The Bucket List (Blu-ray Disc, 2008)

Although this movie is portrayed as a comedy, the overall tone of the film is much more serious- even heartwrenching at times. The acting of Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman is STUPENDOUS- and you should definitely be prepared to shed some tears.

Carter (Freeman) and Edward (Nicholson) become friends when they are forced to share a room in the hospital's cancer wing. Although they are polar opposites- Carter has lived frugally and Edward is a millionaire, Carter is mild mannered and Edward is harsh... thier common experience battling cancer brings them together, as they reflect on the lives they have lived and discuss thier dreams for the future. But when they each receive the news that thier illnesses are terminal they decide to create the bucket list- a list of what each hopes to accomplish before they die. At once they decide to leave the hospital behind and travel all around the world to accomplish the items on thier list, all the while dealing with the question of mortality.

Although I refuse to divulge how this movie ends, I will tell you that it allows for a full resolution and a feeling of satisfaction that is sometimes missing when a film of this nature ends too quickly. Not the case here. And the very last line will definitely make you smile :)

It's true that "our lives are stream flowing into the same river toward whatever heaven lies in the mist beyond the falls. Close you eyes and let the waters take you home." This quote came directly from the film by Morgan Freeman's character as he narrates along parts of the movie about his feelings towards his life and about his new found friend.

Although Freeman's character had a wife and family in the film, it really didn't seem to matter about the time he had left to spend with them, he wanted something different for once out of his experience.

Although we get the idea from the beginning that Jack Nicholson was a bitter and frustrated individual who thought money could buy happiness, we find later that his heart had been cold to many important things in life such as his relationship with his daughter.

Here, we find to aging men who up until know, have led quite different lives, but, when faced with their own mortality, become good friends and decide that they will try and complete a bucket list. The list consists of things they both wanted to do before they died. One item on the list was skydiving. Another was to see something majestic. Another was to help a total stranger.

This film is a real downer most of the film, but has a fantastic lesson to teach us all about life. The most important message about this film to me was, that we all must work hard to find the Joy in our lives.

I'm going to give this film a 4/5 for its wit, zeal, and tackling spiritual issues that everyone could benefit from coming to grips with.

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I have always been a Morgan Freeman fan but never a Jack Nicholson fan. In this movie I absolutely adored both men and the characters they play. The story line is a very tough thing to deal with and is all too common in our world. I don't think there is anyone who has not been touched in some way by cancer. The story line brought it home but it was done in such a way as not to be offensive or overpowering. I truly did laugh and cry watching this movie. It goes right up to the top of my list of favorite movies and is in good company with the likes of The Notebook, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Lake House etc. I'm very happy to own this movie and I'm sure I'll watch it many more times over the years.

I was very disappointed with this movie. I figured with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman I couldn't go wrong. Well.....I was wrong! The movie was bad from the very beginning. It was probably one of the the slowest movies I have ever seen. There wasn't even an "action" scene until about an hour into the movie. As for the special effects, they were far from special. Actually, there were down right horrendous . It was obvious that everything was done using green-screen technology and when they showed a beach scene with a boat in the water, the waves, the boat, and the clouds stood still. Come on now, they used a still photo for that scene! Well, I can go on forever with this movie review, but writing a "short review" for this horrible film was actually on my own personal Bucket List! Check!...(Done)....Next!

Great movie kept me glued to my seat. Everyone should be fortunate enough to have such a fantastic friend when going through life's trials and tribulations. Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson were excellent in this flm. I would like to see more movies featuring both of them.