be just like the book on which it's based, you may be disappointed.
- Families can talk about how the movie presents love and regret. Do your kids think soul mates exist? Families can also discuss the way the film depicts death. Does Ann's long and somewhat tortured goodbye seem like a burden or a blessing to her children? Also, for those who have read Susan Minot's book, why do you think this movie is so different from its inspiration?
The good stuff
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Messages: Enduring friendships, loyalty to family, and familial love are all highlighted. But on the other hand, a woman on the verge of getting married flirts and propositions another man, another woman verbally dresses down a character who's plainly vulnerable, and one man is clearly an alcoholic and indulges in destructive, alcohol-fueled behavior. In the present, characters deal with commitment and other long-unresolved issues.
What to watch for
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Violence: A key character is hit by a car; later, there's a close-up of his bloodied face. A shouting match between two main characters packs a hefty emotional punch.
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Sex: One couple shown in post-sex repose (bare legs and shoulders, but nothing else is visible); a fair amount of kissing. Men and women strip to their underwear before jump off a cliff to the sea below. Two friends make jokes about sex (but in a fairly genteel, 1950s way).
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Language: One significant use of "f--k" otherwise, fairly innocuous, with the occasional "damn."
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Consumerism: Not an issue
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: Lots of drinking. One character is clearly an alcoholic, drinking constantly (often to the point of fall-down-drunkenness) and at all hours. There's also plenty of smoking, in keeping with the '50s setting.
Fan Reviews provided by
5
See it for yourself! by FANtabulous
People will see this movie differently depending on where they are in their lives. I read the reviews here before seeing it, and frankly didn't go with high expectations based on the reviews. BUT...it wasn't slow, it wasn't depressing, and most importantly it is not about DEATH...it's about LIFE! It is thought-provoking, and when a movie still has me thinking about it many hours later, that means it was a success and I most definitely got my money's worth!
5
Evening by orangevalesweetpea
WOW...what a sweeping, nostalgic, incredible movie that was. My wife and I went with another couple, and by 1/4 of the way into it, we were ALL crying. Trust me when I say that anyone who has had an experience like the one in this movie, will be absolutely stunned. It was like someone had told MY life story from a guys point of view, except *I* was Buddy. I highly recomend it to anyone who has loved and lost someone they loved and didnt grab when they had the chance. Go, and enjoy the escapism, and walk away like we all did, with Anne's words ringing..."There are no mistakes"
4
I took my Mother to see this movie by sobercinderella
It was my Mother's 67th Birthday and she choose this movie to see. It was a delightful movie for us to see together. There was romance, adventure, and in some places profound sadness. The story line also touched on some real life points of interest that I think we all at one time or another ask ourselves. How well do I know my mother and an even deeper question.....How well do my children know their Mother. The movie was well acted and directed. I felt the ending could have taken an opportunity for closure. In spite of that we both enjoyed it very much.
5
Breathtaking scenery + great cast + raw emotion = solid chick flick by 1bizzy1
Because of the great cast, I went in with high hopes and came away only mildly disappointed. The plot is not airtight, and it's the kind of movie that was clearly adapted from a book--you want to know more backstory, more about the characters, more that's just not included. But you get some beautiful dialogue, impressive sets/scenery, hunky boys and great costumes for the ride. Take your mother, sister, or best friend to this movie--you will have a big hug at the end. It was very emotionally moving, even as I noted little flaws--a sunny rain scene, woods that were lit up at night by studio lights, a kid that was cast in the movie twice. Sure, the little stuff grates. If nothing else, go see Meryl and Glenn and Clare and Meryl's impressive daughter, Mamie. Clare Dames is luminous, and, frankly, I usually find her cloying. You have been warned it's not perfect, but it's still far, far better than most movies. See it and bring a girlfriend. Your boyfriend/husband will not appreciate it
5
Fabulous!! by Gloria Wildenradt
What a great movie! The cast is comprised of the very best females in cinema - and Claire Danes is especially wonderful! Hugh Dancy is very convincing in his role as well. Hope to see alot more of them on the big screen! The movies set in the 40s and 50s are always a glimpse of a time when women were more gentle, more feminine. Relationships had more romance, This movie is a keeper!
3
Disappointing Evening by mjtermolen
With a powerful cast I expected so much more. This was a predictable, slow moving film. It could have been so much better. What a waste of a talented group of actresses.
5
Honest, emotional portrayal of life's end by Yankee_in_the_south
A moving portrait of relationships -- between mothers and daughters and friends and lovers. Ann Lord (Vanessa Redgrave) looks back at her past from her deathbed to a pivotal relationship in her young life. She wonders if walking away from this relatiionship changed the course of her life for the worse. Meanwhile, her grown daughters(Natasha Richardson and Toni Collette) face their own questions about their life choices as they tend to their mother in her last days. The film is beautiful to watch -- the past story takes place along the coast of Newport Rhode Island -- and the actresses are given plelnty of space to show us why they are so highly regarded. The music adds to the nostalgia and overall beauty. The tempo is a bit slow, and a couple of moments in the film's action seem hard to believe -- Lila (Meryl Streep), Ann's long ago best friend, showing up at Ann's death bed after the two haven't been in touch for years, for example. Overall, an honest portrayal of life's end.
2
It's a feature length cigarette commercial by BettyKa
75% don?t smoke, and those who don?t smoke HATE it. So there are really only two reasons to have almost every character smoking in almost every scene of this movie. Either it is required due to the subject to make it realistic or they want to push the product. Well, I can see no story requirement for the smoking in this movie. Did you know, per NPR, that Chrysler paired $3,000,000 for the movie Sahara to show Mathew driving a Jeep? Clearly they believe that showing actors doing something causes enough people to do the same to be worth a lot of money. I guess all these actresses had to make some kind of Faustian bargain for their success. He?ll be waiting.
2
Soooo disappointing! by lorids
With a cast like this, you'd think this would be a great movie, or at least a good one, but wow, it sure wasn't. I didn't read the book but as a stand alone movie, it was just awful. Cliched dialogue -- and that's being kind -- underdevelopled charcters and plot lines, just a mess. The only one who seemed at all comfortable or natural was Meryl Street. Even Vanessa Regrave couldn't bring anything to this movie. And if Clare Danes is suppose to be the next great movie actress, well, it sure won't be because of this, I thought her performance was flat and phony. Seriously what a mess.