bucket list movie reviews

O death, where is thy sting-a-ling-a-ling?

Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson star in "The Bucket List."

By Roger Ebert

“The Bucket List” is a movie about two old codgers who are nothing like people, both suffering from cancer that is nothing like cancer, and setting off on adventures that are nothing like possible. I urgently advise hospitals: Do not make the DVD available to your patients; there may be an outbreak of bedpans thrown at TV screens.

The film opens with yet another voiceover narration by Morgan Freeman , extolling the saintly virtues of a white person who deserves our reverence. His voice takes on a sort of wonderment, as he speaks of the man’s greatness; it was a note that worked in “ The Shawshank Redemption ” and “ Million Dollar Baby ,” but not here, not when he is talking of a character, played by Jack Nicholson , for whom lovability is not a strong suit.

Nicholson is Edward, an enormously rich man of about 70, who has been diagnosed with cancer, given a year to live, and is sharing a room with Carter (Freeman), about the same age, same prognosis. Why does a billionaire not have a private room? Why, because Edward owns the hospital, and he has a policy that all patients must double up, so it would look bad if he didn’t.

This is only one among countless details the movie gets wrong.

Doesn’t Edward know that hospitals make lotsa profits by offering private rooms, “concierge service,” etc.? The fact is, Edward and Carter must be roommates to set up their Meet Cute, during which they first rub each other the wrong way and then have an orgy of male bonding. Turns out Carter has a “bucket list” of things he should do before he kicks the bucket. Edward embraces this idea, announces, “Hell, all I have is money,” and treats Carter to an around-the-world trip in his private airplane, during which they will, let’s see if I have the itinerary right here, visit the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal , Hong Kong, the French Riviera and the Himalayas.

Carter is faithfully married to his loving wife Virginia ( Beverly Todd ), who is remarkably restrained about seeing her dying husband off on this madcap folly. She doesn’t take it well, but I know wives who would call for the boys with butterfly nets. Edward, after four divorces, has no restraints, plenty of regrets, and uses his generosity to mask egotism, selfishness and the imposition of his goofy whim on poor Carter. That his behavior is seen as somehow redemptive is perhaps the movie’s weirdest fantasy. Meanwhile, the codgers have pseudo-profound conversations about the Meaning of It All, and Carter’s superior humanity begins to soak in for the irascible Edward.

The movie, directed by Rob Reiner , was written by Justin Zackham , who must be very optimistic indeed if he doesn’t know that there is nothing like a serious illness to bring you to the end of sitcom cliches. I’ve never had chemo, as Edward and Carter must endure, but I have had cancer, and believe me, during convalescence after surgery the last item on your bucket list is climbing a Himalaya. Your list is more likely to be topped by keeping down a full meal, having a triumphant bowel movement, keeping your energy up in the afternoon, letting your loved ones know you love them, and convincing the doc your reports of pain are real and not merely disguising your desire to become a drug addict. To be sure, the movie includes plenty of details about discomfort in the toilet, but they’re put on hold once the trots are replaced by the globe-trotting.

Edward and Carter fly off on their odyssey, during which the only realistic detail is the interior of Edward’s private jet. Other locations are created, all too obviously, by special effects; the boys in front of the Pyramids look about as convincing as Abbott and Costello wearing pith helmets in front of a painted backdrop.

Meanwhile, we wait patiently for Edward to realize his inner humanity, reach out to his estranged daughter and learn all the other life lessons Carter has to bestow. All Carter gets out of it is months away from his beloved family and the opportunity to be a moral cheering section for Edward’s conversion.

I’m thinking, just once, couldn’t a movie open with the voiceover telling us what a great guy the Morgan Freeman character is? Nicholson could say, “I was a rich, unpleasant, selfish jerk, and this wise, nice man taught me to feel hope and love.” Yeah, that would be nice. Because what’s so great about Edward, anyway? He throws his money around like a pig and makes Carter come along for the ride. So what?

There are movies that find humor, albeit perhaps of a bitter, sardonic nature, in cancer. Some of them show incredible bravery, as in Mike Nichols’ “Wit,” with its great performance by Emma Thompson .

