The Bucket List

Three cheers for sentiment.

Yes, it's a sentimental journey, a fairytale ... but loaded with insights, great scripting and fine, fine acting - Freeman and Nicholson are clearly enjoying one another, and they're at the top of their game.

The film takes seriously end-of-life issues (personal and family), but does so comedically, a feat hard to accomplish, so hats of to Rob Reiner for pulling it off - surely a testimony to his directorial skill.

I was surprised, as well, with the consummate skill by which the questions and practices of faith were handled - in Morgan Freeman's character and family - so matter-of-factly. Surely one of the best portrayals of faith I've seen in a major film, and a tribute to Justin Zackham, the writer as well as executive producer.

Panned by critics, I was expecting schlock ... instead, I saw a parable - "There once was two men, one rich and the other poor. They got sick, really sick, and ended up in the same hospital room."

It's a terrific film definitely worth seeing.