A modern "Memento mori" / "Carpe diem"

Rating: 7/10 (2 February 2007)

A wonderful movie, which could be seen as a very modern type of (positively turned) "Memento mori" or better as a "Carpe Diem"-note.
The main message of the movie is to take life as it is, with all it's bad parts and good parts, to enjoy it and make the best of it - what absolutely is not equal to "earn as much Money as possible". The focus of the movie is especially on the importance of the family, which is clearly spoken out at the very end of the film. The ending is very emotional, maybe already a bit too pathetic, in total to "Hollywood" - but acceptable due to the fact, that the movie wants to be a film for the whole family first and not an adults drama. So Kids maybe should see a happy ending where I personally would not have needed this.
Beside this the movie entertains with a lot of good comedy parts and little jokes - quiet the right amount not to spoil the entire movie which is in fact facing a very philosophical topic, but in my eyes a bit too less for making this movie a full blown comedy. The acting of all cast is quiet professional, especially Christopher Walkens role "Morty" in well done - absolutely innovative for this role which is normally very stereotyped. You will not expect who he is 'til he actually tells you and still after that I found it very astonishing the way he acts and acted before.
In total a good movie. Missing points to maximum due to the typical Hollywood ending, which makes the movie too predictable, and the totally outworn "I dreamed this all only"-method. It's too many standards in writing, acting and ending to make it a really outstanding movie. But for entertainment and at least some minutes of thinking about your own life and how you are doing it, it will definitely do.