Everybodys Fine (Miramax Films)
But the Movie Isnt
Robert De Niro shows his acting skills in the new film Everybodys Fine but sadly he is a good actor in search of a good script. Everybodys Fine is a tale of a family and all the problems they have. It has some impressive moments but overall the film is too drawn out and too lacking in emotional connections.
Frank Goode is a widower living alone and not liking it too much. He is counting on his four children coming for a family weekend. Then he begins to get the phone calls which tell him they will not be able to attend. Undaunted Frank decides to surprise each of them with a visit. Since he has an aversion to flying he makes his trip by bus and plane.
His first visit is to New York where he hopes to see his son David, but it turns out David is not at home. He then moves on and visits his daughter Amy (Kate Beckinsale), his son Robert (Sam Rockwell), and his other daughter Rosie (Drew Barrymore). Each visit is compounded by lies and omissions of information. Frank urges his children to confide in him but they seem reluctant to share with him the way they did with their mother.
The framework for an interesting film is here but the actions of the children in relation to their father are never believable. Their secrecy seems silly and forced. When all the revelations are made they seem out of proportion to the way the kids have acted.
De Niro dominates the film. He is the center of the story and the hub around which all else circles. But in this film he is acting in a vacuum as his character never truly relates to the others. There are moments of brilliance but they dont add to the overall enjoyment of the movie.
Barrymore is the next best thing in the movie. She is fascinating to watch on screen but she doesnt have enough screen time to make her character valid. There is more to Rosie than meets the eye but you never get the opportunity to know what it is.
Beckinsale and Rockwell also have limited screen time and it is not enough. Their characters are paper thin and make no impression at all. Perhaps better actors could have made more of the roles as written but it is doubtful. This is the story of Frank and all else is extraneous.
The film is rated PG-13 for profanity.
This is a movie that looked so good in the trailer and then fell flat upon presentation. If you are a big Robert De Niro fan you might want to watch it for his acting skills, but if you are looking for an overall fine movie, no way!
I scored Everybodys Fine a no, theyre not 5 out of 10.
