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The subject of death and dying is not a very pleasant subject to talk about.  In the “Bucket List” our lead characters, played by Nicholson as the wealthy billionaire and Freeman as a family man and mechanic, face death head on when both are diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Through the course of the movie, these hospital roommates, become friends.  Friends that learn they must face the fact that they are dying and perhaps some not so “joyful” other things in their lives.  

The concept of the “bucket list” - the list of all the things you want to do before you “kick the bucket” -  is one that Carter (Freeman) shares with Cole (Nicholson) as a college philosophy professor’s exercise to his students.  I seem to recall a similar exercise and my results were actually pretty similar to what Carter remembers.   Money, family, happiness… they are all things that as a college freshman I thought were a long time in coming.  Now on the right side of middle age, my college bucket list is important and certainly has relevance to what and who I am today but I think with life experience there are a lot of other things I think I would add to that list.  Cole and Carter create the list and head off on this world adventure to see and do all the things they wish they could have in their life.  

There is an interesting side plot that I think the movie really glossed over rather poorly.   Carter is a married man and when he finds out he is terminal he makes a choice to spend a portion of his remaining days away from his wife and family doing the things that he wants to do.  I find the way the movie handled this to be very “light” as opposed to how it might play out in real life.

The power of the movie for me was not in the humor, or the very poorly done visits to some of the wonders of the world.  (You would think the digital additions of the pyramids, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, or the African Safari would have been better done.)  The power lies in the message.  If you know that you only have a specific amount of time to live what are the things that you would do in your life… what would be your “bucket list”?   Do you have relationships that need mending?  Places to see?  Experiences that you would like to capture?  Are there mistakes you made that need to be corrected?  When the eulogy is given…what’s going to be said?

While I wouldn’t call the movie “life changing” it is definitely one that I am not disappointed that I shelled out the bucks to view and I will purchase it when it comes out on DVD.  Definitely a thumbs up and a movie that I would wholeheartedly recommend.  

And I can’t help but ask… What’s on your “bucket list”?

I’ll start…   I want to learn to play the piano! 

Maybe we should all start Living Like We Were Dying?    Loading...  

We went and saw this movie the night it was released and I can honestly say that for a sequel they did a pretty good job.  I found it just as entertaining as the first movie and it kept my attention for the full 2 hours.  The plot was a bit predictable and seemed a bit forced so they could create the “feel good” love stories (yes plural) in and amongst the treasure hunt.

Not knowing much about the detailed history of the time, the story is certainly plausible but in this day and age I’d also have to throw in “not likely”.  This is a movie after all, fiction, designed for entertainment.  Far fetched at times, but yes…entertaining.

So…I’m giving it a thumbs up, 4.5 out of 5 rating.  If you like Nicholas Cage, like some adventure, like a sappy bit of romance then this one should be added to your must see list.

I’m predicting a National Treasure III… Maybe we will be able to find out what is on page 47.