The Bucket List

For the finale of “Jack Nicholson Month Part 2,” I will review “The Bucket List,” released in 2007.

The paths of cancer-patients Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) would never have encountered, if they weren’t in the same hospital with serious rules, two patients per room policy. The former is a billionaire businessman who owns the hospital, could easily have asked for a private room. However, cancer has taken its toll on him, and he sees that he is stuck in bed next to an auto mechanic.

Honestly, their difference in their jobs doesn’t mean anything currently, seeing how they’re both cancer patients, grouchy and have been told the same sad news of living for less than a year. Kam Williams said in his review, “The commiserating curmudgeons soon discover that they also share an aversion to the idea of just resigning themselves to their fates and slowly wasting away attached to tubes, monitors and hi-tech machines.”

Planning to die in their own ways rather than let cancer take them, they start writing a “Bucket List” of things they want to do before passing away. Writing down their wildest imaginations, they write down everything from getting tattoos to visiting the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal to car racing and skydiving to climbing the Himalayan Mountains to finding the perfect woman to joining the proverbial Mile High Club while cruising at 30,000 feet in the air on Edward’s private jet.

Sadly, Ed only has one visitor in the hospital, his respectful, glass-wearing assistant, Thomas, played by Jack McFarland from NBC’s “Will & Grace,” Sean Hayes, means that the rich old man basically has no friends and can do whatever he wants. However, Carter, a devoted family man, has the wishes of his wife of 47 years (Beverly Todd) and three focused children (Alfonso Freeman, Brian Copeland and Serena Reeder) to consider. Williams stated, “However, once well-heeled Edward offers to foot the entire bill for their hedonistic getaway, Carter can’t resist the chance to spend his waning days doing everything he ever dreamed of.”

They decide to ignore their doctors’ orders, they decide to go off on their “Bucket List” adventures with the help of Thomas who handles the arrangements at each airport of call. As the courageous gradually check off everything on their checklist, they reminisce, philosophize, and above everything else, misbehave.

Here you have the story to “The Bucket List,” a surprisingly lighthearted film for such a sad theme. Directed by Rob Reiner, the movie co-starts Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in roles they’ve basically embodied. Williams said, “Nicholson steals the show as that bombastic bon vivant we’ve all come to adore, opposite Freeman’s equally-endearing portrayal of a wizened sage wise beyond his years.”

The only problem in this else bubbly friend adventure’s medicine comes when Carter is shortly tempted to cheat on his wife with a ready-and-willing, seductive woman, played by Rowena King. There’s nothing to worry about. Williams jokes, “When was the last time you saw Morgan Freeman touch a woman in a movie who wasn’t dead?”

A feel-good, before dying movie that manages to go beyond its sad subject-matter and surprisingly lifts your spirits.

I know that this film may not be a good film, but it will leave you with a good feeling after seeing it. You have grandparents, and even your parents can watch this with you, definitely see this film. It’s a good film that I feel was unjustly hated.

Well that concludes “Jack Nicholson Month Part 2.” I hope everyone enjoyed my additional reviews on Jack Nicholson movies and I hope I made good recommendations. Stay tuned next month for more reviews coming right at you.