AN UNFINISHED LIFE
US, 2005, 108 minutes, Colour.
Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, Morgan Freeman, Josh Lucas, Damien Lewis, Camryn Mannheim, Becca Gardner.
Directed by Lasse Hallstrom.
This is a film mainly about adults and adult issues made for an adult audience. It shows problems, even death and grief. It shows people working towards forgiveness and healing. It shows ordinary people and people at the margins of life.
The star is Robert Redford, looking more than a bit gnarled, lined and a chin full of stubble. After all, he is almost 70. He owns a farm but has had to let his cows go. His son has been killed in a car crash and he has never got over it. He is completely bitter towards his daughter-in-law who was driving at the time of the accident. In the meantime, he cares for a friend who worked for him and who has been in pain for some time after being mauled by a bear.
The bear becomes the film’s symbol for Redford’s character. The bear wanders the town while Redford wants to shoot it. But, it is captured and is exhibited in an animal park. The victim of its mauling wants it fed and finally freed after looking it in the eye with courage.
Accidents are also an important theme. Each of the characters has been involved in accidents and each has to learn that that is the meaning of accident: no one’s fault, even if death follows.
The farm is in Wyoming and its beautiful scenery (Brokeback Mountain territory and there are allusions to the friendship between the two old men). But this is a straight and generally straightforward story. Redford’s character has been a drunk and is bitter. He has been devoted to Morgan Freeman as the victim of the bear (which the drunk Redford did not have the strength to move). He suddenly finds that his alienated daughter-in-law (Jennifer Lopez in quite a low-key performance) arrives with a grand-daughter he never knew about. The bonding of child and grandparent can work wonders – and does.
The film was directed by Lasse Halstrom who likes this kind of humane story in out-of-the-way places: What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Cider House Rules, Chocolat, The Shipping News.
1.A film of sadness, reconciliation, forgiveness, hope and love?
2.The Wyoming settings, the beauty of the mountains and countryside, the homes? The town, the diner, the zoo? The contrast with the crowded cities? The score?
3.The title, its application to each of the central characters? Especially Einar, Mitch and Jean?
4.The introduction to Einar and the farm, his helping Mitch? Jean, Griff, Gary and his brutality and their leaving?
5.The town as a setting, everyone knowing the news about everyone else? Jean and her parents’ home, her past life in the town, marrying Griffin? Going to the rodeo, the tossing of the coin and her driving, her going to sleep, the crash, Griffin’s death? Everybody knowing? The diners, Nina and her help, Crane and his support? The louts in the town? Einar and his life, his grief, his drinking? A closed community? Gary as the outsider and intruder?
6.Jean and Griff, the daughter named after her father? Both characters strong? Jean and her explanation that after what had happened she didn’t deserve any better than Gary? Griff and her personality? Griff persuading her mother to leave? The drive, in the middle of America, the possibilities, the map, the choices? Going to her father-in-law’s house, he not knowing about Griff? The desperation and staying? His allowing them to stay?
7.Einar as a grizzled old man, living for his dead son, going daily to his grave and talking with him? His wife leaving him? His work with Mitch for forty years? Too drunk to help him when the bear mauled him? His attitudes towards Jean and Griff? His emphasis on manners, correcting Griff? His using her for jobs, finally accepting her, teaching her? Aggressive towards Jean? The strong arguments, Jean talking frankly about Griffin’s death? Mitch and his help? His care for Mitch, their discussions? Griff and her misunderstanding their relationship? Work, Einar going to town, feeding the bear, setting it free? His defence of Nina in the diner?
8.The bear as a symbol, from the mountains, in the town, wandering, a target for shooting? Einar and his wanting to shoot? Crane saving the bear? Transporting it to the zoo? The visitors watching it? Its mauling Mitch – and his saying that it was just doing what a bear does? The plan for the escape, Griff accidentally knocking the bar, Einar and the attack? The bear confronting Mitch, Mitch standing his ground, eye to eye? The bear going into the mountains and Einar watching it? A symbol of grizzly, mauling, freedom?
9.Mitch, the mauling and the effect on his face, his legs, using the crutches, his need for the medicine? Accepting Einar’s help? The pain? Their discussions, his observing people, friendly towards Jean and towards Griff? Grateful to her? Wanting the bear fed? Wanting to see the bear? Its being set loose, the confrontation, his stance? His reflections on death and burial?
10.Crane, his work as sheriff, attracted towards Jean, the relationship, her initiating it, the information about Gary? His knowing Gary was in town, confronting him? Griff not liking Crane? Einar and his talking of courtesy? Her inviting Crane to stay? The discussions with Jean?
11.Nina, friend, her work at the diner, dealing with the louts, taking Jean and Griff in, a good listener?
12.Jean, the confrontation with Einar, leaving, Griff wanting to return, walking to the ranch, learning to drive?
13.All the influences on Einar, his having to deal with his grief, face the truth? His paying Jean the compliment about Griff’s growing up?
14.Gary, the type, his brutality, short-tempered? Coming to town, trespassing, the butts at the grave? Playing pool, the confrontation with Einar, Einar driving him out of town, bashing the car? His return to the town? The confrontation with Crane? His leaving?
15.Einar and the attempt to free the bear, the accident, Einar being hurt? In hospital, Jean coming and waiting? His learning the truth about accidents being accidents? Admitting the truth about himself?
16.Themes of life, not giving up, not leaving life unfinished, but continuing?
