User Reviews

If trailers were ever suggesting that Everybody's Fine might be a comedy, or even only a light-hearted drama, they were truly misleading, and a simple drama denominator from its poster does the movie better justice. Though, and not the least thanks to occasional humorous undertones, evidently somewhat a weaker part of the movie, and despite really uneasy feelings that story frequently brings out (viewers are often ahead of father in whatever sad facts his not-everybody's-fine children have concealed from him), one can get almost exhilarated with quite an optimistic ending when the father, Frank Goode (Robert De Niro), on his disastrous cross-country tour to meet his children, one by one, not without a trouble of going through serious health problems, finally reconvenes with surviving ones (Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell, and Drew Barrymore) and, postmortem, reconciles with his long ago estranged, ultimately lost son, finally coming to terms with his artistic limitations, even seeking to buy one of his paintings. An early sketch he discovers speaks volumes within the running metaphor of Frank's life, with its working part spent in putting coating on telephone wires that should connect people. However, when those wires, in the times subsequent to his wife's demise, continue transferring embellished pictures of lives of his own ones, in order not to disappoint fatherly expectations, unfairly, in their young lives, so highly imposed on them, ties get easily broken where it hurts the most, between father and his children.

One inevitably wonders how such a depressing story, full of toned down, bitter emotions, has even been considered to be made into a Hollywood movie? It becomes easier to understand after discovering financial support (Miramax) and creative mind (British director Kirk Jones) behind it. Times and again, inspiration for such a movie has been drawn from an overseas' predecessor of the same, literally translated original Italian title, Stanno tutti bene, from directorial output of Giuseppe Tornatore, best known for his masterpiece (Nuovo) Cinema Paradiso.

After a longer while, this movie finally offers a role deserving of Robert De Niro's great talent, often wasted on mediocre films. His latest, truly emotional tour de force, rather different from his memorable, primarily physically demanding roles earlier in his career, made his character here, though fully resonant, yet quite independent of whoever he associates with, whether he interacts with his own, up to his high hopes underachieving one, or talks to a total stranger whom he meets while on his tour.

As coincidence would have it, it is interesting to notice: Robert De Niro was 66 years old in 2009, while shooting Everybody's Fine, the very same age as the late Marcello Mastroianni at the time when he had done Stanno tutti bene, in 1990. An old-fashioned (meant as a compliment) song, (I Want To) Come Home, from a year older Paul McCartney (67) is featured in the movie and accompanies the end credits.

I have to say that "Everybody's Fine" is clearly one of the better movies I've seen in a long time as after watching I was touched and even teared up almost wanting to cry. The film is certainly an emotional drama. And the performance from legendary Robert De Niro ranks as one of his finest as Bob is one of the best actors in the business. "Everybody's Fine" is blended well with drama and intrigue yet the themes of secrets and sorrow overshadow everything only in the end happiness is finally reached.

Robert De Niro is Frank Goode a recently widowed man who misses his wife and has the house all to himself. Frank has four grown kids who all do their own thing and live in different parts of the country. Frank wants to get all of them together for a visit yet when he contacts them all three of them just can't find the right time to visit and the other one son David(Austin Lysy)is unable to be reached. So Frank decides to set out on a journey to visit them all.

Frank uses many forms of travel along the way even though it was against his doctors wishes for him to journey out and travel. So he boards the train on the way up to New York City to visit artist son David and along the way Frank looks at the power lines of telephone polls to remind him of how life has passed for him over the years as laying power lines and poles was what Frank did for a living. When arriving in New York City David's apartment is empty the only memories Frank has is his flashbacks of David as a small boy,(as this film uses the flashback technique well with Frank seeing all of his grown children as little ones when he first meets them). So Frank then decides to journey off by bus to see his next child.

This meeting happens to be with daughter Amy(Kate Beckinsale who as always looks so bright and sexy)who's a successful advertising executive in Chicago. Everything seems normal for Amy she seems happily married while raising her young son, and money seems okay as you can tell by her living space and the professional elegant clothing she wears. Only at the dinner table friction is felt and Amy tells dad she just doesn't have the time for Frank to stay at least for an extended time.

