East of the Mountains

Filming was beautiful; camera work great; it takes a skilled director to keep you waiting for what happens next when it's done in such an understated manner. Multilayered. Emotionally moving.

I've been where the protagonist of this movie is at.. from loosing his wife to having terminal cancer (which thanks to the grace of God I was healed from), so I understand better than most what his path was like and what he was thinking.

I also understand the low reviews because most of us do not, or cannot relate to this kind of story because they're not old enough to have experienced loss or to have had a disease that may claim your life, but those reviews do not reflect the beauty, or the pain of what Tom Skeritt's character was experiencing, and which was very well expressed due to his extraordinary acting.

LIfe is not easy my friends, as you will some day see, nor is it a movie, it is real, and it is to be experienced in all of it's fullness and beauty, which ironically includes the pain and suffering, and this beautiful film expresses that with wonderful acting and lovely cinematography that I think anyone with a heart and compassion will love.

Well acted, if slow moving vehicle, that illustrates one man's battle with himself to be in charge of his own destiny despite the imminence of death from terminal cancer. Watch as he distances himself from others as he prepares to end his own life, the only way he thinks he can be the captain of his life. During his journey, he finds that there are other imperatives pulling him a different direction. Which force will win?

This film belongs to the group of elegiac journeys taken by old (mostly) men nearing death, and attempting to reconnect with their past, family, and unresolved issues. If you liked Alexander Payne's "Nebraska," or David Lynch's "The Straight Story," you will probably like this movie. It features everything you could hope for in this genre, gorgeous cinematography, first-rate acting, a perfect musical soundtrack, and a story that is just complex enough to avoid being predictable, but I found satisfying.

Just as an aside, Tom Skerritt is old enough to have served in the Korean war, as his character reveals, but the story could also be the final chapter in the life of Duke Forrest from the 1970 film, M. A. S. H.

I think you have to have reached a certain point in life or exeperienced milestones to fully appreciate this wonderful film. Loss and/or regret are such a big part of this experience. It is so understated and wonderfully acted by all it is a real emotive experience. Every performance is terrific, Skerritt is superb. The photography and music are perfect. Rex steals the first twenty minutes or so though! I have just watched this and I know I will be thinking about it tomorrow.