What Do You Want To Do Before You Die? The Bucket List.

The Bucket List (2007) Directed by Rob Reiner.

Ed Glover built a hospital management company that is worth billions of dollars. He is accused of understaffing and overbooking, and providing substandard care. His reply is “I run hospitals, not health spas. Two beds to a room, no exceptions.”

Then he meets the great levelizer. Cancer does not care how much money you have.

Carter Chambers is a mechanic. He is a family man, and very well read. He always gets the answers on Jeopardy. And he too has cancer.

Carter is in the hospital when Ed arrives. Like many rich people, Ed is of the opinion the rules do not apply to him.
Edward Cole: I want my own room.
Thomas: You run hospitals, not health spas. Two beds to a room, no exceptions.

Thomas is Ed’s assistant. A longer suffering man has not been seen since Nigel in “The Devil Wears Prada.”

There is a truth to the saying shared adversity builds brothers. The military has used this principle for years in boot camp. Chemotherapy is just as hard as boot camp. Ask anyone who has undergone both which they would rather repeat, and I’m fairly certain most are going to opt for boot.

Lying there, the two men talk. They begin to know each other. They wait, and they endure. It is just an endurance test until they get the results. Ed gets his first. Six months, perhaps as long as a year. Carter’s diagnosis is similar.

Carter had been working on something; just a scribble. In light of his diagnosis, he crumpled it, and it was on the floor. Ed retrieves it, and looks.

The Bucket List.
Witness something truly Majestic.
Help a perfect stranger for the good.
Laugh until I cry.
Drive a Mustang Shelby.

Ed asks him what it is. Carter explains it was an exercise from his two months of college, prior to his son’s conception. A list of things to do in your life. But life got in the way, as it tends to do. As Carter says, “Forty-five years goes by pretty fast.”
Ed replies, “Like smoke through a keyhole.” So he starts adding to the list.

The Bucket List (Ed’s contributions)
Skydiving.
Kiss the most beautiful girl in the world. (Ed’s planning on using volume for this one.)
Get a tattoo. (“Ed, I’ve had baths deeper than you.”)
Hunt the big cats.

As Ed explains it, “You’re the one crying because you never took a shot. Here’s your chance.” Exasperated, Carter asks, “My chance to what? Make a fool of myself?” “Never too late!” Ed chortles.

So, they decide to do it, they decide to get some moves on. Carter’s wife is not happy, but he decides he is going to do this for himself.

And they do. Carter is a reluctant Skydiver. “I hate your rotten guts!” Ed pushes the envelope to the last second. Carter however opens up when they get behind the wheels of a pair of Mustang Shelbys.

They fly to Paris, then down through Africa. Carter puts his foot down about shooting anything other than a camera. The head to Nepal, and try for Everest, but alas, the weather will not clear up until spring…. They head for Shanghai.

Through it all, they meet each challenge with enthusiasm, and wonder. They laugh, they learn a little more about each other, and they mark another item off The Bucket List.

One of Carter’s things that confuses Ed is Carter has never had sex with another woman. Ed has been married four times. He likes being married, but he likes being single too. It’s hard to do both at the same time.

One of Ed’s things that baffles Carter is Ed is estranged from his daughter. Her husband beat her. Ed had him “lined out,” not killed, but threatened away. His daughter never spoke to him again.

Ed tries to get Carter laid. And while delightfully tempted, he declines, realizing he still loves Virginia. Carter tries to arrange a reunion between Ed and his daughter. Ed does not take this gesture well. He blows his stack.

Carter Chambers: What are you so afraid of?
Edward Cole: Just because I told you my story, does not invite you to be a part of it!
Carter Chambers: Oh, like the lady in the bar?
Edward Cole: That's different.
Carter Chambers: Tell me how it's different.
Edward Cole: I build a billion dollar business up from NOTHING! Presidents have asked my advice, I have dined with royalty, and I’m supposed to make out like what? This trip was supposed to MEAN something to me? Like it was gonna change ME? How did you see it playing out Carter, I knock on the door, she answers, she's surprised and angry, but I tell her how much I love her and miss her, and OH, by the way, I'm gonna be dead soon so I'm reaching out to you because I don't wanna die alone?
Carter Chambers: Everyone's afraid to die alone.
Edward Cole: I'm not everyone! This was supposed to be fun. That's all it ever was.
Edward Cole: (To Tommy, who is trying to get back in the car) Don’t get in. You take a cab.

Carter returns home to his family. He is welcomed home, and loved, and he and Virginia realize that after 66 years, they are still in love. Ed goes home to microwavable meals and paid companionship, and is desperately lonely.

And then…the inevitable.

This movie is a real tear jerker. I also laughed harder than I have in a very long while. And I thought very hard about the message of this movie.

It does not matter where you are in life’s journey. Live. Don’t worry about making a fool of yourself; it’s never too late.

I look at Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman and I realize they are perfect for these roles. Both were seventy the year this movie was made. Both are stars, at the top of their game. And I bet both of them are enormously satisfied.

Life happens while you are making other plans. Each day you are alive, be alive.

The Cast
Jack Nicholson ... Edward Cole. Self confident and self absorbed CEO of Hospital Management, hoist on his own medical petard. He understands about having fun, but not about loving.

Morgan Freeman ... Carter Chambers. Dedicated family man who sacrificed everything so his family would not want. He understands love, but not about taking time for himself. He and Ed are good for each other.

Sean Hayes ... Thomas. Actually, his name is Matthew. Ed thought that sounded too biblical. He is the quite Rock that anchors Ed’s life. He also deserves to be canonized for his patience with the old geezer. He is not in any way, a door mat though, and that I think is the reason Ed keeps him around.

Beverly Todd ... Virginia Chambers. Carter’s wife. She’s a nurse, and has seen more human tragedy than any one woman should have to. She is very mad at Ed for stealing her husband, but learns to appreciate what he did for Carter.

Rob Morrow ... Dr. Hollins. Lordy, how I wish they had named the character Dr. Fleishman. That would have been a hoot.

Alfonso Freeman ... Roger Chambers. Yes, they used Morgan Freeman’s son to play his son. It was a sweet gesture, and he did a great job with this bit part.

The Analysis
This movie has very few weak points. The cinematography is great; in fact, everything technical about the movie was excellent. But that is not this story’s strong point. The script here is great. The dialogue is memorable, poignant, and hilarious. The plot is wonderful, and the pacing superb.

And the acting. Oh my, words fail me. Nicholson and Freeman in a buddy movie that works. No one can do smooth, patient and wise like Morgan Freeman, and no one can do smug, sarcastic and decadent like Nicholson. This is a great performance, with two giants feeding off each other, driving the other to give a better performance.

I love this movie, not only because it is a well crafted film, but because it makes you think. What is it that makes your life worth living? What is on your Bucket List?