The Good Life (2007)

Director:

Stephen Berra

Writer:

Stephen Berra (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A story about a mostly normal young man who makes the most out of fitting in when he obviously doesn't.

Plot:

A young man (Webber) is encouraged by a new friend (Deschanel) to cope with living in a town where he doesn't necessarily fit in. |

Plot Keywords:

Suicide Of Father | Suicide | Title Spoken By Character

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Mark Webber	...	Jason
Zooey Deschanel	...	Frances
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Gus
Bill Paxton	...	Robbie
Chris Klein	...	Tad
Patrick Fugit	...	Andrew
Drea de Matteo	...	Dana (as Drea De Matteo)
Bruce McGill	...	Frank Jones
Donal Logue	...	Daryll
Deborah Rush	...	Diane
Michael Baxter	...	Fred
Michelle Boulet	...	Friend #1
Cory Cassidy	...	Tad's Friend
Sarah Constible	...	Terry
Darcy Fehr	...	Friend #2

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

Germany:90 min (European Film Market)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #43205) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Argyle, Manitoba, Canada

Company:

FarFalla Films

Quotes:

Jason: [reading a note from his father] Jason, the brain has enough oxygen to support full awareness for 10 to 15 seconds after the heart is destroyed. Go for the head. A lifetime full of pain, who needs 10 to 15 seconds more.

Movie Connections:

References An Embarrassing Predicament (1914)

Soundtrack:

On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe

This movie tries way too hard

I've seen this movie compared to Donnie Darko several times, most recently in another comment here on IMDb, however, they're nothing alike. Donnie Darko is a beautiful, thought-provoking film, while this movie just falls flat. It tries so very hard to be deep and depressing, that it ends up almost a parody of itself. The quasi-philosophical mumblings of the main character sound like they where stolen from a manga and none of the characters seem even remotely like actual people.

My advice, watch "The Go-Getter" instead. It too has a young man who's lost both a parent and his way, it too has Zooey Deschanel, and unlike The Good Life, it has humor and it doesn't try to be something it's not.