Ulee's Gold

"Ulee's Gold" is a simple little film that is reminiscent of Old Hollywood. Peter Fonda (Oscar-nominated) stars as a bee-keeper in Florida who has lived a somewhat uneventful life. He's raising his two young grand-daughters because their father is in prison and their mother is nowhere to be found. When Fonda learns from his imprisoned son that his daughter-in-law needs his help, he rescues her from a life which has nearly been ruined by drug-use. Fonda brings her back to live with him, but also learns from his son that two thugs may create trouble because of a score they (the son and thugs) pulled off years earlier. Now the thugs want the money and Fonda must show emotional strength at his family's darkest hour. The film is above-average in every aspect, but it is Fonda that makes the film as good as it is. Everyone else is adequate, but this is his show. The screenplay and direction are just good enough to keep the film above water. Overall a good film. 4 stars out of 5.

Surely one of the best human dramas of the last few years, Peter Fonda is great as Ulee Jackson, a deeply wounded but incredibly strong man who by sheer strength of will reaches out to drag back together a shattered family. His performance is a masterpiece of understatement; we can almost physically sense the roiling depths of anger and resentment that lie below his cold, almost imperturbable exterior. The crime subplot never takes precedence over the gripping family drama that is the movie's core. It is wonderful to see the various characters gradually becoming re-integrated into a functioning family; i.e. The daughter's appearing late at night in the work area to help Ulee, whose restrictions up to then she has mightily resented, with his backbreaking work.

Few have commented on the double entendre of the movie's title. Ulee's "Gold" is, on its surface, the honey he works to produce. At the film's conclusion we see that "Gold" might also refer to the long-lost money that is at the crime subplot's core. In actuality, we could have a TRIPLE entendre in that we can see that the real "Gold" might actually refer to the family he has brought together again.

After seeing this movie, I could not help but notice that Peter Fonda resembled a later day version of Tom Joad - a character that his father, Henry, played in "The Grapes of Wrath" (1940). Fonda deserved the Golden Globe for this movie. I liked the depth of his character, Ulee Jackson. The story is sluggish at times, but the performances shine from start to finish. Score: 8 (out of 10).

Peter Fonda should have won the Oscar for this film. After he didn't, I boycotted the movies for a full 12 months. Fonda gave the performance of a lifetime in this film about a solitary Florida bee-keeper trying to keep what's left of his family together.

This is not light entertainment. This is realistic film-making at its best.

There is no Hollywood "fix" ending. These are real people with really serious problems trying to make their way through with the least amount of damage.

Forget the Academy....see this film and ask yourself who deserved the Best Actor Oscar....

A pretty good little movie. The pace is a little slow, and often not much seems to be happening. This is not a bad thing here. Hollywood is usually so formulaic that they must not be discouraged when they try something a little different. Everything worked well here, the acting, the photography, the direction. Yes, Peter Fonda turned in a fine performance. I wonder if as much would have been made of this if Fonda hadn't spent most of his career playing in total stinkers, though. The small-time crooks, Fonda must deal with (including his son) are such losers they seem directly imported from an Elmore Leonard novel. Special mention for the child actress Vanessa Zima (Penny Jackson). She performed wonderfully in her role, full of soulful and meaningful looks. Either she is a very good child actress, or the casting director did a great job finding a girl who looks the part.