“Everybody’s Fine”

Starring: Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale

Directed… “Everybody’s Fine”

Starring: Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale

Directed by Kirk Jones

Studio: Miramax Films

Grade: B-

I expected a heartwarming movie to go see with the family during the holiday season. “Everybody’s Fine” is this movie, but it’s also more depressing and philosophical than I had expected. A remake of the 1990 Italian film “Stanno Tutti Bene” by director Giuseppe Tornatore, the film digs deep into what it means to be a family, while at the same time performing on the larger scale of social commentary.

Robert De Niro stars as Frank Goode, a father who realizes after his wife’s death that she was his only connection to their children’s lives. So when his children will not visit him at Christmastime, he sets out on a surprise cross-country visit to each child. Of course, Goode discovers many things he did not know about both his children’s lives and his own life on his trip. Fans of De Niro will not be disappointed by his performance, which is a classic mix of out-of-place old man and humorous, crotchety old man. De Niro has already won the Hollywood Actor Award for the film, and Oscar buzz is out there.

The film also questions the modern technology of our society and the possible effects of separation and disconnect this technology can perpetuate. De Niro’s character is disconnected from more than his children. He is also disconnected from the modern world and its technologies. His attempts to navigate this world he doesn’t understand are quiet, everyday moments and because of this, they are thought-provoking. There are humorous moments when Frank cannot work a digital camera or cannot use his wheeled luggage properly that are all too easy to identify with.

In the film, telephone wire exists as a symbol of the father’s life and the technology with which he was familiar. Some of the film’s most beautiful and moving shots are unexpectedly of telephone wire runnning across landscapes — these are moments that feel unique and poignant.

De Niro’s performance fit the film: quiet and understated but powerful and moving. The other big names in the film, Drew Barrymore and Kate Beckinsale as his daughters Rosie and Amy, respectively, played their parts well, although they were not terribly memorable performances.

This is a film that works best when it relies on unique, genuine moments, and in the moments when it does not, the film tends to feel like empty sentiment. The mise-en-scene is all a bit too sterile, especially the children’s homes. In addition, some moments between De Niro and minor characters throughout the film, such as a homeless man and a prostitute, feel a bit naive and contrived.

The film did provide a satisfying ending, although the final scene felt a bit forced and tacked-on as a feel-good holiday gift from Hollywood to the audience. All in all, it’s a good film to see with the family, or maybe just Dad, that will also provide pleasant thought-provoking moments of surprise, humor and social commentary throughout.