An Unfinished Life

 

An Unfinished Life 2005

• Director: Lasse Hallström
• Seen by this director: The Hundred-Foot Journey, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Casanova, The Shipping News, Chocolat, The Cider House Rules, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Mitt liv som hund
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman, Damian Lewis, Josh Lucas, Camryn Manheim, Becca Gardner
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Jennifer Lopez – Maid in Manhattan, Selena
• Robert Redford – Out of Africa, The Sting, Jeremiah Johnson, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Barefoot in the Park, Inside Daisy Clover
• Morgan Freeman – many
• Damian Lewis – Once upon a Time in Hollywood, Our Kind of Traitor, Wolf Hall, Queen of the Desert, Much Ado about Nothing Re-Told
• Josh Lucas – The Lincoln Lawyer, Undertow, A Beautiful Mind, American Psycho
• Camryn Manheim – no doubt something
• Why? Hallström
• Seen:  As I start watching this, I realise that I’ve seen this before. Now:10 December 2023          

        Jean (Diaz) leaves her abusive boyfriend (Lewis) with her daughter Griff (Gardner) and with no other option they go to Wyoming to stay with Jean’s father-in-law Einar (Redford), who makes it very clear that they are not welcome. They stay anyway. Einar’s ranch partner Mitch (Freeman) is invalided after being mauled by a bear. Einar takes care of him.

       OK. Wyoming ranch, grumpy old men who love each other like brothers, a bear, an abused woman, a feisty girl, dead sons, a cute sheriff and Lasse Hallström. It’s got all the ingredients. Without remembering what I thought of it the first time (I only remember Redford and Freeman sitting on the veranda) I’m predicting 3* - not bad but more down-home rural American and feel-good than I like.

       Nope. I was wrong. It’s waaaay too down-home American rural and feel-good than I like. Sorry, Lasse.

 2* of 5