The Bucket List

PLOT:

Blue-collar mechanic Carter Chambers (Freeman) and billionaire hospital magnate Edward Cole (Nicholson) meet for the first time in the hospital after both have been diagnosed with cancer. They become friends as they undergo their respective treatments. Carter is a gifted amateur historian and family man who had wanted to become a history professor, but in his youth had been “broke, black, and with a baby on the way” and thus never rose above his job at the McCreath body shop. Edward is a four-times-divorced corporate tycoon and eccentric loner who enjoys nothing more than tormenting his personal valet/servant, Matthew (Hayes), whom he calls Thomas. He quickly befriends Carter, making Matthew serve Carter as well as him and ordering his doctor (Morrow) to familiarise himself with Carter’s health.

Both are diagnosed with a year or less to live. Carter begins writing a “bucket list,” or things to do before he “kicks the bucket.” After hearing he has less than a year to live, Carter wads it up and tosses it on the floor. Matthew comes in the next morning and picks it up with other things that are on the floor. Edward finds it among the items and reads it. Edward pushes Carter (by suggesting he add things like seeing the world, skydiving, “fun things,” etc.), and promises to finance the trip. Despite the protests of his wife, Virginia (Todd), Carter eagerly agrees.

The pair then begin an around-the-world vacation, embarking on race car driving, skydiving, climbing the Pyramids, and going on lion safari in Africa. Along the way, they discuss faith and family, and learn from each other that Carter has long been feeling less in love with his wife and that Edward is deeply hurt by his estrangement with his only daughter, who disowned him after he sent some people to “take care of” her abusive husband.

In Hong Kong, Edward hires a prostitute (Rowena King) for Carter, who has never had sex with any other woman than his wife; but Carter declines, finding that the love he had for his wife is still strong. He asks to return home, and in gratitude for helping him, he tries to reunite Edward with his daughter. Edward lacks the courage to face her, however. He angrily storms off, and Carter returns home to his wife, children, and grandchildren.

The family reunion is short-lived. In the preparation for a romantic interlude with his wife, Carter suffers a seizure and is rushed to the hospital. The cancer has spread to his brain. Edward, who is now in complete remission, visits him there, and they share a few moments together, where Carter reveals the origin of the “world’s most rare coffee” (Kopi Luwak), along with the factors that contribute to its unique aroma and taste. They share a good laugh, and Carter crosses off “laugh till I cry” and insists Edward finish the list without him. Carter then goes into surgery, but the procedure is unsuccessful, and he dies on the table.

Edward delivers a eulogy at his funeral, explaining that he and Carter had been complete strangers mere months before his death, but that the last three months of Carter’s life were the best three months of his (Edward’s) life. He then crosses “help a complete stranger for a common good” off the list. This list item was one that Carter added. Edward says Carter had helped him (Edward), a complete stranger, with Carter knowing it before he (Edward) did. We see Edward finally attempt to reconcile with his daughter. Much to his surprise and joy, she not only accepts him back into her life but also introduces him to the granddaughter he never knew he had. After greeting his granddaughter with a kiss on the cheek, Edward crosses “kiss the most beautiful girl in the world” off the list.

Edward goes on to live to 81 years of age. When he finally passes away, he has his ashes, which were placed inside a Chock full o’ Nuts coffee can, placed alongside Carter’s (also in the same type of can) on the top of Mount Everest, which Carter (who has been narrating the film) mentions that Edward would have liked, as it was against the law. Matthew does this, and as he does so, crosses off the last item on the Bucket List (“witness something truly majestic”) and places it with them. He closes the small black box and reburies it in the snow. This closing makes it unclear whether Carter’s ashes initially arrived during a trip made by Edward or at Edward’s behest.

REVIEW:

I had the opportunity to watch this with my girlfriend this afternoon as I’m sick as a dog and feel as if I need to be making out my own “bucket lsit.” She said the film was rather depressing. As for me, maybe I’m heartless, but I didn’t feel the same way. Yes, it ended on somewhat of a sad note, but you kind of get the idea that its going to when you decide to watch the film initially, not to mention the opening narration kind of hints that way.

Morgan Freeman always delivers in every role I’ve seen him in. This was no exception. I will admit, though that it was hard to see a man who had played God on his death bed.

Jack Nicholson, like Freeman, has never really had a bad role. My favorite is his turn as The Joker in Batman.This role finds him as a Scrooge-esqu type of billionaire who needs to see the error of his ways before its too late, and he really gets into it, not to mention add that Jack-ness to it.

Speaking of Jack, Sean Hayes (Jack from Will & Grace) is actually pretty good in his role as the assistant, complete with smart-ass remarks. Freeman and Nicholson may be the focal point of the film, but Hayes gives just as important a performance.

I really like the concept of the bucket list. Perhaps I shuld make one myself before I kick he bucket. Of course, I’d need to find a rich roommate/friend to help me get them all done, but anything’s possible, right?

The funniest scenes of the film are when they are about to skydive and on the race track. Both scenes really lighten the mood of the film and show that these actors do have a sense of humor.

When I first saw the trailer for this film and saw Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in a movie about two guys dying, I was thinking that I wanted to stay away from this “artsy-fartsy” film. However, turns out that this is a bit of a comedy, and quite the enjoyable film. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as well.

4 out of 5 stars