Bereave

I watched this movie on Amazon streaming, which lists it as a 2019 movie even though it is a 2015 release. There are only a couple of user reviews and very few votes so it seems not many people actually saw it. Which isn't good news for the producers who also star in the movie.

It is mainly about Malcolm McDowell's character, Garvey, and he is very good in it. We don't know his backstory but living in an expensive Hollywood high rise he must have been successful. He is dying but doesn't want his family to know. Much of the story is his figuring out what to do and what to say.

His wife is played by co-producer Jane Seymour, as Evelyn. They are celebrating their 40th anniversary but while she is enthusiastic Garvey seems distant. He won't talk to her, he won't explain why, she doesn't deal with it well.

Old reliable Keith Carradine is Garvey's younger brother Victor, whose driver is always with him, again showing he must be successful and wealthy.

I probably enjoyed Mike Starr most as Victor's driver George. Who could ever forget his role in "Dumb and Dumber"?

Anyway I found the movie hard to watch in many respects, so many angry and rude characters, especially the daughter who was abrasive with both her father and her young daughter. But it was a L-O-L moment when the "tooth fairy" came into the kid's room and night and she used her martial arts training and baton to deal with the intruder.

I most enjoyed the last 30 minutes, after everything was set up. But it was trying, to get to that point.

Have seen this movie 3 times now and always find something new about it. For Jane Seymour, this is one of the largest roles I have seen for her in many years and yes- it is dramatic! Nothing cougar about her role! She gets to play a wide range of emotions and most of it is pretty heart-breaking! There is nothing glamorous either. Most of the film, she is distraught, forlorn, and broken. The chemistry she has with Malcolm is wonderful. It's so tragic to know that after 40 years of marriage, her husband has not only been keeping a secret, but he has left her out of his life. She is full of despair and just does not understand why this is all happening. (Jane fans will love seeing her play drunk!) . Malcolm McDowell is absolutely phenomenal! His scenes with Jane and with Keith Carradine are intense and mesmerizing. With their scenes, you laugh and you cry. There is one scene alone between Malcolm and Keith that could be used in master acting workshops. It is that great! Malcolm's role is very meaty and even when his character was being nasty to his wife and he was being a curmudgeon, I was feeling endeared towards his character. That's difficult for an actor to be loved and disliked at the same time and Malcolm was brilliant. Keith Carradine never disappoints either! His character was quite the character and offered intensity and comic relief.

Do not want to give anything away but the supporting cast, namely Vinessa Shaw (Penelope) and Mike Doyle (Steve) as their children delivered extraordinary performances as well as Christine Kelly (Lauren)- a stranger Garvey meets in the park. Her character is just lovely- inside and out. All of the adults give fine performances and round out the cast but I must focus on Rachel Eggleston (Cleo), Garvey and Evelyn's granddaughter. This little girl is a star in the making. She really captures your heart and is a natural! The scenes with her and her grandfather alone are so touching and they show the good side of Garvey. Look for her in the future!

The film was written and directed by Evangelos and George Giovanis. Malcolm truly believed in this and he gave the script to Jane and she gave it to Keith. Jane said she was immediately moved when she first read the script and felt that it had to be made. It's a great showcase for actors!

We saw Bereave at the 2015 Sarasota Film Festival & were impressed with the quality of the film. There was an intensity of purpose that came though in this film that is supported by the spirit of an independent project. The directors, the Giovanis brothers, together with acting leads, Malcolm McDowell and Jane Seymour, spent years bringing this project to fruition and the effort has paid off with a moving film they can and should be proud of.

Well and evenly cast, this is the sort of humanistic story that one hopes we will see more often, as the industry seems more & more inclined to lean on FX & CGI & less on story lines & superior acting, which this film has in spades. Jane Seymour & director Giovanis appeared at the festival for a post film discussion, which highlighted the difficulties of producing a small, quality project such as this. Her acting performance was strong & nuanced, a credit to her career, plus kudos to her for executive producing. Malcolm McDowell, also an executive producer, was astonishing in his role as Garvey, Seymour's husband. Fleshed out as an intense, bewildered man at the end of a privileged life, this is the sort of performance that deserves award recognition.

The remainder of the cast were believable, & professional, sometimes quixotic, such as Keith Carradine as Garvey's brother & Rachel Eggleston as Cleo, gives one of the best child acting performances to be seen in recent films.

Let's hope Bereave gets picked up & distributed so it can receive the recognition it deserves.

It took a long time to see this film, but it was worth it. A very sad story of love and loss. The cast was fantastic and it is o good looking film but Jane Seymour will break your heart. This probably her best performance of her career, it is just a shame it didn't get a big screen release.