A River Runs Through It

I have read the short story by Norman Maclean, and the movie did justice to Norman Maclean's writing. My husband tends to reread it occasionally, and I myself have read it over and scenes of the movie keeps coming to mind. We have videos of many of Redford ‘s movies and we have watched "A River runs through it" many times. Redford is part of the "famdamily" as he is always around. We never get tired of Redford's perception of Norman Maclean writings, and the beauty of Montana. The script reminds me very much of my own upbringing as my father had the same calling as Mr. Maclean's father. According to "A River Runs Through It," "Methodists are Baptists who can read," a line which by the way is not in the short story, but I think that is a funny line! My husband and I are well-read Baptists!

I have heard a movie critic state that the pace of this movie is too slow. I disagree. As one search for inner peace, this is the type of movie that will make you contemplate the beauty of nature in three/four rhythm of the metronome. The photography is outstanding! The acting is great. I love the scene where Norman and Paul as boys talked and wondered whether one could be a fly fisher or a boxer! Then as adult Paul played by Brad Pitt (Se7ven) is the "perfect guy" who needs help with his alcoholism but will not accept it. The same applies to Neal Burns, who uses worms as bait, he also needed help but would not accept the fact that he needed help. The scene where Paul refuses to eat oatmeal and the entire family has to wait an eternity to say grace! Finally after hours, they all kneel around the table to say: "Grace!" and they all leave. But the oatmeal stayed on the plate! That scene where the two love birds and their tattoos on their posteriors! That is funny! The sunburn! The drive back home where Jessie Burns (Emily Lloyd) decides to go via the train line! Beautiful dialogue when Norman proposes to Jessie because he wants her to come to Chicago with him!

Redford himself does a superb job as a narrator. I could not stop myself from comparing Brad to the young Redford (Barefoot in the Park). The nominated Director, Producer, Actor, is a visionary who deserves to be praised for his advancement not only in the cinema in the US but around the world. I am glad to live in nineteen hundred because I have seen the beginning of the black and white television, the movies and all the technology and special effects, to be able to watch videos at home and to live in the same century as Redford because I have had the chance to see his works. Redford needs no special effects to show us the beauty of Montana in this masterpiece. The river to me means that line that separates life from death, memories and realities. Redford shows the hands of the Creator so magnificently and a river runs through it.

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.

In The Legend of Bagger Vance, Redford showed the purity and tranquility of purpose to be found in golf. Here he does it with fly fishing. And just as he captured the period so well in that film, so, too, does he here; not only the look (notably the beautiful Montana landscape) and sound but the cultural (especially religious) folkways as well. The stars, Pitt, Skerritt, and Sheffer, are all perfectly cast and they are backed by a strong supporting cast. This movie is an excellent exposé of a rural American's journey through his formative years. Recommended, 7/10.

'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.

In a little town in Montana two brothers grow up. One of them is Norman (Craig Sheffer), the other is Paul (Brad Pitt). Their father is Reverend Maclean and they grow up with his lessons that has to do with religion, and the lessons of fly-fishing. In this movie fly-fishing represents life, a little.

The story is good and keeps your attention although there are some moments you need a little action. Probably the movie has this moments because it is not really about the events that happen, but about the message. Some things do happen though. Norman goes to Dartmouth to study. After six years he returns and gets involved with a nice girl named Jessie (Emily Lloyd) and he is invited to teach in Chicago. Paul has become a reporter and is known as the "fishing reporter". He is famous and it seems he has a nice life, but he drinks a little too much and gambles too much.

The movie is very well directed, it has a nice score and all of the actors are good. The most beautiful thing in this movie is the cinematography. The mountains, the woods and the river all look very beautiful. If the movie was only made for these things it was good enough to watch. Fortunately there is more.