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From Amazon.co.uk
"You measure yourself by the people who measure themselves by you," says the quietly wise Carter Chambers, played with gravitas and grace by a Morgan Freeman. In Rob Reiner's moving, often hilarious film The Bucket List, all sorts of people measure themselves against the two heroes, Chambers and his hospital suitemate, Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson). But as Cole finds, having spent his entire life building a Fortune 500 company, none of that much matters when cancer, the great equalizer, pays a visit.
The film traces the adventures of the two unlikely friends, who meet in a hospital cancer ward, each given six months to live. The "bucket list" of the title refers to a lifelong list of goals that a teacher of Chambers once advised him to compile--and achieve--"before you kick the bucket." Soon the two are off on what may be the last grand adventure of their life, vowing to tick off as many goals (skydiving, race-car driving, seeing the wonders of the world) as they can in the time they have left. What starts as a medical melodrama becomes a road trip, yet the men's mortality realities are never far from thought. The two leads give impressive performances, and remind the viewer of just how few American films focus on the lives and loves of senior citizens. Nicholson even manages to lose his persona in his character, much as he did in About Schmidt. There's a lovely John Mayer tune, "Say (What You Need to Say)," that's perfectly matched to the film's clear-eyed view of life: What does one person leave behind as his true legacy? --A.T. Hurley
Product Description
In The Bucket List, a corporate billionaire (Jack Nicholson) and a working class mechanic (Morgan Freeman) find their lives thrown together when they end up sharing a hospital room. Both at a crossroads in their lives they come to realise that they have two things in common: a desire to spend the time they have left doing everything they ever wanted, as well as an unrealised need to come to terms with who they are. So before they, as the expression has it, "kick the bucket", the two men will support each other in realising their dreams.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
'The Bucket List' is a film showing two masters of their art in fine form. Both Nicholson and Freeman manage to pull off the perfect mix of comedy and poignancy in this film without becoming too cheesy or schmaltzy. The premise is actually very simply (2 terminally ill patients working their way through their own Bucket list) but manages to capture their relationships, fears about dying, philosophy about life and more besides in it's short but very sweet 90 minutes. I was kept thoroughly engaged the whole time and enjoyed every minute as they worked their way through a variety of experiences, from sky diving, getting a tattoo, to kissing the most beautiful girl in the world and a whole host of other things. This made for a fun film, with the right elements of humour and sadness and made a serious point about relishing your life without hammering the point home. It left me wondering about what experiences I've yet to try and with an all round good feeling. You can't ask much more from a film really. Great story, great acting and well worth a try.
Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.
Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
It's really virtually impossible not to like a movie with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson in it.. they add a sense of gravitas to anything they are in - and there is pleasure to be had in watching their contrasting styles spark off each other.
Here, the play two men, both suffering from cancer, sharing a room at a hospital (in a rather contrived set up). After some preamble to fleetingly show that they are actually not well, they create a bucket list - a list of things they want to do before kicking the bucket, and since one of them is rich, set out to work their way through the items, learning about themselves and each other as they go.
It works because the leads are strong, particularly Freeman. Nicholson overplays, but then the writing does call for it. It does stumble however in the script department from time to time... For example, Freeman talking to Nicholson - "You once said you're not everyone. Well, that's true-you're certainly not everyone, but everyone is everyone." It's not exactly Shakespeare. The concept of terminally ill men skydiving, climbing mountains and traveling the world somewhat while barely catching their breath also stretches credibility. Morgan Freeman does his trademark stately voice over, which only serves to remind you of The Shawshank Redemption, and the comparison is not favourable. And while the male bonding is fun to watch and some of the one-liners funny, the warmth of affection Freeman narrates for the Nicholson character never seems quite justified by anything his character does.
Those quibbles aside, it's fun, warm and fuzzy round the edges, has some decent performances, and is short enough not to outlast its welcome. Not a classic, but thumbs up nonetheless.
Here, the play two men, both suffering from cancer, sharing a room at a hospital (in a rather contrived set up). After some preamble to fleetingly show that they are actually not well, they create a bucket list - a list of things they want to do before kicking the bucket, and since one of them is rich, set out to work their way through the items, learning about themselves and each other as they go.
It works because the leads are strong, particularly Freeman. Nicholson overplays, but then the writing does call for it. It does stumble however in the script department from time to time... For example, Freeman talking to Nicholson - "You once said you're not everyone. Well, that's true-you're certainly not everyone, but everyone is everyone." It's not exactly Shakespeare. The concept of terminally ill men skydiving, climbing mountains and traveling the world somewhat while barely catching their breath also stretches credibility. Morgan Freeman does his trademark stately voice over, which only serves to remind you of The Shawshank Redemption, and the comparison is not favourable. And while the male bonding is fun to watch and some of the one-liners funny, the warmth of affection Freeman narrates for the Nicholson character never seems quite justified by anything his character does.
