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An Unfinished Life
Directed by: Lasse Hallstrom
Starring: Robert Redford
Genre:
Drama
Run Times: 108 min.
Release Date: September 2005
On The Web:
Official Foreign Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Two cowboys caring for each other in a beautiful landscape. No, this is
not BROKEBACK
MOUNTAIN. AN UNFINISHED LIFE gives us a story about two
men (Robert Redford as Einar and Morgan Freeman as Mitch), and the
examination of a loving relationship between friends, men who care for
each other in a profound way …but it's much more than that.
This story begins with Einar's daughter-in-law, Jean (Jennifer Lopez),
coming back to live on Einar and Mitch's Wyoming ranch. Einar's son
(Jean's husband) was killed several years ago during a car accident in
which Jean was the driver. Much guilt lay between Einar and his former
daughter-in-law. But when Jean arrives at the ranch, in tow she has her
daughter Griff (Becca Gardner), the granddaughter Einar never knew about. Bruised and
battered from an abusive relationship, Jean hopes she'll find some
respite in the only place she has left to go.
Daughter/granddaughter Griff is a well-behaved young
girl who helps soften the blow of their unexpected arrival at the
Wyoming ranch. She looks a lot like Einar's dead son, apparently. Griff
slowly enters Einar's life and we see a tempering of emotions.
Mitch (Morgan Freeman, WANTED) is a long-time friend and cowhand of Einar's. He
was also recently mauled by a grizzly and needs a lot of care …which
Einar provides. This is the love story, but a heterosexual one, a love
story of two men who care deeply for one another as if they were kin.
Einar helps Mitch bathe, gives him his pain medication injections, helps
him walk to chairs and outside occasionally, and cleans his bed. This is
the softer side of Einar that the audience sees and we know it will
emerge once Griff and Jean get further into his life.
Then there's the grizzly. The bear that attacked Mitch still roams the
ranch, and Mitch feels a certain connection with it. The mauling has
left scars on the outside of his body as well as the inside. Mitch won't
let go of the bear and asks Einar to do several things for him ("Feed
the bear" "Take me to see it"). The bear becomes a metaphor for the
unfinished lives of all the characters in the movie, Mitch's life being
the one that's come closest to being finished.
The other main character – which we never see – is Einar's son who
happens to be buried on the property. Einar visits the grave often and
speaks in hushed tones to the headstone. It is here, in these quiet
moments, that we come to understand how the ending of this one young
man's life ended up stopping everyone else's. Jean's (his wife) life
stopped because of her guilt over the car accident in which she was the
driver. Einar for losing his one and only son whom he felt he should've
protected. Mitch for allowing Einar to sink into this fit of despair.
And Griff for allowing her mother to remain in an abusive relationship
too long.
But once the family comes together, their disjointed nature takes on a
sense of meaning for all of them, and their lives again move forward.
Robert Redford plays his best role to date as the curmudgeon cowboy who
doesn't forgive easily but has a loving nature tucked deep down inside.
His grumbled comments fit in perfectly with his embittered character.
Morgan Freeman is just Morgan Freeman. But he's such a powerful presence
on screen that it's tough not to enjoy every word he speaks and every
mannerism. His scarred body and relationship with the bear make for some
very powerful moments.
Jennifer Lopez pulls in her best performance. Her interactions with Mr.
Redford were strong enough to make me understand why her rough life led
her back to such an uncomfortable spot on the ranch.
Many viewers may not like An Unfinished Life because of its slow pace,
its common themes and its lack of action. This is a family story that
delves deep into the meaning of letting life continue and how to allow
healing in a time when it seems impossible.
It's a great character movie with some of the more notable performances
in a dramatic role that I've seen in quite a while.
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Image from An Unfinished
Life
DVD cost: $9.99
Purchase:
Tower.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
In Mitch Bradley's (Morgan
Freeman) house there's a painted portrait of a black Civil War Union
sergeant on the wall. Freeman played Civil War Union Sergeant-Major John
Rawlins in Glory (1989).
Movie Quote: "Yeah.
I got so high, Einar. I could see where the blue turns to black. From up
there, you can see all there is. And it looked like there was a reason
for everything."
Other Actors/Actresses
from An Unfinished Life
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