Et au milieu coule une rivière

When I saw previews for this film, I thought "Its a movie about fishing, why would I want to see that?" This is as much of a fishing movie as Hoosiers is about basketball, or Field of Dreams is about baseball.

The story is elegant, the narrative beautiful, the characters deftly drawn. The relationship between the father and two sons is really interesting, and I love the interplay between them. There is great sadness, and also great humour. While nostalgic, I don't think the film ever becomes maudlin, and by the time the film draws to its inevitable close, I feel the same sense of loss and regret every time.

This movie does what films are supposed to do - touch one's heart and mind.

The closing lines, taken from a short story by McLean, are as haunting as they are beautiful:

"But when I am alone in the half light of the canyon all existence seems to fade to a being with my soul and memories. And the sounds of the Big Black Foot River and a four count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise. Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters."

Have you seen The Graduate? It was hailed as the movie of its generation. But A River Runs Through It is the story about all generations. Long before Dustin Hoffman's character got all wrapped up in the traps of modern suburbia, Norman Maclean and his brother Paul were facing the same crushing pressures of growing up as they tried to find their place in the world. But how could a place like post WW1 Montana be a showcase for the American family, at a time when the Wild West still was not completely gone? Just what has Maclean tapped into that strikes so deeply at who we all are and what we have to go through to find ourselves? As the movie opens, Norman is an old man, flyfishing beside a rushing river, trying to understand the course his own life has taken. The movie is literally a journey up through his own stream of consciousness, against time's current and back to when he was a boy. He and his younger brother Paul were the sons of a Presbyterian minister and devoted mother. The parents fit snugly into their roles. Mom takes care of house and home. Dad does the work of the Lord. The boys ponder what they will be when they grow up. Norm has it narrowed down to a boxer or a minister like his dad. Given the choice, little Paul would be the boxer, since he's told his first choice of pro flyfisherman doesn't even exist. The boys grow up and get into trouble with their pranks, fight to see who is tougher and do the things brothers do, all the while attending church and taking part in all other spiritual matters like flyfishing. They are at similar points in their lives before college. But when Norm returns from his six years at Dartmouth, things are very different. Paul is at the top of his game. Master flyfisherman. Grad of a nearby college and newspaper reporter who knows every cop on the beat and every judge on the bench. Norman is stunningly well educated for his day but has little idea what to do with his life, even as his father grills him about what he intends to do. You're left feeling that at least to Pops, God will call you to your life's work. But you have to stay open and ready to receive it -- all your life. Father has always taken his boys to reflect by the side of the river and contemplate God's eternal words. "Listen," their father urges. It's both Zen and Quakerly. Pretty radical for a stoic clergyman. But with all the beauty and contemplation, and even though the Macleans are truly a God-fearing, scripture-heeding household, how is it that Rev. Maclean's family is unraveling? Paul is true perfection as he fishes the river, but he's feeling the pull of gambling and boozing, while his family doesn't know how to keep him from winding up where he seems to be headed. Mom, Dad and Brother all seem to have the same quiet desperation of not knowing what they should be doing and why they can't seem to help. Pauly just waves it all off with a grin and his irresistible charm. But the junior brother is losing his grip. Norman starts getting his life on track, finding love and career, but Paul continues to slide. The family that loves him watches helplessly. Mother, Father, Brother flounder in their own ways trying to help, but none very effectively. How can a family that loves each other so much be so ill-equipped to handle this? How can someone be so artful and full of grace when out in God's nature, yet be somehow unfit or unwilling to fit into the constructs of society that God's peoples have made for themselves? These are all questions Norman will ponder his entire life. The eternal words beneath the smooth stones of the river forever haunt him, yet keep their secrets. The movie is beautiful to watch. This is certainly God's country, and filming it won an Oscar. Director Robert Redford plays with the story from the book and teases the narration a bit to follow the emotional pattern he's presenting, and it works well. But do go back and read the book, too. You'll see Norman made connections with his old man even deeper than the movie can suggest -- and you'll see the places where the storyteller's very words gurgle and sing right off the page with an exuberance of a river running through it, leading into the unknown.