“The Bucket List” thinks dying of cancer is a laff riot followed by a dime-store epiphany. The sole redeeming merit of the film is the steady work by Morgan Freeman, who has appeared in more than one embarrassing movie, but never embarrassed himself. Maybe it’s not Jack Nicholson’s fault that his role cries out to be overplayed, but it’s his fate, and ours.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

The Bucket List

• Alfonso Freeman as Roger
• Morgan Freeman as Carter
• Sean Hayes as Thomas
• Rob Morrow as Dr. Hollins
• Beverly Todd as Virginia
• Rowena King as Angelica
• Jack Nicholson as Edward
• Justin Zackham

Directed by

Leave a comment, now playing.

Venom: The Last Dance

Woman of the Hour

Exhibiting Forgiveness

The Shadow Strays

Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara

Gracie & Pedro: Pets to the Rescue

Latest articles.

A Master of Subtle Function: Cinematographer Dick Pope (1947-2024)

30 Years of “Hoop Dreams”: Steve James on Roger Ebert, Oscar Snubs, and Documentary Filmmaking

CIFF 2024: Cloud, Grafted, Parvulos

CIFF 2024: The Return of the Projectionist, Between Goodbyes, The Brink of Dreams

The best movie reviews, in your inbox.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• About Rotten Tomatoes®
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening This Week
• Top Box Office
• Coming Soon to Theaters
• Certified Fresh Movies

Movies at Home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most Popular Streaming Movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 85% Smile 2 Link to Smile 2
• 99% Anora Link to Anora
• 80% We Live in Time Link to We Live in Time

New TV Tonight

• 88% What We Do in the Shadows: Season 6
• 80% Poppa's House: Season 1
• 80% Territory: Season 1
• -- Before: Season 1
• -- Hellbound: Season 2
• -- The Equalizer: Season 5
• -- Breath of Fire: Season 1
• -- Beauty in Black: Season 1
• 60% Like a Dragon: Yakuza: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• 83% Agatha All Along: Season 1
• 94% The Penguin: Season 1
• 79% Disclaimer: Season 1
• 92% Rivals: Season 1
• 82% Hysteria!: Season 1
• 100% The Lincoln Lawyer: Season 3
• 100% From: Season 3
• 85% Grotesquerie: Season 1
• 88% Escape at Dannemora: Season 1
• 79% Teacup: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV

Certified fresh pick

• 96% Shrinking: Season 2 Link to Shrinking: Season 2
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

All Spider-Man Movies Ranked (Including Venom and Morbius )

All Tom Hardy Movies Ranked

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Venom: The Last Dance First Reviews: Silly, Surprisingly Emotional, and Strictly for Fans

Kingsley Ben-Adir Talks Extensive Prep to Play Bob Marley on the Awards Tour Podcast

• Trending on RT
• Verified Hot Movies
• TV Premiere Dates
• Gladiator II First Reactions
• Halloween Programming Guide

The Bucket List Reviews

If there is a message to be found in this 2007 comedy, which was directed by Rob Reiner, it is that if you are going to be diagnosed with terminal cancer then you will be better off if you are enormously rich.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Jul 31, 2024

In the end it's a predictable movie that seems to try and manipulate the viewer into bursting into tears when really he or she might only be trying to suppress yawns.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jan 31, 2021

One of the most fun and uplifting films of the year.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Nov 24, 2020

A huge joke. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Nov 2, 2020

How a filmmaker can take two Oscar-winning actors with gifts for comedy and drama and construct a film that fails so miserably is beyond me.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4.0 | Sep 4, 2020

A lazy and condescending package from top to bottom.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Dec 18, 2019

Despite its scripted shortcomings, THE BUCKET LIST is poignantly filled with heart, guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings and tear ducts as we each face our own mortality, hopefully with the same courage and joy as Edward and Carter.

Full Review | Nov 7, 2019

The Bucket List is far from a great movie, but it is a great opportunity to watch a pair of great actors at the top of their game.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Oct 29, 2019

As Rob Reiner should know better and Jack Nicholson should know better and Morgan Freeman should know better, what you have here is a film which has to make you ask: how come they didn't?

Full Review | Aug 23, 2018

Once more, Reiner defines himself as the schlock artist who knows, as do his stars, that coots with familiar faces can walk through this garden of schmaltz with their eyes closed.

