Everybody is NOT fine in Everybody’s Fine. Robert De Niro plays a retired plastics worker whose wife has just died. He tries to get his four adult children to come home for a weekend together, but all four find reasons not to return home. De Niro decides to surprise them with a visit. So for seemingly endless hours we watch De Niro take trains and buses to visit his children in New York City, Chicago, Denver, and Vegas. There’s a crisis and suddenly a mawkish ending appears. How Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, and Sam Rockwell ended up wasting their time in this fluff film is perplexing. With a cast like this, a much much better movie should have been the result. Instead, the cast was completely wasted by Kirk Jones’ lame script and lamer direction. What a stinker! Beware! GRADE: F
The NY Times hated it too, George, and I’m avoiding it at all costs.
It’s sad the way they think they’ll get an audience by hyping a “new” Paul McCartney song as if that will bring in the crowds.
Diane and I went out with a group of friends who picked EVERYBODY’S FINE, Jeff. When they asked me what I thought of the movie, I reply, “We should have gone to NINJA ASSASSIN!”
Thank you for saving me!
EVERYBODY’S FINE was dull, tedious, and insipid, Patti. The film’s producers wasted a lot of fine actors on this dog.
The trailer looked like it might be good, but the reviews have been awful, and yours adds to that. Too bad DeNiro is wasting the latter part of his career on dreck.
It’s hard to figure out what De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, and the rest of the talented cast saw in this disappointing film, Rick. Temptation to sneak out of EVERYBODY’S FINE to slip into NINJA ASSASSIN (which was right next door) bedeviled me all through the movie. But, I didn’t want to face the Wrath of Diane.
OFF TOPIC George, Patti and Jeff – thanks for being just about the only people who visit my blog. It’s discouraging not to get much traffic, but I guess my posts aren’t of sufficient interest to most people. …said Rick, feeling sorry for himself this morning, and trying to get ready for a visit from inherited family I don’t much care for…
I love your blog, Rick!
I bet THE WRATH OF DIANE would have been more entertaining than EVERYBODY’S FINE.
😉
Not if you’re in the path of the WRATH, Jeff!
I read your blog every day, Rick. I just don’t have anything to say about classical music so I don’t comment on that. I think I drop a comment at other times. And you probably have more people reading your blog than I do.
I love your blog, too, Bob!
Like our distinguished navel officer above, I also read your blog everyday Rick. I also don’t comment on classical music or film soundtracks because they’re outside my area of expertise. I’m more of a book guy.
And I appreciate your comments on books, Padma, etc., Drongo!
A few weeks ago, one of my favorite movie blogs (“Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule”–covering movies and baseball) ran a movie questionnaire and one of the questions was (I’m paraphrasing here), “Which actor, once held in high regard, has fallen furthest in your esteem?” Several people responded with Robert De Niro. It truly is shocking how he seems determined to piss away all of the prestige he has garnered in his long career by doing what can only be described as “paycheck” movies.
No wonder Martin Scorcese has decided to work with Leonardo di Caprio.
You’re right, Deb. De Niro could be in almost any movie he wanted, but he’s chosen a bunch of dud recently. I respect George Clooney for alternating his “paycheck” movies with artistic films.
Exactly! I don’t think anyone would begrudge De Niro the chance to make a few (or more) bucks after decades of top quality (but not so well-reimbursed) work; but he needs to mix in some top-notch projects along with “Meet the Parents” stuff and animated voice-over work. I almost get the sense that he’s given up, which is a real shame.
Somehow Philip Seymour Hoffman finds interesting roles, Deb. De Niro could do the same if he wanted to.