A River Runs Through It (DVD, 1999, Anamorphic Widescreen; Closed Captioned)

The Big Blackfoot River runs through the lives of a Presbyterian minister and father Reverend Maclean(Tom Skerrit) and his two sons Norman (Craig Sheffer) and Paul (Brad Pitt) in this luciously filmed movie in 1910-20s Montana. Brenda Blethlyn plays Mrs. Maclean as a good mother trusting in her husband's wisdom, judgement, and leadership.

Reverend Maclean raises his two sons to love fly fishing. In fact, he even competes with the boys to catch the largest fish on each outing. But first he home schools both boys throughout their childhood and is a strict teacher. He also rhythmically teaches them to fish to the beat of a metronome. Norman is basically a good son, and we learn that he becomes the narrator (Robert Redford) at the end. Paul, however, is not bad, but he fills his life with daring escapades like gambling, dating Indians, chuting the chutes (canoeing over the falls), and fighting. The movie really belongs to Paul as he stays home to become a locally famous fisherman reporter at the newspaper while Norman gets an English degree from Darmouth in Connecticut.

The movie is about Norman's return home one summer to meet his soulmate Jessie Burns (Emily Lloyd) and to spend the summer doing the grown up things that he was too young to do as a boy. It is a Waltons type movie, where family is everything, where friends meet at picnics and twilight gatherings around a gazebo, and on Sunday we are in church. Reverend Maclean is our preacher.

This movie won an Academy Award for Cinematography and was directed and produced by Robert Redford. Brad Pitt's character dominates the movie, but newcomer Craig Scheffer holds his own. You will love it if you love the outdoors and especially if you are a fly fisherman. It is like a scrapbook of a family that we get to view.

Though not an "exact copy" of the book by Norman Maclean's book, Robert Redford does a masterful job of bringing this story to life. Mr. Redford has the best narrative voice available and filming the movie in the rugged beauty of Montana makes this a fantastic movie to watch. Having been a Fly-Fisherman since the age of 8, I can understand the way Norman Maclean's father felt about this most artistic of sportsman pursuits. Of course, being a Fly-Fishing guide at the time (1992 to present), I also noticed a marked increase among those who had seen the movie and wanted to learn how to fly-fish.
This movie deserved the three Oscars it recieved(Best Screenplay Adaptation, Best Music Score, & Best Cinematography) and, I my opinion, it deserved even more. In a time where movies are given rave reviews for shock content or philosophical lifestyle promotion, A River Runs Through It stands out as a beautifull filmed, superbly directed and hauntingly philosophical movie.
It is well worth watching and I recommend it to anyone without reservation.
Chris Kesler, Fly-Fisherman and Practitioner of Classical CHinese Medical Bodywork

Oh, hell yeah...!!! Anything with Brad Pitt's gotta be good. He's such a sweetie. I could watch him fly fish all day and never get bored. Plus there's Montana with all of that beautiful open country... There is a moment in the movie where Brad Pitt's acting ability really shines. He wants to go back and gamble at the speakeasy he and his brother just got kicked out of. He implores his brother to return with him, he says his hands "are on fire", he can "feel it", he knows he is going to "win big". It is at this moment Brad Pitt appears to be absolutely crazy, a victim of gambling sickness. The look on his face is so real you don't know whether to cry for him or run away like hell. It's definately why he gets the big bucks. It is a very fine film. One of those wonderful gems you should see.

Last line of the movie/book gets me every time!!!! Great story i can relate to probably more than any other story!!! Brad pits character IS my sister. This is a rare love story that both men and wemon can enjoy. I dont like love stories but this movie has so much "real life" in it that unless your paying close attention you wont even realize its a love story!!!! The dad in movie is great, Him and the boys both caught fish but his was the biggest. He said "looks like the lord blessed us all today, But he was particularly good to me!" hahahaha

"Buster wants to go fishing!" another one of my favorite lines.

This movie will keep any sportsman, Brad Pitt fan or even anybody else wanting to see more at the end. Somewhat similar to Pitt's 'Legends of the Fall', it portrays two boys relationship with their father and their adventures growing up in early 20th century Montana.