Everybody's Fine
Everybody's Fine stars Robert De Niro who pulls out all his acting chops playing Luddite Frank Goode a recent widower in failing health who we meet sprucing up his suburban home for a family reunion that shortly disintegrates before his antiquated answering machine. Against doctors orders he sets out on an About-Shmidt-like journey to New York, Chicago and Las Vegas to confront his cold shouldered progeny played by Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell. As one by one their distant behaviour accelerates all pathos is with Frank but flashbacks to a much earlier time shows a somewhat controlling father, however this time that is not the reason for the standoffishness. The trailers would have us believe that that this is another light fluffy feel good comedy but that’s not the way it plays out. As you leave the theatre only half satisfied your realize that the point of the film is that there is a reason why some people’s children move as far away from home as soon as they leave the house.