Around the Bend (2004)
A tale of four generations of men, all of whom have had their offspring at a young age: a great-grandfather, a grandfather, a father in his twenties and a son who is about 7 years old. When the oldest member passes away, the trio heads out on the road together in the Southwest to search out an old family secret that connects to their past.
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What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.
Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.
if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
I found this to be one of the most tedious and pointless films I've ever seen. According to the DVD cover it was suppose to be funny and a masterpiece. It was neither what it was was slow and depressing. It tried to be profound, nearly every line spoken was spoken like it was the most profound thing ever said. None of the characters were either likable or even that believable. At the start gathering from the music it was trying to be whimsical but it was as flat as a pancake. Despite having two great actors in Michael Caine and Christopher Walken not even they could save this from being a stone cold turkey. The only good thing about this film was the soundtrack and the cinematography (New Mexico always looks amazing). 2/10
Father-son movies can quickly turn into sappy soap operas. Grandfather-father-son-grandson movies can drown you in cheap syrup. You gotta watch 'em. Around The Bend, though, keeps it grit and its soul right to the bitter-sweet end. The actors - Michael Caine, Christopher Walken, John Lucas and Jonah Bobo - are completely at home in their rolls. The writing is intelligent and real. If you've traveled the American West, the people and places along the road to hopeful redemption are familiar. Unless you were born of angels, so are the main characters. Take a good story, weave a perfect rock and roll soundtrack through it and stuff it into a Kentucky Fried Chicken sack. Now load it into a junkie old VW bus and sprinkle it very lightly with magic dust. What you got is a trip to someplace worth going. I love this movie!
Picked this up on a whim because of the cast, had to be offbeat with Walken and Caine in the same film. Quite an absorbing story. I was quite surprised by the critical reaction, particularly observations about it's "sentimentality". One of the things I liked best about it was its refusal to wallow in sentiment. The father-son relationship has a satisfying culmination, but we're not asked to forgive and forget or feel warm and mushy.Some of Walken's best work, unapologetic and complex. Some great character performances. The quirkiness worked well for me. It's like the central character was born on the other side of the looking glass, trying to find normalcy when there doesn't seem to be any to be found. Loved the music, particularly the use of Leon Russell and Dylan. Highly recommended rental, including some rather interesting "deleted scenes".
If you cannot enjoy the value of a film with mixed views on death and how, why, when, what, for and how we deal with it, don't bother. If you can, be ready for a really enjoyable film.The tune, mixed with the film in "8" on the CD is enough to make you know these guys are right on time.I'm not giving the film away by telling you too much but if you read what I've said and view it because of it... you know how I see and all movies I comments will only give you what you need to make your own decision.Family gets together to see to an old mans wishes upon his death be done.Involves peeing on ashes so MNBSFW.