Opening

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Around the Bend (2004)

tomatometer

22

Average Rating: 4.8/10
Critic Reviews: 32
Fresh: 7 | Rotten: 25

No consensus yet.

audience

61

liked it
Average Rating: 3.4/5
User Ratings: 4,707

My Rating

Movie Info

Four generations of an American family are brought together by difficult circumstances while facing some unpleasant truths in this drama. Henry (Michael Caine) is an elderly man in failing health living in a small town in the Southwest, where he's cared for by his live-in nurse (Glenne Headly). As Henry's condition grows worse, he's joined by his son Turner (Christopher Walken), his grandson Jason (Josh Lucas), and his great-grandson Zach (Jonah Bobo). As the four men deal with Henry's illness,

R,

Drama, Comedy

Jordan Roberts

Feb 22, 2005

$0.1M

Warner Independent - Official Site External Icon

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All Critics (100) | Top Critics (34) | Fresh (27) | Rotten (67) | DVD (13)

This is the male equivalent of the chick flick. It could have been titled Divine Secrets of the Da-Da Brotherhood.

October 29, 2004 Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee
Sacramento Bee
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Calling this 'tired' gives fatigue a bad name.

October 29, 2004 Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
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In the end Around the Bend isn't an awful movie. It's merely forgettable.

October 29, 2004 Full Review Source: Miami Herald
Miami Herald
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A sentimental journey, to be sure, but is saved by bleakly humorous moments.

October 22, 2004 Full Review Source: Toronto Star
Toronto Star
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In Michael Caine and Christopher Walken and Josh Lucas, [Roberts has] surrounded himself with a first-rate cast who, with one exception, seize the day.

October 22, 2004 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail
Globe and Mail
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Walken manages to deliver something pure and heartfelt here. Unfortunately, he's doing so in a film weighed down by coincidences and quirks.

October 22, 2004
Detroit News
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Michael Caine and Christopher Walken breath spirited life into debut writer/director Jordan Roberts' road trip of family bonding in this independent movie with a big heart.

April 18, 2009 Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com
ColeSmithey.com

...in many ways the softer scenes have more punch to them than any of the emotional confrontations or dramatic revelations

July 25, 2005 Full Review Source: www.kcactive.com

An unusual, oddly satisfying film that's part road movie and part emotional drama.

April 23, 2005 Full Review Source: ViewLondon
ViewLondon

Oozes sentimentality for the plight of these mildly eccentric characters... The problem isn't the film's gooey center but the flavorless, formulaic substance surrounding it.

April 14, 2005 Full Review Source: Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema
Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema

There's not much happening even when the viewer eventually gets around the bend.

March 31, 2005 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The film is not quite the deep drama or outrageous comedy it tries to be, but an engaging little story nonetheless.

February 24, 2005 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com
eFilmCritic.com

... a student film that benefits from the participation of solid professionals.

January 7, 2005 Full Review Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

O diretor e roteirista estreante exibe um autêntico desespero em emocionar o público com os personagens e tom tipicamente "indies", mas o resultado é simplório e entediante.

November 25, 2004
Cinema em Cena

The film is a modest vehicle for large talents and should have earned its funding as a matter of product placement.

November 24, 2004 Full Review Source: Cinema Signals
Cinema Signals

...the kind of movie that gives sincerity a bad name.

November 8, 2004 Full Review
Philadelphia Weekly

At times it almost feels as if the movie is making fun of itself, acknowledging just how familiar and overdone most of this material is.

November 5, 2004 Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Roberts lets his actors run loose, leading to such embarrassments as Caine's unidentifiable accent or Glenne Headly's turn as Henry's Danish * nurse.

November 5, 2004 Full Review Source: Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake Tribune

Audience Reviews for Around the Bend

An experienced cast lifts this "quirky" family drama about redemption just above been there done that, but only just. Walken and Caine, of course, are the standouts.
July 15, 2012
UniversalDreamer

Super Reviewer

Never Judge A Film By Its Cover, I have seen this film on the shelves 100 times and passed it up. I'm not a big Christopher Walken Fan, but I do enjoy Michael Caine. So I finally decided to watch this one and what I saw was a very enjoyable movie with a great sound track. About a father (Michael Caine) who only last wish is to see his son (Christopher Walken). Soon after he appears dies and before he dies he leaves his son, grandson and great grandson instructions for a road trip, which makes the movie most enjoyable. The purpose is to get these three back together. All died a fabulous job, 4 1/2 stars 4-21-12
April 26, 2012
bbcfloridabound
Bruce Bruce

Super Reviewer

    1. Turner Lair: Goin' to the rock.. It's where you come from. The woman I made love with on that rock... was your mother.
    – Submitted by Alannah D (16 months ago)
    1. Jason Lair: Why did Henry send us here, Turner?
    2. Turner Lair: Spite...
    3. Jason Lair: No, he sent us here so I could forgive you. That's all my post-it said was, "Forgive him." What am I forgiving you for, Turner? Huh? What am I forgiving you for?
    4. Turner Lair: What happened here... there's no forgiveness. ...I'm, i'm not even that person anymore.
    5. Jason Lair: What happened on the stairway, Turner? Just tell me, what happened on the stairway?
    6. Turner Lair: You were not in the car.
    7. Jason Lair: What?
    8. Turner Lair: With your mother. You were never in a car accident.
    9. Jason Lair: What'd you do? Did you drop me? Is that it? You get fucked up? You get fucked up and you dropped me?
    10. Turner Lair: Fucked up? I WAS GONE!
    11. Jason Lair: Just... say it! Say it! Say it! You dropped me! Say it.
    12. Turner Lair: No... no. No! NO! Nobody dropped you! ..GET IT? ....I threw you, kid. I threw my boy.. I threw my boy.
    – Submitted by Alannah D (16 months ago)
    1. Jason Lair: You called me TENSE!
    2. Turner Lair: You called me a THIEF!
    3. Jason Lair: You WERE a thief!
    4. Turner Lair: You were tense. You still are.
    – Submitted by Alannah D (16 months ago)
    1. Turner Lair: She was.. My breath. When she died, I had no.. Breath, anymore. You understand?
    – Submitted by Alannah D (16 months ago)

Discussion Forum

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Latest News on Around the Bend

January 12, 2006:
Critical Consensus: A Regal "Holiday," A Well-Trodden "Road," A Tepid "Tristan"
This week at the movies brings us films about a risk-averse woman cutting loose ("Last...

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