Review: EVERYBODY’S FINE

It’s early December and folks are beginning to slide into the full holiday spirit. With 21 days until Christmas, we’re not quite ready for the traditional movie fare. Jimmy Stewart, 34th Street and the 24-hour Christmas Story marathon aren’t quite ready to take out of the oven, but EVERYBODY’S FINE arrives just in time, and it’s just the right recipe to ease us into the proper mood. Unlike the comical antics of Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation or the sappy old Wonderful Life, EVERYBODY’S FINE isn’t technically a holiday movie at all. The holiday itself has an extremely small, supplementary role in the story, but it’s the events that lead up to the ending that make it a perfect movie to lead us gently into what this time of year is all about.

EVERYBODY’S FINE stars Robert De Niro as Frank, an aging father who looks forward to a family reunion with his four children. He hasn’t seen his kids, now all grown, since his wife’s death eight months prior. As Frank eagerly goes out of his way to prepare a wonderful celebratory shindig at home, he receives word from his kids at the last minute that none of them can attend. Already feeling his life turned upside down, living on his own, he now begins to realize a void in his relationship with his kids. Frank decides to take a trip across the country to surprise his children with visits at their homes. Frank’s children are portrayed by a well-known cast, featuring Kate Beckinsale as Amy (the advertising executive); Sam Rockwell as Robert (the conductor); and Drew Barrymore plays Rosie (the dancer). David (the artist) is mysteriously absent from most of the story, as Frank embarks on his journey to visit all four of his children.

The one thing that makes EVERYBODY’S FINE such a great film, more than anything else, is the writing. From the opening sequence with Frank doing menial household chores and yard work, a delightfully warm and slightly humorous (in a cute way) portrait is painted. This is a side of De Niro the audience isn’t quite used to seeing from the actor best known for TAXI DRIVER and GOODFELLAS, to name a few. Immediately, the audience accepts Frank as a likable guy.

The film was written and directed by Kirk Jones (WAKING NED DEVINE) and is a perfectly sentimental story. In many ways, it’s a story not far removed from the classical Christmas tale of Ebenezer Scrooge. No, Frank isn’t a scrooge, but he is a man who learns a lot about himself through reflections on his life during a journey. Once set out on his trip by train, bus, and even catching a ride with a truck driver at one point, Frank begins to experience little moments of epiphany, one at a time, learning something about himself, his past and even about the world as it is today. Frank is revealed as a man not only secluded from his own children’s lives, but from the real world as a whole. His eyes begin to open slowly to the real effects he has had on his children, but finds the mystery in their behavior around him now disconcerting and uncomfortable.

De Niro gives an understated but effectively authentic comeback performance after a string of films that have been less than stellar. His performance, as well as the film in general, is filled with tiny little moments of reflection and comfortable silence that speak volumes about where Frank is emotionally. His doubts, his fears and his hurt feelings resonate on screen with subtlety. Personally, I equate his performance to what I felt was a similarly fresh performance from Jack Nicholson in ABOUT SCHMIDT, both of whom were satisfyingly out-of-character for the actors and rekindled my appreciation for their talent.

EVERYBODY’S FINE is endearing, occasionally funny and well played by the whole cast. The story hits the heartstrings with a gentle strumming that is neither overpowering nor sappy. The film as a whole is a “feel good” movie, but requires some genuine emotional sacrifice before the payoff comes through.