Journal 1: The Bucket List

The Bucket List


I once lost someone who I was really close to. Their death made me feel like a part of my childhood was taken from me. It made me reflect on the importance and value of the time I do have. But it also made me think about how death is not a laughing matter. I held this philosophy, but then was surprised by my desire to see the movie “The Bucket List.” I think the reason being, I wondered could death be something we could make light of ?
After reading the review that Kyle Smith wrote on “The Bucket List,” I want to see it now more then ever. I normally do not think death is something that one can laugh at. After reading how the director handles the topic, it seems like from the critic’s standpoint, they make it comical, regardless of the topic itself. “Hollywood dislikes old people and loathes philosophy, but older viewers especially will find that this script touches important questions with wit and grace” (Smith, 1). This quote exemplifies the balance that is found between the topic of death and humor. The critic goes even further to say, “Carter and Edward's discussion of religion hits all the essentials while being succinct and witty: "We live, we die, and the wheels of the bus go round and round," says Edward” (Smith, 2). This is not the typical attitude or remark I expected to hear when referring to death.
The characters that were picked for this movie, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman seem like they could make a good team. After seeing Jack Nicholson in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” it is easy to imagine him making the most depressing things funny enough to laugh at. For example, in this movie he is in a mental hospital. He is put there against his will, and yet he seems to make the best of a bad situation. I found it interesting at the time, seeing a movie that could be both comical and heavy. Immediately after hearing about “The Bucket List” from friends, I knew this movie had the potential to do the same thing: parallel two opposites to make a comedy. The reviewer brings up how the characters are polar opposites of each other, and in turn do not hit it off. In the beginning, Nicholson is a big time CEO, and Morgan Freeman is a mechanic. Yet they are forced to share a room together. This room is only divided by a thin curtain. Knowing typical Hollywood movies, this sets them up for some ups and downs, but laughs for the viewers along the way. Furthermore, based off past movie viewing experiences, one can assume, they become friends.
I really am a sucker for feel good movies that are easy to relate to my own life. As the critic calls this movie a “popcorn picture” I can see how this would be (Smith, 2). In the end, the critic summed it up, in my mind, when he stated, “Actors tell us that dying is easy, comedy is hard. But comedies about dying are hardest of all” (Smith, 2).