Cinematic drudgery. Pursue happiness elsewhere.

Rating: 4/10 (5 May 2007)

The deadly slow pace and narrow emotional range of the screenplay absolutely smother this film. There is no suspense, no laughter, no romance, no surprise, and very little joy - just earnestness and determination.
The son is a real problem. He lacks charm and expressiveness - he is carried around like a sack of potatoes, dutifully speaking his dialog - but the audience that I was in never connected with him.
This is the closest thing to a one person film I've ever seen. Smith is literally in every scene -everything revolves around him. He is believable but ultimately does not create a very memorable character.
And ultimately, after two hours of this monotonic drudgery my wife and I were looking forward to an intensely happy ending that never quite came. The ending arrives without any intensity, any uplift, any surge. This film was the opposite of epic and just failed to either entertain or move us.