Those quibbles aside, it's fun, warm and fuzzy round the edges, has some decent performances, and is short enough not to outlast its welcome. Not a classic, but thumbs up nonetheless.
68 of 74 people found the following review helpful
By T. Smith
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
We saw this film last night and have to say its the funniest film I have seen in a long time. I came out of the cinema feeling emotionally quite drained. I lost someone close to me though lung cancer and so it touched me on a personal level, as I expect it will for a lot of other people.
It has you laughing out loud through most of the film, the beginning is a bit depressing mainly cos they are finding out they are going to die but that doesn't stop any of the humour it just leaves you feeling odd because you are laughing out loud at two men dying and it doesn't feel right.
This is one film I will definitely be ordering, Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson were fantastic.
It has you laughing out loud through most of the film, the beginning is a bit depressing mainly cos they are finding out they are going to die but that doesn't stop any of the humour it just leaves you feeling odd because you are laughing out loud at two men dying and it doesn't feel right.
This is one film I will definitely be ordering, Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson were fantastic.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
Two men in their seventies from utterly different backgrounds share the same hospital room in LA - and they both have forms of cancer that give them less than a year to live. When both go into remission they set off on an odyssey of indulgence doing things that they had always wanted to do, but had until now neither the time or opportunity to realise such dreams.
When you have two of Hollywood's most talented senior statesmen working around a story as touching as this combined with such expert direction and production design, it's almost inevitable that the result is a treat, for that is what it turned out to be. Nicholson plays an atheistic billionaire businessman, often married but with little to smile about even before his medical diagnosis. Freeman plays a God-fearing car-mechanic with a close and loving family whose only regret is a life-long frustration at not achieving the heights he once aspired to as a young man, having unselfishly put his family's security before his own desires. Nicholson provides most of the cynical black humour, Freeman the loyalty to his wife, religious faith and righteous philosophies. It's billed as a comedy drama but it's more than that; in fact it can be almost anything the viewer wants it to be, because I would suggest that different people seeing this film will take different meanings and memories away with them, depending on their point of view. The title of the film is not attractive but it is to the point: these two men draw up a list of wild or wonderful things to do before they kick the bucket.... Read more ›
When you have two of Hollywood's most talented senior statesmen working around a story as touching as this combined with such expert direction and production design, it's almost inevitable that the result is a treat, for that is what it turned out to be. Nicholson plays an atheistic billionaire businessman, often married but with little to smile about even before his medical diagnosis. Freeman plays a God-fearing car-mechanic with a close and loving family whose only regret is a life-long frustration at not achieving the heights he once aspired to as a young man, having unselfishly put his family's security before his own desires. Nicholson provides most of the cynical black humour, Freeman the loyalty to his wife, religious faith and righteous philosophies. It's billed as a comedy drama but it's more than that; in fact it can be almost anything the viewer wants it to be, because I would suggest that different people seeing this film will take different meanings and memories away with them, depending on their point of view. The title of the film is not attractive but it is to the point: these two men draw up a list of wild or wonderful things to do before they kick the bucket.... Read more ›
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4.4 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Predictable, I suppose.
Two good actors giving good performances with a good script.
Best watched alone.
'Cos you can weep one minute and laugh out loud the next.
Best watched alone.
'Cos you can weep one minute and laugh out loud the next.
Published 2 days ago by White Monk
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Bucket List
Since my husband is one of the 1-in-3 currently affected by cancer, this film provided a reason to laugh in the face of adversity! Read more
Published 13 days ago by Patricia Buckley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable film
Funny lighthearted film, it should an awareness of death and how it can be dealt with using good humour. Well worth watching
Published 16 days ago by Jean
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb! Made me laugh and cry! A classic
This is a truly awesome movie! The story is brilliant and superbly acted by a top class cast! I can't recommend it highly enough!
Published 18 days ago by sj69
2.0 out of 5 stars
Having the ending at the start ruins every film
I wil never understand why a film would want its ending to be shown first. From the beinning we know Cole will die and the film is about his last days. Read more
Published 20 days ago by A. Murphy
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful film
What a joy to watch. Very entertaining and amusing. We loved it on a cold and wet weekend afternoon and could watch it over and over again. Jack Nicholson at his best!!
Published 25 days ago by Elizabeth Faux
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic
I love the actors and I saw the film before so I thought it has to be a part of my collection. It is having deep thoughts and it is touching.
Published 28 days ago by Ildiko
4.0 out of 5 stars
great film for a relaxed evening
with possibly two of the best actor's in the world this movie was really always going to be good but i didnt think i would enjoy it as much as i did. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Josh
5.0 out of 5 stars
great movie
It's a great story. Makes you think about life, between laugh and tears! Great actors and very intense. Everybody shoould watch it
Published 1 month ago by Maria
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
Watch this film, it is brilliant, funny and sad. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are perfectly paired in this poignant movie.
Published 1 month ago by Mrs Susan M Belgrave
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