Limerculer
A waste of 90 minutes of my life
Invaderbank
The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.
Lidia Draper
Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
Reno Rangan
Like as usual one of the John Cusack's movie that was not widespread among the movie goers. The story of a loving, caring father of two, as well about his dignity. So many movies I'd seen that just deviates slightly from the same storyline and becomes a massive hit, mainly because of the actors or the filmmakers. This one was surprisingly a little fresher from the familiar theme.It was a road-movie-drama which is very much for family audiences. About spending time together and handling grief. A little emotion, a little adventure, a little fun, gives the overall satisfaction of giving a try. I am glad for watching this little movie, which opens about the family value when you miss your loved one under your arm.A very simple and sweet movie, merely one line story that expanded just over a 80 minute long. A fine piece of product for the tearjerker. Everybody was cool in their respective role and so the locations. Lovable movie through your whole heart, and that's exactly what I did, probably you would do the same if you're not those who always try to find flaws and bash it.8/10
sol
***SPOILERS*** Deeply moving film about coping with a tragic death and how it effects the person who's trying to keep it from his two young daughters knowing quite well he can't keep it from them forever. It's when local Home Depot manager Stan Phillips, John Cusack,got the news that his wife Grace, Dana Lynne Gihooley, was killed in action in Iraq that his entire world turned upside down. With him now having to deal with Grace never coming home he has to find a way to tell his and Garce's two young daughters Heidi & Dawn, Shelan O'Keefe & Gracie Bednarezyk, the terrible news about their mom's passing. Not quite knowing what to do Stan decides to take the two girls on a trip from their home in suburban Minnesota to Florida to where they alway wanted to visit the state's "Enchanted Gardens".On his trip south Stan stops off at his grandma's place only to find his homeless and unemployed good for nothing brother John, Alessandro Nivola, sleeping there. It's during a heated conversation with John,with both Heidi & Dawn not present, Stan tells him that his wife Grace was killed in Iraq. John a lifelong pacifist who, like what turned out to be the majority of Americans. was totally against the war changed his opinion about it. In him knowing that Stan can't accept that his wife Grace died for a not a noble and righteous cause. Not as Stan believes in order for Grace to protect her country and family from a foreign invader.It's later that Heidi starts to put the pieces together in realizing her dad's very strange behavior. Why is he acting so out of character and what's with this calling her mom and Stan's wife Grace at home in Minnesota and leaving long and & rambling massages while she's supposed to be some 8,000 miles away in far off Iarq! Has her dad suddenly gone off his rocker or is he hiding something from both her and her kid sister Dawn? ****SPOILERS*** In the end after finally getting to visit Florida's "Enchanted Gardens" Stan decides that he has to tell his girls the truth that he's been keeping from them all this time. And he does it in a very touching way siting by the shore with no audio but music showing how both Heidi, who may have already known, and Dawn reacting to he news. It was evadable for Stan to come clean and tell his daughters the truth in what happened to their mom but as it turned out they took it a lot better then he did. But they did get a chance to visit the "Enchanted Gardens" that in some way took most of the sting out of it!
Chrysanthepop
James C. Strouse both writes and directs this compelling yet subtly told story of coping with grief. When Cusack's widower character receives the devastating news, he's distraught but how's he going to tell the kids? Instead, he takes them to Disneyland while he himself struggles to cope. 'Grace Is Gone' moves at a modest pace and Eastwood's terrific minimal soundtrack accompanies us in Stanley and his daughter's difficult but necessary journey. Political themes are occasionally brought up and Strouse attempts to present a balanced view but he also makes clear that this isn't a political film.John Cusack delivers one of his finest restrained performances. Shélan O'Keefe and Gracie Bednarczyk are superb as the two daughters who are respectively confused and unaware and growing up. Alessandro Nivola does a fine job in a brief role as Stanley's brother (who shares the opposite viewpoint on politics).I liked that here there wasn't a lot of focus on the landscape (not that would have minded that) because Strouse stays focused on the three key characters. Like most road movies, this one too is mainly about searching and discovering but what they find in the end is grace.
Brian Wright
Stanley is basically Middle American Man—living in Minnesota, working at a Home Depot surrogate at a lower-management level, high school graduate—who, as many such individuals, believes in his country and its leaders, at least to the extent of believing these leaders when they claim that invading the Middle East is an act of defending America. He signs up for the Marines, meets his wife there, but whereas she is shipped off to join the occupation forces, he is mustered out of the service for bad eyes. He becomes the Mr. Mom, staying home and taking care of the girls; in fact, he's a member of a support group of military spouses the rest of whom are women (which is the basis for one of the more gently humorous scenes in the movie....For my complete review of this movie and for other movie and book reviews, please visit my site TheCoffeeCoaster.com.Brian Wright Copyright 2008
