L'ultima ricchezza

After reading the series I was very excited to find that films had been made. My husband and I really like the Ultimate Gift although it left out parts of the book, it was still a wonderful movie. So I rented The Ultimate Life without hesitation and when we sat down to watch it, I wanted to scream! I was really looking forward to seeing court case of Jason against his greedy relatives and all I saw was a bi-op of Red's life. Did the director even read this fantastic book? He couldn't have, because he didn't do it justice at all. I was peeved that Drew Fuller wasn't in this film but little did it matter since Logan Bartholomew wasn't much in it as well. What a let down to a life changing book. This series deserved better.

My family loved' The Ultimate Gift' so we were looking forward to this squeal (which actually provides a backstory for the original movie and is more of a prequel.) The first movie wasn't a huge box office hit or high-quality film but was an enjoyable, heartwarming, family movie with a great message, good acting, and a decent script...along with some familiar, well-liked actors. On the other hand, this movie came across as very low budget and amateurish. The movie had some very unrealistic, even silly, scenes and was completely predictable. Those things in and of themselves wouldn't be all bad but the writing, acting, direction, and pacing were also pretty bad. This film tells the story of Red Stevens, the grandpa, played by James Garner, from the first movie, and how he became the man he was, and why he passed The Ultimate Gift down to his grandson, which was interesting and we did watch it to the end but this movie was very disappointing and not as pleasant to sit through as the first movie, In My Humble Opinion!

It's probably not something that would blast the box office open, but its a notch above others that I've seen. It's definitely worth watching. I enjoyed this movie enough to write a review because:

1) It's totally CLEAN. Absolutely nothing lewd or inappropriate. I would watch a movie for this alone, given how rare it is. 2) Plenty of amazing looking guys, yum. :) 3) A positive, not overly cheesy, message. At first, I was worried it was gonna be one of those dogmatic, preachy, "Christian" films or something... 4) The film leaves a "feel good" feeling that stays with you. 5) It's good enough to watch again, with family or friends. Nothing too scary for the young kiddos. 6) Pretty decent, interesting storyline and plot, definitely wasn't bored watching it and rooted for the characters the whole way. 7) Has a good, satisfying ending, and not depressing. I hate movies where you feel bittersweet and left hanging at the end. 8) Was really beautifully shot for an "average" movie. Wait, maybe the movie wasn't so average, after all, haha.

You won't regret watching this, unless you're just not into sweet romantic, inspirational, rated PG family films. :)

7.6 stars.

This is a sequel in one aspect alone: it's a backstory for Red, the billionaire from the first movie. Every other aspect of this film is different and exclusive from the first and should not be compared. If you've seen the first one, you might be tempted to look at this as a sequel, expecting something similar with the same feel and background, but you would be disappointed (possibly the opposite) if you take this approach. I am in the latter group. I did expect something like the first, but realized after 20 minutes I must shift my reckoning to a fresh perspective.

We are taken back to the 1940's before the war, Red is a young man with massive aspirations to be a billionaire like Carnegie. He starts from rock bottom, homelessness, working on a ranch for a pittance, skipping high school to follow his dream of being rich, doing whatever it takes. He's smart, and soon he's also smitten by a girl. They love each other dearly and as the story continues the epic adventure and life of this man unfolds. We are taken into her attempts to get him to attend high school, then their courtship, into his experiences in World War II, digging for oil after the war, hitting paydirt, getting filthy rich, winning lawsuits, becoming an oil tycoon, and leaving competitors in his wake. It all spans about 30 years. Unfortunately, he becomes one of the most greedy and ruthless men in the industry.

This is an absolutely marvelous standalone film. Unlatch yourself from 'The Ultimate Gift', because it will be the ultimate gift for yourself in order to fully understand and enjoy the originality and adventure this movie offers. If you are stuck in the tracks of the first installment, comparing, taking notes, differentiating, rating the performances, placing emphasis on the actors and not the quality of writing...you will miss the obvious: 'The Ultimate Life' contains a superior setting and background than that explored in 'The Ultimate Gift'. The former film utilized a higher budget and the production value appeared larger, but this sequel presents a much fuller story and is easier to follow. I think people got caught up in the casting choices and lack of marital focus. The romance is predominantly absent, but in its place is an inside look at a rags to riches story of a man and how he was shaped from hard-hearted to compassionate.

I really enjoyed The Ultimate Gift (original film) and saw it at a time in my life where it really hit home and really registered with me. I was greatly looking forward to this sequel. Having said that, something seemed missing this time around. To be honest, this entire movie feels like DVD bonus material for that original film. That's not a bad thing but despite a great message, this effort feels lacking. I enjoyed the Red Stevens back story but the writing and story feels somewhat shallow and incomplete. Since I enjoyed and was moved by the first film, this extended look appealed to me. Truthfully, as a stand alone film it really doesn't hold up well at all even delivering a wonderful message and few points to live by and dwell upon.

More than worth watching if you enjoyed the first film.