An Unfinished Life2005
An Unfinished Life (2005)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: A story of disjointed family members yearning for true emotional depth, An Unfinished Life teeters between overtly saccharine sentiments and moments of real intimacy.
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Movie Info
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Cast
as Einar Gilkyson
as Jean Gilkyson
as Mitch Bradley
as Sheriff Crane Curtis
as Gary Watson
as Nina
as Griff Gilkyson
as Kitty
as Rancher Kent
as Drunk Cowboy
as Deputy Bob
as Griffin Gilkyson
as Shelter Supervisor
as Gnome Owner
as Customer
as Customer
as Angry Couple Man
as Angie
as Secretary
as Cook
as Bartender
as Nurse Phyllis
as Doctor
as The Bear
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Critic Reviews for An Unfinished Life
All Critics (140) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (74) | Rotten (66) | DVD (7)
Call it "the Sundance effect," in which sentimental family drama blossoms amid a scenic, pastoral American landscape, with all its connotations of unspoiled purity and rejuvenation.
Hallström ropes an all-star cast into what's essentially a glossed-up TV movie.
The picture has no discernible reason for being. It's impossible to identify with characters who seem so fond of their own misery, they can't be bothered to communicate even the most basic facts about themselves.
By the conclusion, the movie turns into the ursine answer to Free Willy, veering dangerously close to New Age parody.
Manages to be both moving and poignant largely because of the superb acting, cinematography and direction.
The picture is outrageously predictable and somewhat poky, but there's also something admirably bold about the way it so adamantly demands we swallow its hokum.
Audience Reviews for An Unfinished Life
Pretty good family drama set out in rural America when a runaway daughter escapes an abusive boyfriend by returning to her small town roots. JLo does better than one might've imagined while up against Redford and Freeman, and the whole feels as involving, though restrained, as what might be a PBS effort. Worthy.
Super Reviewer
Mitch Bradley: I know people everywhere that thought they got dealt a bad hand. "Every secret takes on a life of its own." An Unfinished Life isn't the most original thing you'll ever see, but it does do a lot of things well. It's well acted, especially by screen legends Morgan Freeman and Robert Redford. The Wyoming scenery is beautifully shot and the cinematography is amazing. So those are the things I really loved about the film. For the things I didn't now. Jennifer Lopez is miss cast if you ask me. She doesn't fit the role and is a mediocre, if sexy, actress at best. The other thing I didn't really care for is how the story took the easy way out to man times. There seemed to be some really interesting directions the film could have gone, but they were skipped every time for a more predictable option. Overall I still enjoyed the film as a whole. There were some truly beautiful moments and some occasionally funny ones. This isn't a movie that is overly important, nor will it ever be a classic; but what it is, is a solid piece of filmmaking. Could it have been better? Sure, but as it is; it isn't too bad.
Super Reviewer
A good drama that indicates the significance of forgiveness, and how it can be tough than vengeance sometimes. Einar (Robert Redford) is the father-in-law of Jean (Jennifer Lopez) whose husband dies in a car accident while she was driving. She leaves her husband's house soon after the incident, but returns years later with her daughter when she needs a hiding place. Einar finds it difficult to forgive her, but he's fond of his grand-daughter. The movie displays how each character deal with their pain. Einar's friend Mitch's (Morgan Freeman) parallel track, also emphasizing the power of forgiveness, is equally good. While it's a bit slow, it's not boring. The humor at regular intervals also makes it lively. Morgan Freeman gives an incredible performance as usual, while Robert Redford and Jennifer Lopez also live their character amazingly and give a natural performance. The girl playing Jean's daughter is also terrific. Check it out if you wanna see a good family drama displaying the aspects of healing, redemption and forgiveness; and if you've patience.
Super Reviewer
An Unfinished Life Quotes
| Mitch Bradley: | Would you bury me next to Griffin? |
| Elinar Gilkyson: | Don't you think you ought to die first? |
| Jean Gilkyson: | You stay because you don't think you deserve any better, because you think it's the best you can do. |
| Mitch Bradley: | You want to know what I dreamed last night? |
| Elinar Gilkyson: | What? |
| Mitch Bradley: | I dreamed you weren't such a miserable son of a bitch. |
| Elinar Gilkyson: | That's not dreaming, it's wishful thinking. |
| Griff Gilkyson: | Don't bears like honey? Winnie the Pooh does. |