Customer Reviews

Everybody's Fine [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I went by myself, a 62 year-old with 4 grown sons. I sat in my old hunting coat and sniffled and cried for however long it was. I think De Niro wears his role with both an ease and a genius few possess. I'll get the DVD as soon as it's released. I know De Niro's own real-life dad passed shortly before his "Bronx Tales" was released, and perhaps, in some zen-like chi, this kinda closes a circle on the dad-stuff there. I met De Niro once, and was extremely impressed with his character (as in 'integrity', not as in an acting role).

Everybody's Fine is a "people" movie, a study of characters -- both central and peripheral. It's a drama with some comedic elements, heavy on emotion but low on over-the-top histrionics. And depending on where it might hit you in your own life, it can be a real tearjerker, in that good way that makes you think about the important things and discuss them with the important people in your life.

Robert DeNiro gives an understated performance as a father who would not or could not realize he was expressing lifelong disappointment with his children if they were less than "the best." They had spent years hiding any flaws from him and sharing their struggles only with their mother, who had passed several months earlier.

Their stories come together as he travels the country to reconnect. Along the way, British director Kirk Wise (Waking Ned, Nanny McPhee) presents snapshots of interesting characters and fascinating faces, both genial and malevolent.

The part that touched my wife and me most was the technique using children to speak for their grownup counterparts in key sections of the film. DeNiro's character still sees them as school age kids and, through his reveries, so do we. It's not a new technique but it seems to work effectively here and often hits hard in ways that standard confrontational scenes could not. Since our kids are school age and we have parents we want to please too, it made my wife and I think about our own parent/child relationships.

One of the messages of the movie seems to be that it's not too late to pick up the pieces, but you can suffer great losses if you get too distracted and wait too long -- and we all need to take a breath and be more accepting of one another's choices. It's not so much that we should "settle" but rather that there are better ways to measure true success.

My only criticism of the DVD is that there is NO AUDIO COMMENTARY. There are a few extended scenes and a short look at Paul McCartney's involvement in creating a song for the film. A commentary was sorely missed.

What can I say about Robert DeNiro that we don't already know....
In addition to playing some of the most iconic characters of the last 35 yrs in film,
he is in the upper echelon of the greatest actors ever to do it!
He has proven this fact even more in the last 15 yrs, where he has added to his
reportoire of serious & menacing tough guy roles, sharply comedic and deeply emotional
ones as well in which he has proven to be quite effective.
This movie "Everybody's Fine" is an emotional tour de force!
Deniro plays an aging father who is recently widowed and counting his own last days as
an undisclosed disease slowly ravages his body. He finds himself lonely and trying to keep
up the good front as he struggles from day to day just with the mundane tasks of life.
His only solace comes in the memories he has of his children, all grown now and living their
own lives in different cities across the country.
When he invites them all home for a cookout/family reunion, he is disappointed
when they all find reasons to cancel one by one because their busy schedules.
What DeNiro's character finds is that in his zeal to see his kids do well in life,
he has in fact pushed them all so hard that they feel alienated from him.
They all found it much more easier to communicate with their deceased mother,
who, like a lot of mothers, handled the affairs of her children's lives as well
her own with seemingly effortless ease. She never shared any bad news with her husband
(their father) regarding the struggles of their kids lives, inadvertently helping
to foster the very detached emotional environment he finds himself in with his kids.
This he doesn't like, as he is now in a reflective state in his life and wanting
and needing his children to be closer to him. So he sets about his own journey
to re-acquaint himself with each one of them, and without giving anymore away,
it suffices to say that it's a journey filled with deep emotion and substance
that will have you shedding more than a few tears before it's all over.
Not only is DeNiro subtle & brilliant in this, but he's supported by an excellent cast
of top shelf actors and actresses who collectively help to bring this film home big time!
These are things that REAL PEOPLE face in EVERYDAY LIFE as we grow older, things
change, we lose our loved ones, and the stresses of the day to day grind pull us
further and further apart from the loved ones who are still alive.
This story is filled with brilliant writing and direction as well
and I warn you, you will be tearing up a few times before it ends!
I rented this movie first to check it out, but I'll defintely be buying it
very soon because it's worth it. I highly recommend this film! (-:

I can't remember the last movie I saw that hit my heart like this movie did. The acting was outstanding, especially Deniro, but everyone was good, fantastic job in casting it. Maybe it's because it reminded me so much of my relationship with my parents that it got me like it did, but even beyond that, there was so many little spots in the movie that choked me up. It wasn't over the top either, it was so true to life.
I really have to question the few negative reviews on this movie. I understand everyone has different life experiences so they might not relate to the movie exactly the way I did, but I have to wonder if someone's heart it is still working if they didn't find some kind of emotional connection to the movie or at least appreciate the plot and depth of the movie.
This is easily the best movie that I have seen in a very long time.