Then the next journey on more buses is to the Rockies in Denver to see son Robert(Sam Rockwell)who plays the drums in an orchestra and he seems happy as Frank is somewhat disappointed that Robert is not the leader of the band so to speak! Anyway they talk and Robert seems happy but not happy enough to spend time with dad. So then Frank takes another journey of trains, and buses with his sights set on Las Vegas. Only some roadblocks and jams come up along the way for Frank like a missed train and a somewhat dangerous encounter with a teenage thug that deprives Frank of his medicine in a big way. Interesting is seeing him hitch a ride into Vegas from a woman trucker Colleen(Melissa Leo)which was comical. Now he meets daughter Rosie(the witty and quirk Drew Barrymore)everything seems fine with Rosie nice apartment she says work as a dancer is fine yet you can spot she's a probable lesbian when the female friend brings a baby over that ends up staying for the night. Still all three siblings had no word or info on David just hidden suspicions. So Frank flies away yet hits major medical turbulence on the plane.

Oddly enough awakening in the hospital bed surrounded by his children Frank discovers truths from each yet it was foreshadowed some by his before hand dream. Only he will sadly learn the tragic fate of David. Yet aside from the lonely mood and sad sorrow feel of this film it teaches important messages. Frank always pushed his children hard as he found out they turned out fine yet he learns an important factor that the definition of happiness is different for everyone as people like his kids spread their wings and live life their way on their own time. Sure secrets were kept only because they didn't want to disappoint Frank which oddly the secrets ended up providing bonding and happiness for Frank and his children in the end as proved by the holiday get to together! As Frank saw that everybody's just fine the way that they are and that was how things were meant to be as the secrets don't have to worry you and he still loves his children the same just the way they are. Overall great film with an emotional and touching performance from De Niro even though it's sad and lonely sorrow feel may dominate the minutes, this picture still ends with happiness proving that love conquers all for people just the way that they are even during family secrets. Great movie that's touching and emotional you will feel like you want to shed a few tears.

This movie is about a father and his 4 children. He loves them so much, and when his wife is still alive, he didn't pay much attention to their status. When his wife is dead, he regrets about that and wants to get all the children together to have a family party. However, something bad happens, which makes it not possible. So he visits them one by one. During the visit, he knows that everybody is not as successful as they claim they are. However, he realized that David lives the life that he wants him to live, instead of doing something he himself really wants to do. This is bad thing, because people should live their own lives. Obviously he has spoiled David's life. Then he said "no matter you are a painter or an artist, I love you". It's touching. Overall this movie is good.

Loved this movie, DeNiro at his best. Older folks will definitely come away with a different feeling about this movie than younger viewers (40yrs. or less). I think this movie re-affirms that adult children have no clue about "who their parents are." Frank Goode might have been absent during their formative years due to "earning a living" but he still cared. His wife tried to protect him and lessen stress by turning all info into good news, not uncommon in some marriages, but this resulted in a lot of misinformation. In the movie, DeNiro is now alone after the death of his wife. He plans a cookout, buys a new grill, everything you can imagine to make it a perfect day for his four grown children. Then the calls start coming in, all "can't make it." You see the sadness and let down after his great effort to get his family together. But instead of wallowing in his disappointment, he decides to go and see "what's going on" with his children, trying to make it a surprise visit. This is the interesting part, his children are obviously afraid of his disapproval and act accordingly. The result,the children have no time for him and even keep a secret about their brother. So many parents will relate to this movie! Sad to say, this is reality played out. We learn the truth along with DeNiro and there is a "Christmas" type ending. This is a winner for parents of grown children!

Robert DeNiro has been choosing some very poor projects since the new millennium began. I don't think 'Everybody's Fine' is a great film or a good choice for DeNiro but it is better than it could have been. DeNiro is to thanks for this. He takes this formula and makes it boil. Despite some major problems Everyone's Fine is decent enough to give a look.

DeNiro makes this work and DeNiro alone. Everything else is just merely poor to mediocre. Kate Beckingsale, Drew Barrymore, and Sam Rockwell all give the worst performances of their career in this picture. DeNior on the other hand gives his strongest performance since 2000 as Frank Goode. DeNiro is subdued beyond anything he ever has been. Part of DeNiro's greatness has been his tremendous force and energy. In truth he has never played a character like Frank Goode before. Frank's a shell and DeNiro has the power to make him sad, tragic, and compelling. DeNiro plays the grandfather character and has never played one before. I kind of wish the picture was better but I think DeNiro makes it work.

The direction isn't all that inspired. It kind of wants to be 'About Schmidt' and it kind of fails. I mean so many clichés are used, and yet DeNiro makes it work. The idea of the telephone poles is silly, the idea of the city hopping is silly, and the way the relationships are handled makes every kid come off as a jerk. DeNiro doesn't see this, and he saves this picture.

I really found the last act to be the best of the picture. The film has some major problems in identifying what it wants to be. It isn't a comedy or a drama. The last act though is crystal clear and DeNiro is brilliant in it. DeNiro's character Frank's favorite son is David who has tragically experimented with drugs. David represents the lost part of his heart. In the end he learns David met a tragic end and he blames himself for it. This is good drama. The moment where Goode goes to buy one of David's paintings is very satisfactory. Unfortuneatly the rest of the film doesn't follow suit.

