The Bucket List Movie Review

The Bucket List Movie Review
“The Bucket List” operates on the hope that two beloved stars rubbing their signature
screen personas together can spark warm, fuzzy box office magic. I wouldn’t count on it.
Stars or no, it is an open question whether audiences will flock to a preposterous,
putatively heartwarming buddy comedy about two men diagnosed with terminal cancer
living it up in their final months.
The geezers chafing at death’s doorstep are Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) and Carter
Chambers (Morgan Freeman), cancer patients who meet cute in the room they share in
a hospital owned by Edward. A greedy billionaire health care mogul, Edward is a victim
of his own ruthless cost-cutting program that decrees two to a room in his cramped
establishment.
Obviously, no billionaire in his right mind would endure such humiliation in an

institution he is knowingly bleeding to death; he would have his own deluxe private
suite somewhere else. Edward, however, does have gourmet food supplied by his
obedient assistant Thomas (Sean Hayes), which he lustily consumes until chemotherapy
takes away his appetite along with his hair.
Slipping into their stock screen personas of rampaging fool (Mr. Nicholson) and pious
wise man (Mr. Freeman), neither actor adds a note that we haven’t seen before. Given
less than a year to live, Edward and Carter flee the hospital to board Edward’s private jet
for a final blowout underwritten by Edward.
Along the way they become best pals who help each other learn the usual lessons about
living life to the fullest. The movie strenuously denies medical reality. As they undertake
their journey, both men, in temporary remission, appear as robust as the rejuvenated
seniors in “Cocoon.”
Carter is the one who initially brings up the notion of “the bucket list,” a roster of must-
have experiences to be pursued before “kicking the bucket.” We are asked to accept that
this dignified sage has been happily toiling as an auto mechanic for 46 years after
forgoing his higher education to support a family. Anyone this articulate and composed
would have risen far above day-laborer status.
Largely self-taught, Carter keeps himself in mental shape by watching “Jeopardy!” and
competing out loud with the contestants. During their travels he is a font of geographic
and historical trivia.
For all the kindly gravity he puts into the role, Mr. Freeman cannot begin to make you
believe that a quiet family man like Carter would abandon his loyal wife (Beverly Todd)
during his final months of life to go on a spree with a rascally egomaniac. I don’t
imagine Mr. Freeman believes it either.
Saddest of all, the professed spiritual goals on the pair’s checklist of things to do —
“laugh till you cry,” “witness something majestic” — are the kind of pallid bromides
found in the pages of a quickie self-help book: “I’m Not O.K., and Neither Are You.”
“The Bucket List” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It has off-color dialogue.
Here’s 7 life lessons I learned from The Bucket List:
1. Death often comes out of nowhere.

Yes, Edward and Carter were in their old age when they found out they were going to die. But it
still crept up on them. They were living normal lives, and then suddenly their time was going to
be up.
Whether old or young, death often comes when you least expect it. You really never know what
can happen and when your time on this planet will be up. That’s why you need to grateful for
every day you wake up and make sure you’re living the life you want. The more you can think
about death and its inevitability, the better lens you’ll have on life and the more prepared you’ll
be when it comes.
2. Make your bucket list(s) now.
Seriously. Don’t wait until life passes you by and it’s too late. Start today!
Write down all the things you want to do in life. Dream big.
Sure, you could just have one bucket list that’s personal to you. But I like the idea of creating
different ones with other people in mind too, e.g. your significant other, sibling(s), or best
friends. Why not, right?
Everyone needs a blueprint for a great life, and a bucket list is the perfect measuring stick. What
are you waiting for?
3. Actively plan to execute whatever is on your bucket list, and
continue to add to it.
This lesson is more of an extrapolation from the previous one than something directly
attributable to the movie, but I thought it was important enough to mention here.
Making the bucket list is the easy part and only Step 1. It’s worthless unless you start planning
out how you’re going to accomplish the things on it.
Edward and Carter couldn’t really plan since their time was limited. They just took action, which
is a major part of the equation too.
While you likely have a lot of time to accomplish the items on your bucket list, don’t wait
for “some day” to come. Again, you never know when your time is up here, so there needs to be
a little sense of urgency and desire to take action. Squeeze everything out of life while you can.
Start by picking an item that is attainable in the short-term and take the first step to figuring out
how and when you can do it.
Regularly revisiting your bucket list gives you the opportunity to tweak it. Maybe there’s
something you thought you wanted to do but change your mind about. Or even better,
something new you’re excited to try. In terms of a cadence, try revisiting your bucket list at least
monthly.
4. See the world.

One of the central themes of Edward and Carter’s bucket list was traveling around the world.
They do things like see the pyramids in Egypt, take in a safari in Africa, and ride through the
Great Wall of China on a motorcycle.
Travel is invigorating. Many of us wish we could do more of it, but don’t really do anything about
it. It’s really a matter of priority.
It’s so important to see the world. We can experience different cultures and events, meet new
people, witness the beauty of Earth, etc. Make sure you do it with people you care about.
5. Find the joy in your life.

At one point in the movie, Carter shares a myth with Edward about what happens when you get
to the gates of heaven. According to the story, the gods ask the recently deceased two
questions, one of which is “Have you found joy in your life?”
In other words, figure out what makes you happy and keep doing those things as much as you
can. Even if you think you haven’t achieved full happiness yet (is there such thing?), everyone
has things they do that make them feel good. Think about the last time you laughed, or did
something that was really fun, or had a great conversation. Never stop seeking that joy and
making it a regular part of your life.
6. Bring joy to other people’s lives.

In the same story about the deceased waiting to get into heaven, Carter tells Edward that the
second question the gods ask them is “Has your life brought joy to others?”
Life isn’t meant to be all about you. Yes, your dreams and goals matter, but it’s really about
impact and legacy. How many people’s lives can you touch while you’re here? How can you be
a role model for others?
As Carter said in the movie, “You measure yourself by the people who measure themselves by you.”
7. Be adventurous.
When Edward and Carter saw the world, they did it in style. Their journey was all about having
fun and doing things they had always wanted to do. They pushed the boundaries of what they
thought they were capable of and grew in the process.
We should all try new things more often. There’s so much out there to be experienced that it’s
almost an insult to not do anything about it. If there’s something that’s been on your mind a lot
that you’ve wanted to do, just go do it. Take someone with you. Create memories you can hold
onto. Have the most fun possible. Do it all.

The Bucket List Movie Review

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Bucket List Movie Review

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Bucket List Movie Review

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What are some of the activities on Edward and Carter's bucket list?

What does Carter share is one of the questions asked at the gates of heaven?

The Bucket List Movie Review

Obviously, no billionaire in his right mind would endure such humiliation in an

Here’s 7 life lessons I learned from The Bucket List:

1. Death often comes out of nowhere.

4. See the world.

5. Find the joy in your life.

6. Bring joy to other people’s lives.

You might also like