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A film that has existed on my long list of "to see eventually" was A River Runs Through It, and it was through chance that I noticed it in the back of a friends DVD collection. I borrowed it, and I'm glad I did.

Haunting yet uplifting, tragic yet optimistic, this movie takes it's time meandering through the lives of two brothers, Norman (Craig Sheffer) and Paul (Brad Pitt), being raised in early 1900's rural Montana. Brought up in a strict household with a Presbyterian minister father (Tom Skerritt), these boys were raised with "no clear division between religion and fly-fishing." This theme of fly-fishing runs through the entire movie, and becomes a beacon for the principal characters. It is in fly-fishing that these boys (and eventually, men) can come back to in order to find peace, pride, and art, no matter what other things they have swimming around the rest of their lives.

As strict as their father is, the two sons couldn't have turned out more different from each other. Norman went off to college on the west coast, while Paul stayed in Montana, becoming a journalist, a bit of a local celebrity, and a compulsive gambler. Norman comes back to Montana after graduating, unsure what his future holds. It is here that he reconnects with his family and friends, and meets the love of his life. The plot of this film is really secondary to the characters. The wonder in this film is in the myriad of themes that hit home; the unchangeable relationship between fathers and sons. The confusing complexities of seeing people you depended on suddenly depending on you. Finding that art can come in many forms, and in ways you don't expect. The biting reality that those in need of help can really only be helped by themselves. This is a moving film, and I found many of the voice-overs (voiced by Director Robert Redford as the elderly Norman) to be beautiful, poetic. The words from this film will stay with you long after the credits roll.

EDIT: After looking around, I found that this film was based on an autobiographical short story written by Norman Maclean, the main character in the movie. All the characters and situations in the film were real...it lends a lot of weight to the story, knowing that the words came from someone who actually experienced these events, and not just from someone's imagination.

Well I decided that since I have graveyard shift Sunday night, I should stay up late Saturday night watching movies so that I sleep in late, and do not run out of gas working all night Sunday. Some may think its just an excuse to watch movies well into the night. They are partially right.

Tonight the running theme in the two movies I saw was the bond between brothers. I did not plan it this way. The first movie was State of Grace (1990) starring Sean Penn as Terry Noonan. In this film, Terry's best friend Jackie (Gary Oldman) is in conflict with his older brother Frankie (Ed Harris) because Frankie is letting the Italians come in and encroach on NYC territory that has traditionally been the stomping ground of the Irish. Jackie is a loose cannon while Frankie is the more serious, business-like older brother. Let me just say that it was a great movie. The brother stuff was just one of many themes to this movie, the first and foremost being a "You cant go home again" type feel. I have to admit it hit close to home, since I am far from home....and some may see me as the looser cannon compared to my brother. Maybe that is why I identified with the Gary Oldman character. Or it could be that Oldman's performance is so emotionally charged and full of raw energy and unforced feeling that I will never forget it. I dont know if I want to live in a world where his acting in the movie garnered him no awards, not even a nomination. Fuck that.

The second movie had brothers at the forefront. A River Runs Through It is a beautifully filmed memoir based on Norman MacLean's autobiography. He is played here by Craig Sheffer and his younger, loose cannon brother is played by Brad Pitt. I have to say that I do not mind being seen as the younger loose cannon brother because I go from a brilliant Gary Oldman performance to an above average turn from Brad Pitt. Although I do not much care for their fates in either movie....I will be bucking that trend. As for River, I saw it many years ago (ok, 10 years ago) and did not fully understand it. But seeing it now through adult(!) eyes, I better comprehend the lessons learned and more appreciate the littl touches and the familiarity of the story. It is not familiar because I am a fly fisherman with a minister for a father, but familiar because the screenplay manages to flesh out the intangible spirit of brotherhood without making it corny or cliched.

Seeing these movies made me think that guys who have brothers are lucky, whether your brother is an older, stodgy guy....or a younger loose cannon who cannot be left alone for a second....or something totally different.

Laugh at me if you will, but a lot of you know what I am talking about. A River Runs Through It is one of those movie like Field of Dreams, an guy movie for those guys who recognize their emotions. And these emotions are hard to explain to the wife, the girlfriend, the mother, the sister. Because they just wont get it.

Thats all I got, but I think its pretty fuckin profound.




NOTE: this feeling of warmth toward your bro does not apply if your brother's name is Mel Busler III.

Comments pending.

I recommend this film to drama/nature lovers and those who need a couple of hours to just lay back and relax.

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I'm watching this movie right now, and to be honest, it's really losing my attention. I can't just sit and watch it, it's not as good as i thought it would be. but so far it's not too bad. i'll rate it again when it's over. ttyl
-kita

Recently while reading Jacob's Wound , a book by Trevor Herriot, I was reminded of one of my favourite movies, A River Runs Through It. The book sent me running to my small town video store to order a dvd copy of the film, and gave me new eyes to see it.

Without giving too much away about the book or the movie I can tell you that in some way both examine our uncomfortable relationship with wildness.

Herriot examines mankind's continually escalating struggle to control or at the very least barricade against all that is wild, both in the world around us and within ourselves and in the end offers us a possible path of reconciliation.

The movie set in early twentieth century Montana, "a world with dew still on it...where indians still appeared out of the wilderness...", follows the diverging paths of two brothers, Norman and Paul Maclean. While Norman settles into a conventionally respectable lifestyle Paul never really loses touch with the wildness of his youth. Paul achieves a perfection of his own though and eventually his beauty is recognized if not understood.

Even if you have already seen this touching story of Norman Mclean's beautifully put to film by director Robert Redford and cinematographer Philippe Rousselot I recommend you watch it again, possibly as I have from a new perspective.

Here's some film ratings.