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Monday, May 18, 2009

A River Runs Through It (1992) [PG] ****

A film review by James Berardinelli.

Watching A River Runs Through It is a little like leafing through an old photograph album. It conjures up feelings and images, many of them bittersweet, and all of them nostalgic. This is one of those motion pictures that truly transports you to another time and another place.

A River Runs Through It is a simple story about a typical, early-twentieth century Montana family. It traces the lives of two brothers from boyhood to adulthood. Water -- and a river in particular -- is an important symbol for the twisting, rocky path of life, and it's never far from any scene. In fact, this may be a case of imagery being too obvious.

The two main characters, Norman and Paul Maclean, are portrayed by a pair of up-and-coming young actors, Craig Sheffer as Norman and Brad Pitt as his younger brother Paul. Tom Skerritt, as the boys' father, Brenda Blethyn as their mother, and Emily Lloyd, as Norman's girlfriend Jessie, lead a team of equally-solid supporting players. Skerritt especially has a daunting job, which he carries off with aplomb: showing the loving, caring man beneath the stiff, Puritanical preacher's facade.

The cinematography (by Philippe Rousselot) is on par with the best of the year. This is a beautifully-shot film, and director Robert Redford (who also provides the voice-over narration) has paid painstaking attention to detail. The subtle humor is unforced and character-based. One of the best elements of A River Runs Through It is the effectively understated romance that develops. This has the feel of something genuine: sweet, touching, and sentimental. In that way, it is much like the movie as a whole.

A River Runs Through It avoids manipulating the audience's emotions, even though it has numerous chances to do so. Events happen; they aren't forced on us. Through this straightforward method of storytelling, the impact is strengthened. A River Runs Through It is a fine motion picture and, if it's a little slow in parts (especially the beginning), those moments are worth sitting through to experience the rest.

Blogger's comment and SPOILER ALERT: The film's ending takes considerable liberties with historical fact. Although Paul worked for the Helena Bee newspaper he protested when his older brother suggested he come to Dartmouth with him, saying that he'd never leave Montana. In fact, Paul did attend Dartmouth either with or after his brother. Also, the film ends with Paul's murder in Missoula, suggesting that it was because of his bad debts and also possibly because he had a Native American girlfriend which was frowned upon. In actual fact, Paul was murdered in 1938 on the streets of Chicago where he'd gone to work and be close to older brother Norman and his wife Jessie. Paul had just cashed his paycheck and there was speculation he had been murdered for the money. Also, there's a scene, probably around 1944, showing Reverend Maclean preaching at the First Presbyterian Church in Missoula, with Mrs. Maclean, Norman, Jessie and their two young children seated in the pews. Since Rev. Maclean died in 1941, and Norman and Jessie's two children were born in 1942 and 1943, this is fictional. Also, the final scene shows an aging Norman Maclean fly-fishing in the Big Blackfoot River. Since he died in Chicago in 1990 at age 87, it's unlikely. So, despite reviewer James Berardinelli's protestations, it's pretty clear the film does attempt to manipulate viewer emotions and, although subtle, plays the race card as well. It seems Redford could not resist making a political statement.

Label: drama, period, reunion, romance, rom-drama-faves, sport, tragedy