Enjoyed this film produced by Robert Redford which deals with a Presbyterian Minister who has two sons, one is reserved and the other is a hell raiser. This film takes place in Montana and the beauty of their rivers and wonderful land and its beautiful mountains. Tom Skeritt, (Rev. MacLean) plays the role of a very loving parent of Norman MacLean, (Craig Sheffer) who is basically a very straight arrow and also his brother Paul MacLean, (Brad Pitt) who is a newspaper reporter and has a very wild way living especially with drinking and plenty of women. There is a sweet romance between Norman MacLean and Jessie Burns, (Emily Lloyd) who fall in love with each other and these two people try to guide Paul MacLean into a better way of living but he just cannot seem to settle down. Great film about what life is really about in many families. Enjoy

Craig Sheffer (as Norman) and Brad Pitt (as Paul) are Montana sons-of-a-preacher man Tom Skerritt (as Reverend Maclean). You will immediately notice the breathtaking Montana scenery - photography by Philippe Rousselot, direction by Robert Redford, with an obviously adept cast and crew. The kids playing the younger Macleans were quite an asset; I did recognize Joseph Gordon-Levitt in an impressive debut (though not his first). As I was watching, I thought: well, it looks all nice, but what's happening? I was unsure about the film's focus. The film is often slow and confusing, even if you are familiar with the Norman MacLean story; and, this is a somewhat alternate version/vision of the original written work.

And, I realized what I was watching. It happened twenty minutes (or so) after the kids "grew up" - this is the story of Norman Maclean's remembrances… the touching stones of his life. They may not be the things you'd believe an old man remembers; but, by the end of the film, you know. You'll understand the focus on his brother, with that magical quality that just slipped away… Perhaps, there was no perfection there; but, you'll know why Norman sees it. You'll know why that memory of the perfect fly fisherman is there.

Just a few other thoughts: At the risk of over-analyzing, I felt the characters of Norman, Paul, their father, and Redford merging into ONE character at the end of the film; I wonder if Redford intended it that way? His direction, narration, and lead performances seemed blend together… Directing, Preaching, Fishing, the River - it all runs together; and, we're all water. The end of the film is very powerful.

********* A River Runs Through It (1992) Robert Redford ~ Brad Pitt, Craig Sheffer, Tom Skerritt, Brenda Blethyn

'A River Runs Through in' is a cinematographically stunning true story of Norman Maclean in the untamed west of Montana in the 1920's. The story follows Norman and his brother Paul through the experiences of life and growing up, and how their love of fly fishing keeps them together despite varying life circumstances in the untamed west of Montana in the 1920's. Mornings are spent studying, afternoons devoted to fly-fishing in the nearby river. However, the family's inability to express hints at trouble at come. And so while nice guy Norman (Craig Scheffer) matures and dates good girl Jessie (Emily Lloyd), reckless Paul (Brad Pitt) turns to liquor and gambling. They grow up under the watchful eye of their father, a Presbyterian minister (the ever-marvelous Tom Skerritt) of Scots descent and their beloved mother (Brenda Blethyn). In the meantime, Paul gets a job as a prolific journalist and makes a name for himself back home. The movie is about Norman's return home and his and Paul's summer together. The Story of an American Family !. Nothing perfect lasts forever. Except in our memories.

A pleasant film that should be seen calmly and let yourself be captivated by the photography, the natural sounds and the poetry that emanates from the words. Following the lives of two siblings through the experiences of life and growing up, and how their love of fly fishing keeps them together despite varying life circumstances. This is a brilliant and touching story, although sometimes results to be slow-moving and tiring, but is developed with real intelligence and extreme sensibility. The river is a quasi-mystical past-time which serves as the movie's central metaphor: while they cast their lines and wait, the boys learn the importance of harmony, brotherhood, family affection, grace and patience. In the picture is treated ethic and moral themes narrated with great sense of fairness and ductility. Robert Redford -who reads passages from Norman MacLean's source novella in voice over- explores the brothers' changing relationship with restraint and intelligence; however, because events are filtered through the author's fictional persona, certain sequences involving Paul lack his much-needed perspective. A litte of humour brings things back to earth, ans saves the movie from becoming over-earnest.

It displays an excellent and attractive musical score by Mark Isham, including a catching leitmotif. Besides, exceptional and awesome cinematography by cameraman Philippe Rousselot , being stunningly shown on the marvelous outdoors in the mountains, rivers and forests from Granite Falls, Wyoming, Livingston, Montana, Bozeman, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Livingston, Montana. This sensitive and enjoyable film was well directed by Robert Redford. This great Hollywood actor ha directed a few but notable films, such as: the first and Oscarized ¨Ordinary People¨, ¨The Milagro Beanfield War¨, ¨The Horse Whisperer¨ , ¨Quiz Show¨, ¨The Legend of Bagger Vance¨, ¨Lions for Lambs¨, ¨The Conspirator¨, ¨The Company You Keep¨, ¨Catedrals of culture¨ and this ¨River runs through¨. Rating: 6.5/10. Leave your preconceptions about fishing at the door, you'll be caught hook, line and sinker. Shot with nice sensibility and good feeling, that's why it's a worthwhile film that will appeal to Brad Pitt fans.