Film review of Everybody's Fine (12A) (From Stroud News and Journal)

Film review of Everybody's Fine (12A)

9:00am Saturday 20th February 2010

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It is always a pleasure to see the brilliant Robert De Niro on the big screen. This is a remake of the 1990 Italian film Stanno Tutti Bene, which starred Marcello Mastroianni, one of Italy’s greatest actors, in the title role of Matteo Scuro. De Niro takes on the role, using Frank as the less inspirational name change.

Recently widowed Frank (De Niro) was hoping that his four children would come and stay with him; his house and garden are immaculate in preparation. Though he is proud of his children, he doesn’t know them very well, as his wonderful wife was very maternal, and dealt with their problems, while he was the breadwinner working as a PVC coater; most of the country’s phone lines are covered with his work. But when married advertising executive Amy (Kate Beckinsale), gentle artistic Rosie (Drew Barrymore), orchestral conductor Robert (Sam Rockwell) and troubled David (young David Chandler Frantz) all make excuses about other engagements, Frank decides to go and visit each of them. As his doctor is worried about his health, instead of going by car he decides to go by coach and trains. What he discovers is deeply troubling. David has gone missing and the lives of the other three are a million miles from what he had been led to believe. But despite rejection Frank becomes even more determined to get the family altogether again.

This conveys how so many hard working men don’t have much to do with the everyday lives of their children. It’s a sad fact that if you don’t involve yourself in the little things, children won’t turn to you with the big things. De Niro is brilliant as Frank, showing him as a thoroughly decent man, who simply didn’t know what was going on in his children’s lives. Unfortunately they in turn never wanted to disappoint him, and now they don’t know how to interact with him. In the last few years De Niro has made some odd role choices, but here he gives one of his best performances. He may be the master of playing the hard man, but the subtleties he produces playing Frank will remind so many people of their own fathers. The scenes with him and Barrymore are cinema gold, but then Barrymore is always an endearing delight to watch. It’s all very predictable, but still a gem. Clare Shepherd 7/10

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