I don't believe Rockwell, Beckingsale, or Barrymore in these roles. Placing them next to DeNiro shows their shortcomings. I don't believe they are working class people. They look like awkward movie stars trying to blend in. DeNiro even in this disappointing decade for him still is able to blend into any role given to him. While this is one of DeNiro's better performances it is the worst of those three actors, who are all very respectable. They play the material for sap, DeNiro plays it with honesty. What the picture should have been about mostly was the lost son. That is what I identified most with.

I have to mildly recommend the picture. It's one that really makes me in awe of DeNiro. It isn't the Taxi Drivers or the Raging Bulls which make me love him. It's the "Everybody's Fine's that don't work unless they have him in the lead.

"Everybody's Fine" should instead be called "Everybody's in Denial"(or maybe just Robert Deniro's character). I bought this at a thrift store, and it was not worth the money even at that low price. I bought this mainly because Kate Beckinsale is in it, but I also like Robert Deniro. I was expecting something lighthearted, but this was one of the most depressing movies I've ever seen. The back cover promises that you will "laugh and cry". I certainly didn't laugh. What little attempts at humor are in this are not at all funny. I didn't literally cry, but I sure felt worse for watching it. Maybe it was expecting something similar to Deniro's character in the "Meet the Parents" series, but all I got was a sad depressed old man. Not that Deniro's acting(or anyone else's) was bad in this movie, the story was just huge downer. It's about a guy after his wive dies, and his children practically never talk to him. They would talk to their mother more, and now that she's gone they rarely if ever call their dad. The idea that children talk to their mother more is believable, but now they have HUGE things going on in their lives that they don't even bother to mention to their dad. They even go way out of their way to deceive him when he goes to visit. Can a family really be like this? It just doesn't seem believable.

Frank Goode, a recently widowed man, has a lot of time to himself. He has not come to terms with the death of a wife that kept his life in order. Now having to face reality, he is somewhat lost, even in the most mundane chores, that his wife probably took care of. This is the same wife that kept from him the truth about their four children, now on their own, and what paths they decided to take as adults.

Frank, who is retired, decides to bring the four kids home for a sort of family reunion, but each one of them, with the exception of David, calls to send their regrets. Having such complicated lives, Frank decides to surprise them instead. First he goes to New York, but David is not around for the visit. He pushes on to Chicago, where daughter Amy is living in what appears a luxury existence, but he notices there's no love between her and a husband that appears not to be living at home anymore. As much as Amy tries, he still can see through her.

After Amy, Frank goes to Denver. His son Robert, who he thinks is conducting the Symphony Orchestra, turns out to be a percussionist. He excuses himself by telling the father he is going on a tour, so Frank goes on to Las Vegas to visit Rosie, a successful dancer. She dazzles her father by taking him to a luxury apartment she has rented to impress the old man. The arrival of an infant tells Frank that his daughter is hiding something from him, and in reality, Rosie is indeed connected to the lovely baby that comes unexpectedly with his babysitter.

Frank, who has a heart condition, was advised by his doctor not to fly, so he has taken to the roads and railways of the country. When he has seen that everyone is fine, he takes a commercial flight, something he shouldn't have done, in the first place. This brings the family together at last. Unfortunately, David is the only one that can't make it this time.

Kirk Jones adapted the magnificent Italian film "Stanno tutti bene" and transferred the action to America. Unfortunately, Mr. Jones didn't have a charismatic Marcello Mastroianni to play the central character. Not that Robert Deniro is not up to the task, it's that somehow this is not an interesting dysfunctional family which we are taken to be examined. Somehow the viewer does not get as involved as Mr. Jones intended. The original screenplay was by Massimo De Rita and Tonino Guerra, who was a genius in the Italian cinema. The original film was made better by Giuseppe Tornatore, a man who knows how to pull heart strings.

The cast that was put together is enough to attract an audience. The sad fact is Robert Deniro, like all mortals, is aging. What a great career he has enjoyed! Even though his Frank Goode is not one of his best creations, he does a fine job in giving him life. The three children, played by Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, and Sam Rockwell, are all fine. Sam Rockwell fares better perhaps with his take on Robert, the musician.

Henry Braham's cinematography takes us for a ride cross country with his sharp eye showing the way. Dario Marianelli's musical score plays well in the background. One would have wished Kirk Jones, in his Americanization of something that was done much better before, could have improved on the original, but at least, he tried.