This movie is really very good. It's not funny, yet has some light moments. I liked how the story unfolds, and is almost a mystery about what is really going on. This is a well made film, with a great cast. I bought the DVD used, and was not disappointed in any way. I would recommend this movie.

Everybody's Fine starring Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell, and Kate Beckinsale is about a family struggling to stay together after their mother dies and their father is left alone. Robert De Niro plays the patriarch of the family who was a typical 1960s father who focused on his career in order to make money for the family of six. His wife held the connection to their four children and the family's confidante. However, when she dies, De Niro is lost and tries to rekindle his relationship with his children. When he plans a family gathering, all of the children find a way to get out of the reunion. De Niro is distraught that his family is no longer connected as they once were and he decides to take to the road to visit each of his children. His first stop is to his son David who is an artist living in New York City. When David does not answer his father's calls, De Niro decides to move on to his daughter's house where he finds that nothing is as it seems and certainly not as hunky-dory as he had been told. He faces the same situation with his following two children before he returns home even more lost than when he left. Each child blows off their father to the point that he believes they may never be a strong family again. Yet, when tragedy strikes, his children come together to support each other and himself.

This film was touching in all of the ways a good movie should be. It never received any hype when it was in theaters and moved quickly to DVD. I think that this is terrible because I found a great deal more in the film than I found in many of the other movies that came out in 2009. De Niro is fantastic in the role as the lost father helplessly trying to bring his family together. His children's disinterest in him is honest and heartbreaking. It made me want to call my dad and thank him for being a fantastic father. Though the story was heart aching at times, it was truthful and documented a real period in people's lives when children become parents and distance themselves from their own parents for a variety of reasons. Overall, the film is sad and touching with little bits of humor. Hopefully, its DVD release will inspire the public to give it its due.

EVERYBODY'S FINE

STARRING: Robert De Niro, Kate Beckinsale, Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell, Lucian Maisel, Damian Young, James Frain, Melissa Leo and Katherine Moening

WRITTEN BY: Kirk Jones, Massimo De Rita, Tonino Guerra and Giuseppe Tornatore

DIRECTED BY: Kirk Jones

Rated: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Release Date: 04 December 2009

Have you ever seen a sad, old man sitting alone in a park or restaurant, and felt sorry for him? Imagine spending several days with him and discovering why he is so sad and all alone and you will be close to the feeling you're left with after seeing Everybody's Fine.

Previously to Everybody's Fine, I don't think any other film ever tore so much emotion out of me in such a subtle manner.

It's slow and not a lot happens in a big, shiny cinematic way; but it's very entertaining nonetheless. Despite its huge A-list cast, it couldn't have felt further from a big Hollywood film. It's beautifully realistic and tragic and sincere all in one. Don't let the misleading trailer confuse you; this is not a comedy as it foolishly tries to make it seem. It has a few minor comedic moments (see the trailer) but the film is heavily a drama.

Robert De Niro plays Frank Goode and it's no mistake that his last name is Goode. He's the sweetest guy you could imagine.

Unfortunately, his wife has recently passed away. To make matters worse, only months after her funeral, not one, not two, not three, but all four of his adult children regret to inform him that they will not be able to make it to see him for the weekend they had planned.

Frank is crushed. He had already gone out and picked up a nice bottle of wine and even purchased a brand new barbeque with plans of cooking for them. Now he will spend the weekend alone. And of course he also learns that his health isn't exactly hunky-dory.

Frank decides that rather than sit around and stew about how bad things are, he will pack a bag and set out on a road trip to surprise each and every one of his kids, instead. Did I mention they are all `conveniently' scattered across the entire United States?

Frank's doctor advised him not to travel as it would be unwise to his health, so he avoids flying or driving and begins his trip with a peaceful train ride.

It is along this journey that we learn Frank is a lonely guy who just wants someone to share a warm conversation with. He chats with strangers he meets here and there and we can't help but wish we were among them, so that we could spend a few precious moments of our time with him.

One of his two sons lives in New York. He arrives there first, only to discover he isn't home. (Frank never heard from this son; one of the others canceled for him) and we find that he may be up to something. Frank sketches a note (that will bring a tear to your eye) on the front of a prepared envelope and drops it under his door.

We learn Frank has an envelope for each of his kids and of its contents late in the third act. I won't spoil it for you, but you may want to have a tissue handy. Don't worry; it's not predictable or cheesy.

