Griffin & Phoenix

I enjoyed this movie a lot. I don't have much to add about the movie itself which other reviewers haven't covered already; I'm doing a review only because of the polarity of the existing reviews. Most are 8-10 stars; a few are 1 star. Nothing much in between. Well...

There are a few points where we can criticize the plot or the editing for not showing this or that. OK. If that bothers you then you should ding it a point or two for those failures. However, it's absurd to rate this a 1/10 for that. The reviews saying this is the worst rom-com ever, etc., are nonsense. The characters, however incomplete their depiction might be within what is in this film, are warm and sympathetic -- and flawed. Yes, they are imperfect people, and some of their own choices have created some of their problems. Perhaps the movie should have spent more time pointing that out and making it a more central element of the storytelling? You think that would make it a good film, from 1 star to... what? Mulroney and Peet give excellent performances here and they have good on-screen chemistry. The things which are shown tell a story, and it's a story worth seeing. It's not the whole story of either of their lives, but hello, this is one movie. Get real.

I don't think "Griffin and Phoenix" quite rates the 10 that many are giving it, because it does have a few flaws, but IMO those flaws are secondary to the high quality of what is shown and of what we feel with these two suffering lovers. There is a lot of success here. Don't let the boo-birds distract you from the treasure.

I'll close by saying that I've been a fan of Amanda Peet for a long time, and she's as good here as in anything I've seen from her. Those beautiful eyes of hers are so expressive; she doesn't have to work too hard to hook me in, but it's nice when she does anyway. :-)

This is about two people who needed each other in life and found love. It's always a great reminder that it's always good to love in life regardless of certain situations. The two leads in this movie are great actors. They made this movie enjoyable to watch.

Great actors!! I loved the plot! It made you think about life and death!! Great movie!!

I feel that this movie has not gotten the credit it deserves. I saw it at the Toronto film festival and was blown away by its thoughtful plot and realism. It's character relationship is unmatched in many films I see today and its capacity to deal with cancer in a real and supportive fashion should be commended. This is a love story of our era and one that all should see.

The director was able to take a difficult subject and turn it into a light hearted, real story that allowed the audience to both feel the characters frustration, upset and sorrow as well as laugh and understand their humanity.

Amanda

GRIFFIN & PHOENIX is a quiet little made for television film that touches the vulnerable heart. Originally written in 1976 as a television film by John Hill, this thirty-years-later version holds up well, and the fact that audiences will still opt for sensitive stories that treat difficult topics in a mature manner, adding warmly humorous touches to a potentially maudlin idea, speaks well for our continuing tastes.

From the opening frames of the film we learn that Griffin (Dermot Mulroney) has inoperable cancer: his frank and compassionate physician (Lois Smith) aligns him with reality. Griffin is a divorced father of two boys and his first attempt to find meaning in his limited time is to spend time with them, an attempt partially thwarted by his ex-wife. Once a workaholic, Griffin attends a class on death and dying at the university and there he meets the rather strange and isolated Phoenix (Amanda Peet). Griffin's new take on life encourages him to go after the seemingly impenetrable Phoenix and through a series of wildly frivolous escapades he courts her and they gradually fall in love - something neither felt they could do. They cope with issues of intimacy and finally Phoenix shares her secret with Griffin, a secret that plunges them headlong into a fully blossomed romance. How the two cope with the inevitable is well handled, rarely bordering on sappy, and always holding our compassion.

Director Ed Stone paces the film well, inserting moments of extended silence to match the emotional atmosphere, allowing breathing space. Both Peet and Mulroney create believable three-dimensional characters and are well supported by such solid actors as Lois Smith, Sarah Paulson, and Novella Nelson. The story may have sad aspects, but the cast always allows the humor inherent in any life event to come through. And that is one of the several reasons the film works well. Grady Harp