By Brian Marder
Story
Down on her luck, Jean (
Lopez) leaves her abusive boyfriend (
Damian Lewis) with her daughter and seeks refuge in the only place she knows--the Wyoming ranch run by her father in-law (
Redford), Einar. Problem is, she has been estranged from him for years because he basically blames her for his son's death and everything else that has happened thereafter. Nevertheless, Jean takes up house with her spiteful in-law, works a dead-end job and eventually hooks up with the local lovelorn sheriff (
Josh Lucas). Naturally, the turbulent relationship between Jean and Einar gets worse before it gets better, but with the help of Jean's young daughter and the bedridden, bear-mauling victim (
Morgan Freeman) living in Einar's "guest house," things are righted between the two. Einar finally absolves Jean of the "accident" that killed his son, thereby concluding his son's unfinished life. Oh, and there's a cheesy, predictable metaphor involving the bear, too.
Acting
Lopez took a chance starring opposite screen legend
Jane Fonda in the fun comedy
Monster-In-Law--and it worked. But
Life's a whole different genre. It's a tough sell to see
Lopez as a nomadic, beleaguered country bumpkin, trying to make good. She should really just stick to romantic comedies. And working with a completely different acting legend, she just can't connect with
Redford. As for the veteran actor, the man can simply do no wrong. He could write, direct and star in a movie in his sleep, and it'd still be better than most contemporary films, including
Life. Sure, the choice to play a bitter old man donning overalls and a cowboy hat leaves something to be desired, but he is still credible as Einar. Then there's
Freeman, who has starred in so many movies this year--playing the same knowing and wise part--that one doesn't need to look at the opening credits to expect his appearance. His subtle, subdued performance is very good, but he needs a break as much as we need a break from him.
Direction
Swedish director
Lasse Hallstrom has been around a lot longer then most people realize. He made a modest hit in his own native language with the 1985
My Life as a Dog, but his first big break came when he expertly guided
Johnny Depp and a downright pubescent
Leonardo DiCaprio in 1993's
What's Eating Gilbert Grape. He went on to direct such Oscar-nominated films as
The Cider House Rules and
Chocolat, further highlighting is his undeniable, though subtle, trademark of depicting the minutiae of bucolic settings.
Hallstrom has made a career off of nuances of this running theme, which simply continues in
Life. With the film, he has created something out of nothing by centering on a small story in a small town, creating an interesting dynamic, especially up against the lush scenery of the rural locales.
Hallstrom is about the only other person connected with
Life, besides maybe
Freeman, who sticks with what he does best.