Poetry in Film

Rating: 10/10 (29 June 2009)

I really loved this movie and was surprised by how deeply it touched me. It may be a comedy, but underneath, it's quite an emotional film about the loves that define one's life and how to move on and live after losing people that matter.
The movie begins with the story of two children in the 1930s who share youthful adventures and grow up to become husband and wife and share a life together. They hold on to the dream they had as children to fly away to South America in search of Paradise Falls, and set up a change jar to save for their trip. As time and normal trials challenge them, though - infertility, illnesses, home repairs - their dream eludes them until they are old. After a rich life together, they are finally ready to go on their trip - but the wife dies of old age, leaving our main character, Mr. Friedrickson, alone and crotchety, regretting the adventure he was never able to give his wife. The rest of the movie shows his attempt to make good on a childhood promise he made, and his movement from regret and memories back into an adventure of his own - life - and new people (and pets) to care for.
The film's creators expressed both the fragility of life and the unbreakable bonds of human love with simplicity and power - making us laugh all the while. A beautiful film.