Don Johnston: Well, the past is gone, I know that. The future isn't here yet, whatever it's going to be. So, all there is, is this. The present. That's it. "Sometimes life brings some strange surprises."Broken Flowers is a film that I just found nothing likable about it. It's an offbeat indie film, but not in a way
that would make it, either funny or emotional. The film is dull and pretty boring, which is a first for me when Bill Murray is starring. There was only one scene I actually liked and that was the very last one in the film. Other than that I was just waiting for the movie to end. A bachelor, Don, gets a letter from an anonymous lover of the past right after breaking up with his most recent girlfriend. In the letter, he is told that he has a son who is going to come looking for him and that son is 19 years old. Don has a few ideas of who the mystery mother of his child could be, so he tracks each and everyone of them down and meets with them. Some of the meetings turn out well, others awkward, and others horrible. We are never really told who the mother is in so many words, but we know anyway. It isn't a horribly made or acted movie, it's just one I found no enjoyment in watching. I didn't get any satisfaction out of the subtle independent filmmaking in this case, like I normally do. That was somewhat surprising to me because I normally love movies like this.
December 9, 2011
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