Full Review | Jan 2, 2018

Its quest for meaningful insights keeps things listless.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Feb 2, 2017

Meehl's gentle handling of her subject and her unobstrusive, observational camera work make this a delightful and touching experience.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 2, 2012

Full Review | Original Score: C | Feb 18, 2012

Whilst this remains reasonably captivating for its first hour, it kinda runs out of steam after that...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 30, 2012

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Nov 18, 2011

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Nov 17, 2011

A modestly uplifting, and at-times poignant, buddy comedy that manages to make the most of the worst of situations.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Aug 14, 2009

...contrived and forced, almost begging the audience to pull out the hankie.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Feb 12, 2009

An endearing film that will bring you to tears and have you cherishing every relationship and day you have.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jan 5, 2009

...a hopelessly uneven endeavor that's ultimately felled by a lamentable emphasis on heavy-handed bursts of schmaltziness.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Dec 20, 2008

• Become a Critical Movie Critic
• Movie Review Archives

Movie Review: The Bucket List (2007)

• General Disdain
• Movie Reviews
• 8 responses
• --> December 30, 2007

Rob Reiner has surfaced again, directing arguably two of the most accomplished actors of our time: Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. The vehicle: The Bucket List , a comedy drama that tries to add a new twist to the Odd Couple scenario. Instead of just throwing together two incompatible people, as so many movies have already done, the setup is to put two dying, disparate men together to partake in their unfulfilled fantasies.

It all starts when Edward Cole (Nicholson) finds himself sharing a cramped hospital room with Carter Chambers (Freeman) in own of his very own hospitals. Cole, it turns out, is a ruthless billionaire who makes his money buying failing medical facilities and returning them to profitability (done by firings, cramped living spaces and crummy food). Chambers is a simple auto-mechanic with a penchant for knowing all the useless knowledge one could hope to know (remember Ken Jennings ?). What they have in common is that both have incurable cancer and a finite amount of time left on the planet. To make the most out of it, they create a list – The Bucket List – of things to do before they kick the bucket. It includes simple entries like:

• laugh til you cry
• drive a Shelby Mustang
• get a tattoo
• help a complete stranger for the good

It also includes more robust entries like:

• visit the Taj Mahal
• hunt lions in Africa
• see the pyramids
• climb Mt. Everest

During these interludes, both share intimate knowledge of the their lives with one another, each offering their own thoughts and views to the others’ dilemma. One or two are thought provoking, but mostly they’re put in place to remind us that The Bucket List is more than just a movie about two old guys living it up as they travel all over the globe. This is ultimately where the movie becomes unglued. Reiner should have set the childish antics and globetrotting as the aside to the personal struggle these guys and their families were experiencing.

This however, doesn’t take away from the strong performances by the stars. Sean Hayes (whom I couldn’t stand in Will & Grace ) has a few remarkable scenes as Cole’s personal assistant Thomas. But obviously this film is really the Jack & Morgan show and they don’t fail to deliver. Nicholson is always a great crotchety wise-ass and Freeman is always the stalwart diplomat. They’re not quite as good as Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, but they’re good nonetheless. From what I can tell this was the first movie that stars both men and from my point of view it was long overdue.

So even though The Bucket List doesn’t really force us to face our mortality in quite the manner it means to, it does manage to drive home the idea that there are plenty of things to get done before the reaper comes a knockin’. From the words of another fantastic Freeman character, Andy Dufresne (from The Shawshank Redemption ): “Get busy living, or get busy dying.”

I'm an old, miserable fart set in his ways. Some of the things that bring a smile to my face are (in no particular order): Teenage back acne, the rain on my face, long walks on the beach and redneck women named Francis. Oh yeah, I like to watch and criticize movies.

Movie Review: Ghosted (2023) Movie Review: Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020) Movie Review: Fantasy Island (2020) Movie Review: Snatched (2017) Movie Review: Horrible Bosses 2 (2014) Movie Review: ABCs of Death 2 (2014) Movie Review: Life After Beth (2014)

'Movie Review: The Bucket List (2007)' have 8 comments

January 1, 2008 @ 9:11 pm Will

First I’ve herd fo this movie. Gonna check it out cos Jack is back! I can’t think of any shit flicks he’s ever been in.

Log in to Reply

January 3, 2008 @ 2:32 pm TB

This didnt look ‘that bad’, atleast not by the trailers. I completely agree with some of the points you made about it though. I might see it in the future.

January 4, 2008 @ 5:23 pm Video

I love both Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Also Alfonso Freeman is in this movie too. I can hardly wait to see the movie. Good review.

