Everybody's Fine [Theatrical Release] |  | Manufacturer: Miramax Films
Category: Theatrical Release
This item is no longer available
Rating:  7 reviews
Language: English (Unknown)
Region: 1
ASIN: B002VECLZ0
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One thing Robert De Niro can't be accused of is avoiding a challenge. Everybody's Fine obliges this respected actor, who made his bones playing dangerous, volatile men, to portray a low-key retiree named Frank Goode. Frank's wife has died, and since she alone kept them in touch with their four grown offspring, now scattered around the country, he's doubly cut off from family. When the Goode kids all find excuses to skip a planned reunion, Frank hauls out his suitcase and boards Amtrak with the intention of dropping in on each of them: the tightly wound Chicago ad exec (Kate Beckinsale), the Denver musician (Sam Rockwell) who's supposedly a symphony conductor, the sweet Vegas showgirl (Drew Barrymore), and the Greenwich Village artist son who's nowhere to be found. That son remains offscreen for the duration, and his portentous absence has the unintended effect of emphasizing what a hollow enterprise Everybody's Fine is. Don't blame the cast, who do yeoman work trying to define their long-unsatisfactory relationship as parent and children. None of the kids hate Dad; they just never found a measure of comfort with him, so now everybody, far from being fine, is living one fiction or another to keep it mellow. For his part, Frank suffers from an undefined illness brought on by his life's work making insulation for phone wires; and lo, throughout his journey we're urged to notice telephone cables slipping by outside the train or bus window--lines of communication!--even as the siblings are warily monitoring Dad's progress by cell phone. Writer-director Kirk Jones once made an ersatz-Irish movie, Waking Ned Devine (1997), that vulgarized ethnicity in the interests of cheap laughs and patronizing sentimentality. In Everybody's Fine Jones manages the neat trick of vulgarizing delicacy. The movie wants to pass for a sensitive meditation on the white lies people tell one another and themselves. But it so reeks of bad faith and calculation that the message isn't worth delivering. --Richard T. Jameson
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 7
 Everybody's Fine Review February 8, 2010
Craig Whittle (Phoenix, AZ)
EVERYBODY'S FINE
STARRING: Robert De Niro, Kate Beckinsale, Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell, Lucian Maisel, Damian Young, James Frain, Melissa Leo and Katherine Moening
WRITTEN BY: Kirk Jones, Massimo De Rita, Tonino Guerra and Giuseppe Tornatore
DIRECTED BY: Kirk Jones
Rated: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Release Date: 04 December 2009
Have you ever seen a sad, old man sitting alone in a park or restaurant, and felt sorry for him? Imagine spending several days with him and discovering why he is so sad and all alone and you will be close to the feeling you're left with after seeing Everybody's Fine.
Previously to Everybody's Fine, I don't think any other film ever tore so much emotion out of me in such a subtle manner.
It's slow and not a lot happens in a big, shiny cinematic way; but it's very entertaining nonetheless. Despite its huge A-list cast, it couldn't have felt further from a big Hollywood film. It's beautifully realistic and tragic and sincere all in one. Don't let the misleading trailer confuse you; this is not a comedy as it foolishly tries to make it seem. It has a few minor comedic moments (see the trailer) but the film is heavily a drama.
Robert De Niro plays Frank Goode and it's no mistake that his last name is Goode. He's the sweetest guy you could imagine.
Unfortunately, his wife has recently passed away. To make matters worse, only months after her funeral, not one, not two, not three, but all four of his adult children regret to inform him that they will not be able to make it to see him for the weekend they had planned.
Frank is crushed. He had already gone out and picked up a nice bottle of wine and even purchased a brand new barbeque with plans of cooking for them. Now he will spend the weekend alone. And of course he also learns that his health isn't exactly hunky-dory.
Frank decides that rather than sit around and stew about how bad things are, he will pack a bag and set out on a road trip to surprise each and every one of his kids, instead. Did I mention they are all `conveniently' scattered across the entire United States?
Frank's doctor advised him not to travel as it would be unwise to his health, so he avoids flying or driving and begins his trip with a peaceful train ride.
It is along this journey that we learn Frank is a lonely guy who just wants someone to share a warm conversation with. He chats with strangers he meets here and there and we can't help but wish we were among them, so that we could spend a few precious moments of our time with him.
One of his two sons lives in New York. He arrives there first, only to discover he isn't home. (Frank never heard from this son; one of the others canceled for him) and we find that he may be up to something. Frank sketches a note (that will bring a tear to your eye) on the front of a prepared envelope and drops it under his door.
We learn Frank has an envelope for each of his kids and of its contents late in the third act. I won't spoil it for you, but you may want to have a tissue handy. Don't worry; it's not predictable or cheesy.
