The Bucket List (2008)

O Masterpiece
O Excellent
O Rental
X OK
O Mediocrity
O Avoid

Review by Jason Pyles / January 22, 2008

Recently, I saw my favorite commercial of all time … yes, all time. It depicts an old man in a nursing home. One of the caretakers offers him a Coca-Cola, which he decides to try for the first time in his life. Upon tasting the beverage, he is evidently delighted. Then he says something like, “Wonder what else I haven’t tried?” Next we see a montage of the old man engaging in all kinds of thrill-seeking activities, having the time of his life. Never has a commercial made me so happy; it even brings tears.

“The Bucket List,” which is essentially the same idea, runs 97 minutes and fails to pack the punch that the 60-second Coke commercial has. What went wrong?

Jack Nicholson plays Edward Cole, an obscenely rich hospital owner who learns he has cancer. Morgan Freeman is Carter Chambers, a trivia savvy mechanic and family man who also has cancer. The two meet as hospital roommates and become fast friends. During their stay, the two make a list of everything they’d like to accomplish before they “kick the bucket,” hence the name; and they set out to achieve their goals together.

These quests give us Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman engaging in daredevil and rebellious-teenager acts, as well as traveling around the globe, seeing some of the world’s most famous places and waxing philosophical about the frailty and time restraints of mortality.

But “The Bucket List” goes wrong in three ways: First, we don’t really believe that Carter, the family man, would spend precious remaining days doing these things with a guy he just met, instead of his loved ones. And Edward isn’t the kind of character that would commit himself to such a friendship; he’s crusty, crotchety and self-absorbed.

Second, many of the things they choose to do are rather cliché: sky diving. How much better it could have been if the entire list were quirky, creative ideas, instead of Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying” lyrics.

And third, even though we don’t love these characters, we like them well enough, especially Carter. Yet, the somber overtones fill the movie with dread because these two are suffering and dying with cancer, and we (and they) remember that the entire time, but especially during the first, weighty 20 minutes.

Even so, a couple moments in “The Bucket List” ring true, specifically two remarkable scenes (that I won’t describe) which illustrate how the simplest things in life are the most precious, by far outweighing any extravagant experience that money can buy.

“The Bucket List” is somewhat touching, but not as touching as you’re hoping. Indeed, it’s more of a downer. I wouldn’t pay theater dollars to see it; and I barely recommend it as a rental. “The Bucket List” is just OK, especially when compared to Coke commercials.

Directed by Rob Reiner
Jack Nicholson / Morgan Freeman / Sean Hayes
Comedy / Drama 97 min
MPAA: PG-13 (for language, including a sexual reference)

U.S. Release Date: January 11 , 2008
Copyright 2008: 221