I strongly admire those who made this film. It was a very brave film in that it sought to talk about and help the audience to accept the reality of death. In general, we all deny that it exists and when people die in most films, it's detached and almost entertaining. For example, a typical John Wayne flick makes death a plot device and films such as Steel Magnolias over-glamorizes death. However, this film candidly shows one family's experiences dealing with (and refusing to deal with) the approaching death of the father. It is very reminiscent of the equally amazing The Barbarian Invasions (2003) because they both are brave and realistic films.
Some aspects I loved were the unspoken realization but the outward optimism concerning dad's terminal illness, the horribly controlling manner the mother lead her life in an apparent attempt to stop death juxtaposed with the dad's desire to have fun and have a last fling (this is a common dilemma) and the honest writing by someone who wrote as if they were describing REAL people. Too often, people deal with death too well in films--seeing so much denial and unspoken sentiments is realistic. Maybe not "perfect", but certainly realistic.
By the way, this was Dirk Bogarde's last film and was a wonderful conclusion to his long career.
Some aspects I loved were the unspoken realization but the outward optimism concerning dad's terminal illness, the horribly controlling manner the mother lead her life in an apparent attempt to stop death juxtaposed with the dad's desire to have fun and have a last fling (this is a common dilemma) and the honest writing by someone who wrote as if they were describing REAL people. Too often, people deal with death too well in films--seeing so much denial and unspoken sentiments is realistic. Maybe not "perfect", but certainly realistic.
By the way, this was Dirk Bogarde's last film and was a wonderful conclusion to his long career.