January 14, 2008 @ 11:36 am Gearhead

A pretty good film. Although, I agree that It would have been better without the cheesy goofing around scenes. I understand that enjoying the rest of their life was their goal, but the way those scenes were done, made it feel like it belonged more in a cheesy made for teens movie.

January 23, 2008 @ 9:15 pm joe

watching this excellent movie put one thought in my head right away. live now. this movie about two old men who find that they are suddenly at the end of their rope discover each other and their philosophy of life. they go on a journey which may be simple but just getting the chance to do all you’ve ever wanted would send a chill up your spine. this movie is a great movie for it will make your feel every emotion you posess but most of all will make you do one thing and that is thank god for what you have.

January 24, 2008 @ 6:17 pm Steven A Myers

Every critic I’ve read so far has, to one extent or another, panned the film. Maybe it’s my age(69), but I laughed and laughed, and thought it was one of the best films I’ve seen in the past 3-4 years. I may even have shed a tear towards the end. I also thought Bucket List was much funnier than the Matthau/Lemmon lash-ups, all of which I thought were cheap attempts at laughs. Freeman and Nicholson touched something in me and a lot of the older folks in the audience. Maybe it is that by my age I don’t fret much about death and dying, and can laugh at it. That, I suspect, is what went over the heads of the younger set. Well, they keep making films for 14-year olds, and the 14-year olds deserve them.

January 26, 2008 @ 7:35 pm Judy

I loved this movie, but then again I am 65 years old. It seems like just yesterday I was in my 20’s. Young people probably can’t relate to this movie. However, they will be there in the blink of an eye and then maybe they should watch this movie again with a fresh (but older) eye.

February 21, 2008 @ 8:49 pm Chris

I really don’t think it only affects the older generation. I am 17 and it might be my mentality is different to others my age, but i thought this film was amazing. I watch ALOT of movies, probably about 5 a week, maybe more and this film made my smile, laugh, it made my eyes water and most of all..It made me care for both Freeman and Nicholson. I give this film 9/10 easily for great acting and an all round great film. I also recommend that if you get a chance to watch it, you do.

Privacy Policy | About Us

 |  Log in

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

• DVD & Streaming

The Bucket List

• Action/Adventure , Comedy , Drama

Content Caution

In Theaters

• Jack Nicholson as Edward Cole; Morgan Freeman as Carter Chambers; Beverly Todd as Virginia Chambers; Sean Hayes as Thomas

Home Release Date

Distributor.

• Warner Bros.

Positive Elements   |   Spiritual Elements   |   Sexual & Romantic Content   |   Violent Content   |   Crude or Profane Language   |   Drug & Alcohol Content   |   Other Noteworthy Elements   | Conclusion

Movie Review

Carter Chambers is dying.

Oh, sure, he’s lived a full life. He has a doting wife, three successful children and a hospital wallpapered with get-well cards from the grandkids. But the whole impending mortality thing is still a bit of a bummer. He’s feeling useless and adrift and wishes his doting wife would just leave him alone so he can spend the rest of his life watching Jeopardy in peace. He shouts out the answers at his tiny hospital television—hoping, perhaps, that Alex Trebek will hear him and allow him to participate in a “Daily Double.”

“How long Carter Chambers has to live.” (Buzz!)

“Yes, Carter?”

“What is ‘six months to a year,’ Alex.”

Hospital roomie Edward Coles also is dying—an irony, considering he’s dying in his very own hospital. He owns a whole chain of them, in fact, and up ’til now Edward operated them like warehouses stocked with bedpans, overworked doctors and terrible pea soup. Oh, and those patient-folks. No-one gets a private room in one of these places, not even the hospital’s fabulously wealthy, cantankerous owner.

But Edward isn’t one to feel sorry for himself. So when he sees Carter scribbling out a “bucket list”—things Carter wanted to do before he died—Edward makes a few additions and pitches it to Carter as a final, globetrotting to-do list, one so stuffed with fun and frivolity that it might leave Paris Hilton winded. Edward says he’ll foot the bill. It’s not like he has any family to shower with gifts. No one who’ll talk with him, anyway. So, this is their last “shot,” Edward tells Carter.

“My shot at what?” Carter carps. “Making a fool of myself?”

“Never too late,” Edward answers.

Positive Elements

In the words of former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders, “We all will probably die of something sooner or later.” But what should we make of our time before we start pushing proverbial daisies? This question lies at the heart of The Bucket List.

