Richard dice adiós

Johnny Depp is the best thing about this melo-drama. I would not call it a comedy, nor a drama. The script is ok but the story seems a bit blah. Good premise but could have been so much better. However, Johnny Depp shines. Can't help but fall in love with his character.

I don't know if this was a brilliantly emotional film or whether it just hit me hard but I loved the monologues from Johnny Depps character Richard, who realises how precious time is once he is given just months to live after a positive cancer diagnosis. It really does a good job of making you connect with the character and although not done quite as well, it definitely gives off Dead Poet Society vibes with Richards unorthodox teaching methods and how he connects and interacts with his students.

This film definitely reminded me to live life to the fullest, while also providing me with a few laughs along the way.

I thought this was a return to form for Johnny Depp who was perfectly suited to the role of Richard - a character who receives a terminal diagnosis and proceeds to live life with reckless abandon. Depp certainly plays that role of reckless drug taker to perfection. Despite the lack of ***** given, there are still emotional moments towards the end which helped ram home the somewhat sombre theme throughout the film.

The supporting cast was also great. It makes me want to check out more of Zoey Deutch's work and reaffirmed just how great an actress Rosemarie DeWitt is.

I felt it had a lot in common with this year's Paddleton. It also reminded me of a season of Californication. There was definitely a slight mix of Hank Moody with Frank Gallagher and John Keating here.

Despite a lot of the mixed reviews, I enjoyed this for what it was. It was perhaps the kick up the bum I needed. I do have a thing for movies that look at the bigger picture of life.

As a lucky cancer survivor I found the sentiment beautiful. In fact articulate. This film hit so many nerves. It reawakened the feelings that I ah during treatment and made me realise that I have since taken my life for granted.

Obviously I will not be able to act in the same manner as the lead but Christ I wish I could.

Judge it. Criticise it. Hate it. But know this, this movie conveys a feeling and a mindset that is very real. Sadly many will feel this at a later date. For those of us who have been there and walk on, watch, cry, laugh, enjoy and let your heart warm.

It certainly isn't Shakespeare.. it's not supposed to be. However, for what it is, I still found it to be a genuinely earnest & moderately profound attempt at processing the various emotions & reconciling the various relationships as we near the bitter end of our present mortality. To his credit Depp manages to humorously navigate these mine fields without allowing things to get too far over the top as he has so often in his recent endeavors. Certainly, there's allot more to it than can be covered in a feature length dramedy film.. never the less it does seems to offer at least some modest insights into how one might or might not want to go about it all.