Johnson Thomas 

The Bucket List

Direction: Rob Reiner
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Benerly Todd, Rob Morrow
Rating: **

This one is specially designed for the multiplex audience. Rob Reiner helms this melodramatic life affirming story about two old codgers Edward (Jack Nicholson) and Carter (Morgan Freeman) who get friendly while undergoing treatment for cancer and decide to fulfil their 'bucket list' before the grim reaper arrives.

Edward is fantastically rich, owns the hospital and yet has to share a room with Carter because of a silly rule that he himself wrote. How else would he have met Carter, a retired mechanic who is well into the sunset of his life? Screenwriter Justin Zakham certainly has some imagination.

The film opens with yet another narration by Morgan Freeman from a scenic mountain top view travels straight to the hospital where nearly three-fourth of the film is set.
 
Edward is irascible while Carter is goodness incarnate and the duo rub-off on each other to share secret desires and eventual regrets.

Other than brief spells of vomiting blood and sudden hair loss, both of them do not seem to be suffering. Once they decide on the bucket list (list of do's before they kick the bucket), they just up and vamoose from the hospital.

That Carter praises Edward during the voiceover defies logic. Edward has far too many warts to corner that distinction and Edward's generosity towards Carter doesn't seem like redemption at all.

Reiner tries to turn most of the narrative into a character drama while using the rest to showcase a travelogue. The two get-up to antics that would give a perfectly healthy person a heart-attack.

You will have to ask Zakham about how the two terminally ill patients survived–- probably a case of pen being mightier than the heart! The dialogue in the film lacks originality. We've heard it all before. The acting is predictable.

Jack Nicholson goes over-the-top and Morgan Freeman stays grounded, there's a fair bit of chemistry humming between the two but there's very little joy to be had in its exposition.

The production design and color coding are quite gratifying. The runtime is also suitably brief, it's really the content and the intent that's suspect.

Though fashioned as a comedy there's precious little to smile about. Then there's sentiment and there's phoniness and this film has both in good measure. Be wary!