Customer Reviews

Tuck Everlasting [VHS]

5 star:		(83)
4 star:		(48)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

"Tuck Everlasting" is the (near-perfect) movie adaptation of Natalie Babbitt's classic novel about a young girl who meets a family immortals. If you are looking for a nice family movie or love story, Disney's "Tuck Everlasting" is a fine selection for your viewing pleasure.

THE STORY:

Winnie Foster, daughter of a wealthy couple, ventures off into her family's woods one day and comes across a mysterious boy, Jesse, and his family, the Tucks, who seem to be "lost in time." Feeling trapped herself in her "too prim and proper" for her family, Winnie feels liberated with the carefree lifestyle of the Tucks. However, the Tuck family secret is something that can very well, and nearly does, bring Winnie's world crumbling down in front of her very eyes.

THE DISCUSSION:

"Tuck Everlasting" has long been at the top of the list of books the school system loves to have students read, and for very good reason. The story, very carefree but at times a little deep and occasionally dark, provides good discussion fodder on issues such as life and changing society values. Winnie's conflict with her parents' values as well as the ramifications of "eternal life" make great fodder for discussion and meditation.

Overall, the movie contains all the great things you could look for in both a love story and a family movie. The relationship between Winnie and Jesse should have most couples all "warm and fuzzy" (or ill to their gut). The movie overall is very light and easy and should be enjoyable for anyone. The violence level is kept to a minimum and the "darker" elements of the story are tame enough to where it shouldn't upset anyone.

THE ADAPTATION:

Movies based on books are double-edged swords. They either ruin the "meaning" of the books they seek to praise or they themselves become masterpieces (like Harry Potter and Jurassic Park). "Tuck Everlasting" falls into the latter category. I myself read Babbitt's book in elementary and though it's been 16 years I still remember the book quite well. As far as I can tell, this movie was about as true an adaptation as you can get. The main themes and event sequences are translated well onto the big screen. Fans of the book should appreciate this movie.

BEST SCENES:

1. Miles' story. This is a very powerful scene that touches very well on the "eternal life" issue. This scene could easily win an award.

2. Jail Break. Hilarious scene!!!

3. Tuck's Talk with Winnie

4. Jesse and Winnie's adventures

THE VERDICT:

Overall, this movie is a great choice for young couples on a date or family's looking for a nice, clean movie. Yes indeed my friends, it's a chick flick!!! Enjoy.

Highly Recommended

Tuck Everlasting definatly deserves five stars! It is the most magical movie of our time. The story is about fifteen-year-old Winnie Foster, (Alexis Bledel), who is a threat about finding out the secret of the Tucks. She meets Jesse, their youngest son, (Johnathan Jackson), and they fall in love. He decides to tell her their secret, that they drank from the spring and can never die. They will live forever. He asks her to drink and live forever with him. She must decide whether or not to drink. Should she live forever with the person she has fallen deeply in love with? Or should she live and die, just as people are ment to? In the end, she is faced with this decision. Winnie has to decide if she loves Jesse enough to live eternity with him and leave everything she has behind.
This movie is a perfect family film. It is also perfect for a date. For anyone who has ever had a dream. It's the mystical fairy tale every girl dreams of. A stand out cast and an excillent movie. This movie will leave you thinking about it for days. Tuck Everlasting is one of the best movies of all time. Every girl will find herself wishing she was Winnie. Magically romantic and makes you feel so good inside at parts. Anyone will absolutly fall in love with this movie!

Okay, I know people have had their complaints about how this movie does not follow the story found in the book. However, if you have not read the book (like me) then I think there is no reason to dislike this movie. I can see where some people are coming from, Disney does have a history of totally re-writing stories. (Like the Princess Diaries) Anyways, I still think that this movie is moving and beautiful. It will make you think twice about eternal life. It has a beautiful love story as well. My friends and I are still debating over if we liked the end or not. It is a movie that will allow you to take your own perspective in life, and you will still be thinking about it when you leave the theater and maybe even when you reach home. I highly reccomend this movie to all who love romantic and thought-probing movies.

Disney scores another home run with this delightful film, lovingly adapted from the popular children's book of the same name by Natalie Babbit. Although there was some artistic license taken with the book, it is nothing that takes away from its central theme. The changes actually serve it well, and Disney has done a masterful job in creating another beautiful family film.

The film takes place in the early twentieth century, just when cars are coming into use. The film revolves around fifteen year old Winnifred "Winnie" Foster (Alexis Bledel), daughter of wealthy socialites, and the mysterious Tuck family, who lives deep in the woods owned by the Fosters. It seems that Winnie is an independent sort of gal who is chafing under the restrictions imposed by her prim and proper parents (Victor Garber and Amy Irving). While wandering on her own in those very same woods one day, lost and thirsty, she comes across seventeen year old Jesse Tuck (Jonathan Jackson), who is drinking from a small spring of water. When she wants to follow suit, he stops her from drinking. She also comes across his older, bitter brother, Miles Tuck (Scott Bairstow), who basically takes her by force deep into the woods to where the Tuck cabin is hidden. There, Winnie meets the boys' parents, Mae (Sissy Spacek) and Angus Tuck (William Hurt).

