Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Michael Keaton | ... | Bob Jones | |
Nicole Kidman | ... | Gail Jones | |
Bradley Whitford | ... | Paul Ivanovich | |
Queen Latifah | ... | Theresa | |
Michael Constantine | ... | Bill Ivanovich | |
Rebecca Schull | ... | Rose Ivanovich | |
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Mark Lowenthal | ... | Dr. Mills |
Lee Garlington | ... | Carol Sandman | |
Toni Sawyer | ... | Doris | |
Haing S. Ngor | ... | Mr. Ho | |
Romy Rosemont | ... | Anya Stasiuk | |
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Danny Rimmer | ... | Young Bobbie |
Ruth de Sosa | ... | Young Rose Ivanovich | |
Richard Schiff | ... | Young Bill Ivanovich | |
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Stephen Taylor Knott | ... | Young Paul Ivanovich |
Life is going well for Bob Jones: great job, beautiful loving wife and a baby on the way. Then he finds out that he has kidney cancer that will leave him dead within months. He sets out to videotape his life's acquired wisdom for his child, and ends up on a voyage of self-discovery and reconciliation. Written by Reid Gagle
I lost my father as a very small boy.So small,in fact,that I have no recollection of him whatsoever.This fact is what drew me to view this movie,otherwise it would have been overlooked.My father's death was sudden,so he really had no time to prepare in the way that Michael Keaton's character did here.Bob Jones did what he had to do to make sure his newborn son would not grow up without him,and this is what touched my heart about this movie.Also,the scene where a near death Jones limps to his son's room,up to his crib,touching him gently, and explaining to him that "this whole dying thing wasn't my idea". This one,short moment,was enough to console me through my lifelong sadness of having to grow up without my own dad.His dying wasn't his idea.From a reviewer's standpoint,this perhaps is not a great film, (the ending was unbelievably sappy),but it will always have a special place in my heart for personal reasons.Those of you with fathers, those of you who have lost fathers,and those of you who are fathers should see this movie.