The Bucket List

 There are so many reasons to watch The Bucket List, even before you’ve heard from someone who’s seen the movie. First, it’s by the same guy who directed When Harry Met Sally and A Few Good Men. Second, Jack Nicholson. In what first seemed like a One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest spin-off. Third, that fine gentleman called Morgan Freeman, a striking contrast to Nicholson’s eccentricity and loud style of acting, perfectly complimenting his co-star.

But then, there’s also the big put-off. Why watch a movie where these two delightful old men are all set to kick the bucket? Terminally ill? Cancer? Because, this is no serious fare. It’s light-hearted to the point of being formulaic and in-your-face with the writers not even pretending to make it look random, sudden or spontaneous.

First, they drew up a list of things that are top favourites in almost everybody’s bucket-list: Skydiving, getting a tattoo, trashing beautiful sports cars, flying to the wonders of the world in your own jet. Add a few that have the potential to squeeze sentimentality out. Like, help a total random stranger, kiss the most beautiful girl, witness something truly majestic, laugh till you cry. Then, just find excuses to play them out, sandwiched with great conversation and scenes of bonding between these two phenomenally talented actors.

Yes, it’s predictable, it is manufactured feel-good, doctored drama and all that. But there are moments in the film that stay long after the curtains come down. We live for moments like that.