The Tucks are initially flummoxed by Winnie's appearance in their midst, but Mae Tuck reassures her that she will be returned unharmed to her parents, once they are sure that she can be trusted. During her short sojourn with the Tucks, Winnie finds herself enjoying the time spent with the Tucks, especially with Jesse. Winnie begins to fall in love with Jesse and he with her. Gradually, she learns the mystery that binds the Tucks. In the meantime, a sinister man in a yellow suit (Ben Kingsley) has tracked the Tucks to their cabin in the woods, as he suspects what their secret is and wants it for himself, so that he may exploit it for profit. When he poses a danger to Winnie, Mae takes action that forces her to do something that she would rather not have had to do. This places the Tucks in a quandary, as the Fosters believe that they had kidnapped Winnie, based upon information previously given to them by the man in the yellow suit. The outside world suddenly intrudes upon the Tuck family in a way that would eventually lead to their secret being revealed to all and sundry. Winnie helps them to keep their secret, leaving her to make a life defining decision.

Director Jay Carroll has directed a film that is simply wonderful, both magical and philosophical. He has a first class cast that conveys the story in a way of which the author of the book may be proud. The performances are simply stellar. Alexis Bledel is delightful as Winnifred "Winnie" Foster, reminding me of a very young Winona Ryder. Jonathan Jackson is terrific as the boyish, good looking Jesse, and has, undoubtedly, acquired a following of young girls, as a result of this film. Sissy Spacek is as always superlative, imbuing the character of Mae with a warmth and sensitivity that makes one root for her, when an apparent injustice has transpired. William Hurt gives a thoughtful performance as the patriarch of the star-crossed Tuck clan. Scott Bairstow's performance is a little on the strident side, but effective, nonetheless. Kudos go to Amy Irving and Victor Garber as Mr. and Mrs. Foster, Winnie's restrictive, blue-blood parents. Ben Kingsley is suitably sinister as the man in the yellow suit who threatens to take the secret of the Tuck family up a disastrous path.

This is a heartwarming and tender film with a lovely and haunting musical score. It is a film that will simply delight viewers, It is rated "PG", but its innocence serves to underscore some of its philosophically potent, underlying themes. The film provides much food for thought and has a depth that is surprising. It is a film that is worthy of being in one's personal collection. Bravo!

I read the book by Natalie Babbitt and loved it, but was wary about watching the movie. After reading some amazon.com reviews I decided to give it a try. I'm very glad I did. It has the feel and plot of the book, which I was pleased to see. The main change was Winnie and Jesse's romance. I think Disney did well in adding this, because I don't think an eleven-year-old Winnie would've worked as well. Besides, they would have had to get someone else to play her and Alexis Bledel is just too perfect for words. I think the two best scenes were the one where she and Tuck are rowing in a boat on the pond and the one with her and Jesse in the water. The story is very simply and beautifully told and the music is lovely. The point of the movie is, what it would be like to live forever? Would it be worth it? Or would it be better to "just live"? This movie will make you taste life more and see things differently. It was funny at times, and heartrending at others. If you haven't seen it yet you have to. A simple, beautiful, powerful film.

This is a film with mystery throughout. Slowly the mysteries are revealed and choices must be made which will influence each of the character's lives. The acting is convincing, particularly
the romantic leads Alexis Bledel, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy man; Jonathan Jackson, a young man with a secret to keep; and Ben Kingsley as a mysterious stranger whose selfish actions bring the situation in the movie to a climax. The setting is beautiful--a woods with a dark, yet cozy ambiance, and the background music adds to the mystical nature of the film.
The one factor which kept me from giving this movie 5 stars was that it all seemed somehow familiar and I felt that I had seen this situation before. It does, however, pose some interesting philosophical questions and goes deeper than most Hollywood products.

I had to laugh the guy who placed the review on this site, claiming that "Tuck Everlasting" is a boring movie that put him to sleep. Following the link to see the rest of his reviews, he has given "Jackass" a four-star rating and "The Hot Chick" five stars. Guess some people find any movie that takes some gray-matter to be a little to slow for their taste!

This is a wonderful movie. It is actually too bad that it is being marketed incorrectly. This is not just a children's movie, but a first class film through and through. Ben Kingsley, Alexis Bledel, William Hurt and Sissy Spacek shine. Ms. Bledel may prove to be one of the finest actresses of our current time if she keeps it up.

