Estão Todos Bem

Greetings again from the darkness. Writer/director Kirk Jones just needs to work a little more frequently. His first two projects were the fascinating Waking Ned Devine and the deeper than expected Nanny McPhee. The guy has some real talent and unique insight. He is also wise enough to cast Robert Deniro and then bring out his best performance in years.

Sure, there are some similarities to Nicholson's wonderful turn in About Schmidt, but contrary to the trailers, this one is no light-hearted holiday fluff. There are deep emotions and more real-life family baggage than most will care to admit (translated, there were quite a few sniffles in the theatre).

Deniro's kids are scattered about leading their own lives after a childhood of pressure, demands and expectations. The differences in how each have handled it is very interesting. Drew Barrymore wants very much to be the daddy's girl, while Kate Beckinsale is the corporate type-A who just can't manage her family. The always excellent Sam Rockwell is the music prodigy enjoying his stress-free live as a symphonic percussionist (instead of a conductor). The youngest is a troubling story line that ends up tying everything together for the Deniro character, as well as the family.

Aside from the mostly atrocious music, this one is an emotional tug-fest that will stimulate a bit of self-analysis from all parents.

Once the trailer hit the internet, I knew I was going to see this movie. Nostalgia, De Niro and Barrymore were the primary reasons. Of those reasons, Nostalgia and De Niro were most responsible for the big lump in my throat and regret that I had no Kleenex.

We go to movies to either escape reality or simply live in fantasy, don't we? I have to say, so much reality existed in this movie, escapism and fantasy seemed totally lost. The subtleties of everyday life can mean so much in retrospect. Every little thing that we do, no matter its importance, can come back and haunt us. That, surprisingly, is what makes this movie so real and endearing.

Nothing about Everybody's Fine is lacking if you can find yourself or someone you know in this movie. The beauty of it is, you will find someone you know. If you haven't tricked yourself into thinking this might be like Christmas Vacation or Planes, Trains and Automobiles, then I hope you can appreciate its evenly paced, nostalgia filled beauty.

De Niro has outdone himself with this simple heart-filled "grown family" film. I can truthfully say I liked him more in this than anything else he has done, although I also believe he probably didn't have to dig too deep into his soul to be Frank Goode. I will be surprised if he has not turned the heads and hearts of those who can nominate him for an Oscar. While all the characters were easy to relate to, this movie was more about Frank Goode's journey from state to state and through life.

Believe me, Everybody's Fine is more than just fine.

9/10 and one giant hug for everyone involved in making this beautiful film.

Based on Guiseppe Tornatore's 1990 Italian film, Stanno tutti bene, writer/director Kirk Jones has brought some of the best work out of Robert DeNiro in decades. Everybody's Fine is a fascinating tale about Frank (DeNiro), a widower who wants to get his four adult children together for dinner, but when one by one they all cancel for good reasons or lack of a better word excuses, he decides against the advice of his doctor, to make a surprise trip to all their residences in New York, Chicago, Denver, and Las Vegas. What the trip brings him however, is a heavy realization that despite what his late-wife told him, maybe everybody's not fine.

Treading heavy territory to resemble films like About Schmidt, Everybody's Fine is a heartfelt, emotional film that will leave you in tears. Though the narrative could come off a bit over-dramatic at times, there's no denying the warmth that the film conveys to family and loyalty. DeNiro is most effective in his role of Frank Goode, the hard-working father whose long hours putting up coating on telephone wire may have cost him more than he thought. Director, Kirk Jones makes some great artistic choices, especially in the final scenes of the film. One thing however that is surprising is how the film is being marketed. Portraying itself as a holiday-comedy is going to be quite unexpected to viewers as the film is weighty with emotion and less on the laughs.

The supporting players, in this case the adult children, are all beautifully cast. Drew Barrymore has never been sweeter in the role of Rosie, a dancer in Vegas with a "Daddy's Girl" mentality. Kate Beckinsale is stunning in looks and adequate in delivery as Amy, a top advertisement executive. Sam Rockwell, who is long overdue for Oscar attention, plays Robert, the musician who painfully seeks his father's approval.

Enough can't be said about DeNiro who gives one of his finest performances of his career. Showing a softer side yet remaining in tuned with his fatherly instincts, DeNiro has redeemed some of his lesser works in the past years. He takes in some of the best and worst parts of all fathers' across the world. Worrying yet too hard at times it spills over into his children's decisions. Where the narrative misses in some aspects, DeNiro makes up for with his devotion and commitment to the character. It's an outstanding turn for him in his late career.

Over-dramatic, cliché, and a bit predictable, Everybody's Fine shows a beating heart. There's no stupidity or attitude in its form, just pure feeling. If you come from a family of secrets for the greater good (which may be the majority of us), this will speak volumes.

***/****

This is not your typical holiday movie nor at the end of the week- movie.Not everybody's fine.

The story revolves around a father(De Niro), who's wife has passed away, and his desire to reunite his four children for the holidays.Now, when he's alone, preparing the house for the upcoming holidays, all of his children cancel the holiday meeting with no explanation.The lonely man sets on a journey around the States to find his children and learn the truth as well as to reunite the family again.The truths, he finds, are more painful, than he could ever imagine.

The story is obvious at the beginning-but then the viewer begins to discover painful truths, the now-grown-kids are keeping away from their loving father.There are some very inventing and innovating twists, that are merely unpredictable.The story is told beautifully, with some poetry in it, which improves on Robert De Niro's brilliant acting.I would say, he deserves a higher praise, for what he has done, because i personally think, that Jeff Bridges wasn't better than him, with all my respect, of course.De Niro's outstanding performance carries the movie until the end.

As for the other cast, i wasn't that impressed.Kate Beckinsale and Drew Barrymore were at the same level of quality, but that just wasn't enough.Sam Rockwell was mediocre, definitely not good enough.I know they were supposed to be cold, but even coldness can be portrayed better than that.

The director did his best, which wasn't that much, considering the cast and script he had to work with.Every director should be able to pull it off, when he works with an amazing actors (again, mostly De Niro in that case), and a solid script.But as a whole, he did a good job.

I felt, that the tragedy was a little to much in the end, but things couldn't have been better revealed than this.It was depressing, but necessary to say the least.And again, i'm looking at De Niro with new eyes now, he touched me so deep.

The pain is deep sometimes.But you have to fight with it to keep your family united, and together, no matter the distance.The distance in your heart is, what really matters.And in the end Everybody's Fine.

My rate: 8.5/10

I saw this movie last night in a crowded theatre with persons of varying ages. At the conclusion of the film, I noticed smiles and tears in the eyes of the older viewers and some boredom and rush to leave in the younger ones. This is a movie for parents and will probably not appeal much to the under 25 set.

That said, this is a beautiful, heart-felt, and sometimes painful story of a father recognizing and coming to grips with the reality of his parenting and his lack of control over his children's lives. It is about truth and how we try to spare others pain or discomfort. It is about how many parents still see their grown up children as small children who we are responsible for.

While the supporting cast turn in good performances, this is Robert DeNiro's movie. It is his best performance since Awakenings (he deserved that Oscar, and not just the nomination).

I suspect that this film will get a lot of nominations, but don't think it will win many awards. I base that on the idea that they younger voters have not yet been in the shoes of the older ones and will not be fully able to appreciate the character or his growth and understanding.