Next he goes to see one of his two daughters, Amy (Kate Beckinsale). She is very surprised to see him. Frank begins to uncover her excuse to not make the visit.

We don't hate her, or any of his other kids for making excuses to not see him, but we become very disappointed by their heartless actions. They clearly love their father and seem to have a pretty good relationship with him, so why the selfish behavior? Everybody's Fine leaves no questions un-answered, but I don't want to reveal too much.

His other two children are played by Drew Barrymore and Sam Rockwell. Rockwell shows us a side of himself that we have never seen before, as Robert. We get a lot out of him in his few short scenes. I still think he was robbed of an Oscar nomination in The Green Mile, but if he keeps acting like this, he'll have at least one in no time.

Barrymore plays Rosie and has perhaps the strongest connection with her father. Because of this bond they share, Frank can sense she isn't telling him something. At this point he is frustrated because he realizes he's drifting apart from all four of them and it's devastating.

The filmmakers give us a vividly entertaining and original scene of exposition; by which we learn a great deal more about these characters. This idea was very unique and well put together and really ties the story together quite nicely. All of the acting in this scene is brilliant.

The acting in this film is heartfelt and good and never over the top. De Niro delivers one of his best performances in years; touching your soul with his interpretation of Frank Goode. You really feel for Frank in this picture and you adore the time you have spent with him.

One of my favorite scenes takes place in a subway tunnel between Frank and a man asking for change. Frank is down on his luck and lends a helping hand to this young man, without hesitation. The acting is dead-on and the scene slaps you in the face and visually looks like gold. You will know the one I mean.

Come to think of it, there are several moments that were shot with equal precision and artistic vision. This film reminded me a lot of About Schmidt, for various obvious reasons. Writer and director Kirk Jones has created a beautiful film and I look forward to more of his work in the future.

At one point I thought the film was seconds from being over and I was in tears at how wonderful it had all come together. Then De Niro takes your breath away yet again, during the actual resolution.

Frank's narration at the end and the final shot could not have been perfected any better. This film is far more than just fine and everybody in it that we care about is too.

It is billed as a comedy . . . in reality, it is
extremely sad. Left me depressed.

This was a hard film to watch for me because my father has always reminded me of Robert DeNiro and he lost his wife my mother a year and a half ago. DeNiro gives a wonderfully touching performance as a father who maybe pushed his kids a little too hard to achieve their dreams when they were young and they seem to avoid him because they feel they might not have lived up to his expectations.

What is most impressive besides DeNiro in this film is that it never feels forced and we are slowly let into the world of this family. It's a sad film, but very rewarding and worth the trip if you don't mind shedding a few tears along the way.

One thing that I am most grateful for when it comes to `Everybody's Fine' is that it proves once again that Robert DeNiro is a great actor. For anyone who is convinced that, like his counterpart Al Pacino, DeNiro is washed up and reduced to a mere caricature of his former self needs to set some time aside to watch this small, intimate and earnest little film. The film itself is not a great movie (it is layered with too many clichés to be great) but DeNiro sheds his usual `tough guy' persona and delivers something honest and relatable, heartbreaking and beautiful.

His best performance in nearly a decade, easy.

The film tells the story of a widower, Frank, who can feel his family (which consist now of four grown children) slipping through his fingers. They are all set to come visit him for Thanksgiving and they all wind up canceling. This sparks something in Frank, moving him to avoid doctor's orders and hightail it cross country to see his children, all of which seem too busy or preoccupied to spend time with him. That, and they are all apparently lying to him about everything. As Frank visits his children (surprise, daddy's home) he uncovers truths about them and also about himself.

There are moments here that really speak to the audience, but they are sadly muddled by clichéd generalizations and a choppy subplot involving a wayward son that only works part of the time. Still, the overall effect of the film is light and warming and it really should be seen. It didn't get the reception it deserved (everyone was predicting a DeNiro Oscar nom shortly before the film was released and then, well, that didn't even come close to happening). DeNiro alone is just magnificent here and totally deserving of the praise and attention. The rest of the cast works well with him, from Barrymore to Rockwell to Beckinsale. I only wish that the film allotted for more time with each child. Frank is rushed off so quickly that we really only get glimpses of his children and the impact they have on him. If they had only been fleshed out a little more than this film could have transcended the lighthearted genre it pegged itself and it could have been something deeper, more meaningful.

But I get the feeling that this is exactly what they were going for, and on that front they succeeded.

In the end I totally recommend this, especially to anyone who has been a fan of DeNiro over the years and is longing to see him do something worthy of his name once again. This is for DeNiro what `About Schmidt' was for Jack Nicholson, only `About Schmidt' was a much better film.