Next he goes to see one of his two daughters, Amy (Kate Beckinsale). She is very surprised to see him. Frank begins to uncover her excuse to not make the visit.
We don't hate her, or any of his other kids for making excuses to not see him, but we become very disappointed by their heartless actions. They clearly love their father and seem to have a pretty good relationship with him, so why the selfish behavior? Everybody's Fine leaves no questions un-answered, but I don't want to reveal too much.
His other two children are played by Drew Barrymore and Sam Rockwell. Rockwell shows us a side of himself that we have never seen before, as Robert. We get a lot out of him in his few short scenes. I still think he was robbed of an Oscar nomination in The Green Mile, but if he keeps acting like this, he'll have at least one in no time.
Barrymore plays Rosie and has perhaps the strongest connection with her father. Because of this bond they share, Frank can sense she isn't telling him something. At this point he is frustrated because he realizes he's drifting apart from all four of them and it's devastating.
The filmmakers give us a vividly entertaining and original scene of exposition; by which we learn a great deal more about these characters. This idea was very unique and well put together and really ties the story together quite nicely. All of the acting in this scene is brilliant.
The acting in this film is heartfelt and good and never over the top. De Niro delivers one of his best performances in years; touching your soul with his interpretation of Frank Goode. You really feel for Frank in this picture and you adore the time you have spent with him.
One of my favorite scenes takes place in a subway tunnel between Frank and a man asking for change. Frank is down on his luck and lends a helping hand to this young man, without hesitation. The acting is dead-on and the scene slaps you in the face and visually looks like gold. You will know the one I mean.
Come to think of it, there are several moments that were shot with equal precision and artistic vision. This film reminded me a lot of About Schmidt, for various obvious reasons. Writer and director Kirk Jones has created a beautiful film and I look forward to more of his work in the future.
At one point I thought the film was seconds from being over and I was in tears at how wonderful it had all come together. Then De Niro takes your breath away yet again, during the actual resolution.
Frank's narration at the end and the final shot could not have been perfected any better. This film is far more than just fine and everybody in it that we care about is too.
 Hollywood defeats European sensibility again February 7, 2010
Mr. T. J. Denman (London, UK)
A fine and subtle Italian film is sugar-glossed to death by Hollywood. All the under-statement and human complications of the original are rendered crude amd simplistic. Avoid, and go Italian.
Unfortunate remake of Tornatore's "Stanno tutti Benne" December 24, 2009
enremx (Morelos, Mexico)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Tornatore's "Stanno tutti Benne" (with Marcello Mastroiani), was skillfully developed for the Italian culture.
This remake lacks the essence of the Italian version, and even if the same writers were called as part of the cast for the "translation" (scenes repeated) to the American way of life, they couldn't get the essence of the Scuro's family in the original movie.
It would be nice for Miramax to release again the original version.
Beautifully melancholic tale of a father trying to reconnect with his kids December 17, 2009
Edmonson (Canada)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Kirk Jones wrote and directed "Everybody's Fine". This is an wonderfully quiet film that follows the lonely Frank Goode (Robert De Niro) who goes on a trip to visit his children (Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell), since they were too busy to visit him. Unbeknown to Frank is that his artist son, who is in Mexico, has run into some problems, but the other children are trying to cover up this fact. We follow Frank, who is a kind, and intelligent man, who has never really been close to his children, and who is making the effort to bridge this gap late in his life. This is a heartfelt exploration about a father trying to connect with his children which inevitably nurtures a feeling of goodwill and love.
What You Don't Know WILL Hurt You! December 15, 2009
Lorraine Hornig (Bechtelsville, PA USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
As a big fan of Robert De Niro, I was excited to see him appearing in another dramatic role. De Niro appears as a widower who embarks on a cross-country trip to visit each of his four children after they all cancel their plans to visit him at his home in Elmira, New York. Against his physician's advise he sets out and each of the four stops is a disappointment as he slowly realizes, by their thinly veiled excuses, that something isn't "right". A perfectionistic father who coated electrical wiring for a living, he expected his children to reach the top of their chosen fields(an artist, an advertising executive, a musician / conductor, and a dancer). As the story unfolds it become apparent that the kids have gone to great lengths to present a facade of success and happiness. He comes to realize that the negative details of his children's lives have always been hidden from him...even by his now deceased wife. In a touching scene when he insists on the truth regarding one of his children, he responds with, "No, No...tell me it's not true." The bottom line: this family kept secrets and secrets benefit no one. This very thought-provoking film is a real tear-jerker, so be prepared. I disagree with the opinions of many of the professional critics. This was an incredible film! Robert De Niro approached his role with tenderness and sensitivity and in my opinion was the top performance of the year. This film will be a definite addtion to my DVD collection. I highly recommend it!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 7
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