One of the first things that struck me about this movie was that it didn't appear to be a product of its time. There is no vile language, no potty humor, and the story actually makes the viewer contemplate whether they, themselves, would want to be immortal.

The DVD transfer is beautiful, quite a change from most Disney DVD's. The extras are rather limited, but who cares. This is a great movie, and can stand on its own.

HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE TUCK EVERLASTING? WE READ THE BOOK IN MY CLASS AND THEN WE SAW THE MOVIE WHEN IT WAS IN THEATERS! I CRY EVERY TIME I SEE IT!!! IT IS SUCH A ROMANTIC AND FUN STORY!! THE CRITICS WHO RATED SHOULD DEFINATELY FIND ANOTHER JOB BECAUSE BEING A CRITIC IS NOT THEIR CHOSEN CAREER! GO SEE THIS MOVIE!! BUY IT BECAUSE YOU WILL WANT TO SEE IT OVER AND OVER!!!
AND JONATHAN JACKSON IS EXTREMELY CUTE!!

Bear with me for just a moment, because I'm going to talk about another movie that has a great deal of relevance to this movie. Remember the original "Highlander" movie with Christopher Lambert? Remember the portion from the beginning until Heather (played by Beatie Edney) died of old age? Remember the glorious song "Who Wants to Live Forever" by Queen playing in the background as we fast forward through the years of Heather and Conner MacLeod's life? "Tuck Everlasting" is another version of this same tale.

Probably the biggest difference between "Highlander" and "Tuck Everlasting" is that the former was definitely not a family movie, and while there was a significant love story, the movie was primarily a fantasy or sword & sorcery. "Tuck Everlasting" is a family movie, and the central aspect of the movie is the love between Jessie Tuck and Winnie Foster. In both movies the man is immortal, regardless of the source of that immortality, and the woman either suffers from the man's immortality, as in the case of Heather MacLeod, or she chooses to live the life she was given to the fullest. Both stories are poignant.

Winnie Foster is a young girl starting to strain at the leash that her parents have attached to her. When Winnie meets the Tuck family, she finds a freedom she did not know existed. The lure of a relatively rule-free life is always tempting, regardless of time and society. "Tuck Everlasting" thoroughly sets up the comparison between the Tuck's life of freedom and the rule-bound society in which virtually everyone else lives. However, that contrast also considers the drawbacks of the Tuck's lives, and the advantages that Winnie could enjoy in her life.

Of course, in all movies where there is a love story and a choice must be made between alternatives, one of which is the love the characters have for each other, we know that somewhere someone must give up something. Regardless of what one gives up, there will always be a sense of loss for what the alternatives might have been.

This movie is very suitable for family members of all ages. There is some violence, but it is generally mild, and a good opportunity to ask the younger members of the family whether the violence was appropriate or inappropriate to the circumstances. Another good question for discussion is what choices each person might have made under similar circumstances.

The filmography is very good; Disney is regaining their reputation for making quality family films. This movie is a pleasant fantasy with a wonderful bittersweet ending in the tradition of movies like "Old Yeller".

TUCK EVERLASTING is simply a 'feel good' movie. Old fashioned in the best sense of the term, life-affirming, sentimental, finding the borders of credibility and celebrating them, and directed and acted with the sense of commitment that Jay Russell and his fine cast provided - put all of that together and it is close to impossible not to love this little movie.

Natalie Babbitt's 1981 novel may have been meant for the young readers, but in the translation to the screen this story appeals to the young at heart: chronological age is not applicable. The Tuck family happened upon a spring in a woods in the past, drank from the spring and voila! - the fountain of Ponce de Leon's obsession has been discovered. This dear family (mother Sissy Spacek, father William Hurt, and sons Jesse (Jonathan Jackson) and Miles (Scott Bairstow) settles into the fortunes and inevitable sadnesses that accompany becoming immortal: life's ebb and flow and the cycle of birth to death eludes them. Man's quest for eternal youth has its sad aspects.

Into the Tuck family secret woods happens Winnie (Alexis Bleidel), daughter of a wealthly family (mother Amy Irving and father Victor Garber), and encounters Jesse, slowly falls in love and learns the Tuck secret. Meanwhile an evil yellow-coated man (Ben Kingsley) finds the fount of his own obsession, informs Winnie's family that she has been kidnapped by the Tuck family, and the only way to regain Winnie is to sell their woods (and of course its invaluable spring) to him. How this all plays out - the inevitable capture of the Tucks and the way they resolve their immortal inaccessibility with Jesse's and Winnie's new found need for each other - serves as the ending and it is resolved well.

The settings and acting and physical beauty of this film are matched by the understated but important moments of philosophy about what is the meaning of the cycle of life as we know it rather than as we think we would reshape it. Some may label this film as corny or 'Hallmarky' and that is sad: there is plenty of room in the celluloid world for fragments of sincere tenderness such as this. Grady Harp, February 2005