Edward believes that dying people can still have fun, and he sets out to prove it. He gets a tattoo. He forces Carter to go skydiving with him. And the two go on an around-the-world trip to see the earth’s most eye-popping sites. They lunch on the top of one of the Great Pyramids, drive a motorcycle along the Great Wall of China and eat an exquisite dinner at an authentic French restaurant.

All this gusto in the face of impending death is admirable in its own, cash-hemorrhaging way. But there’s a downside to this end-of-life frivolity, which Virginia, Carter’s wife, brings to the forefront. She believes that her husband has “given up” his cancer fight—a war she’d rather he still wage. Where there’s life, there’s hope, she reasons, never mind the prognosis, and the film treats her point of view with respect. She tells Edward that she’s prepared for death to take her husband, “I’m just not prepared to lose him when he’s still alive.”

Carter comes to understand that a life well lived involves more than sightseeing. Sure, he has a great time spending Edward’s money, but he eventually realizes that he’d really just like to get back to his wife and family.

Carter reveals the film’s ethos through an Egyptian myth: When the ancient Egyptians died (Carter says), the gods would be waiting at the gates of heaven to ask them two questions before allowing them to enter. 1) Have you found joy in your life? 2) Has your life brought joy to others? Eventually, even Edward sees that family, friends and bringing joy to other people is the real spice of life—even when that life is just about kaput.

Spiritual Elements

Carter and his wife are people of faith. He says so explicitly, and he participates in a mealtime prayer with his extended family. Virginia leads the prayer, addressing the family’s “dear heavenly Father” and thanking Him for the return of their own husband and father. Later, we see Virginia praying with the family in a hospital waiting room.

Carter knows lots about other religions, too, and he explains Buddhism and reincarnation to Edward. He recounts a story from a person who scaled Mount Everest and describes a spiritual moment the man had on the mountain: During his climb, a profound silence fell around the mountaineer, and he heard the voice of the mountain. “It was like he heard the voice of God,” Carter says. Another Everest climber tells Carter that the stars from Everest look like “little holes in the floor of heaven.” Carter says his pastor once compared human life to streams and rivers which water the land around them, and he encourages Edward to “let the waters take you.”

Edward, meanwhile, thinks faith is a bunch of poppycock. He mocks various religions in general and doubts God specifically. No supreme being is going to save him from his cancer, he reasons, and when Carter points out that 95 percent of the world believes in a creator, Edward answers by saying that, in his experience, 95 percent of people are typically wrong. He’s more comfortable comparing God with the Sugarplum Fairy.

“I’d love to be wrong,” he adds. “If I’m wrong, I win.”

Well, not really. But the bevy of theological assumptions such a statement evokes are too bulky to delve into here. (Scripture has much to say on the subject. Start with Mark 16:16, John 15:4-5, John 7:37-38, John 3:14-16, John 4:14 and Acts 20:21.)

[ Spoiler Warning ] By the end of the film, Edward reconsiders his beliefs. Or at least he considers reconsidering. Giving Carter’s eulogy in a packed church, Edward says that, if there is an afterlife, he hopes “Carter’s there to vouch for me and show me the ropes on the other side.”

Sexual & Romantic Content

When the film opens, Carter’s not sure how he feels about Virginia anymore, and he admits to Edward that he’s never “been” with another woman. So Edward prods Carter to put having an affair on the list, and he suggests they should both participate in wild orgies. Carter refuses. And he puts action to words when he declines the advances of an attractive woman in Hong Kong.

Returning to his wife, he reminisces with her about their teenage sex lives—when they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. While doing so, she primps herself in preparation for another run at marital intimacy.

As it turns out, Edward hired the Hong Kong woman to proposition Carter—but whether he hired her to push him into infidelity or back toward his wife is never completely clear.

Edward says he’s been married four times and, when Carter asks him how he’s going to kiss the “most beautiful woman in the world” (one of the items on Edward’s bucket list), Edward says it’s all about “volume.” We see him and a beautiful woman exit a bathroom, with the woman buttoning her blouse as she leaves. He tells his assistant in passing that, at his age, he should never “waste” arousal.

Violent Content

Edward falls off a gurney and onto a hospital floor. During a muscle-car race, Carter sideswipes Edward a time or two. As for nonviolent gore, we see the top pop off Carter’s chest catheter. The result is a bloodstained dress shirt.

Crude or Profane Language

Edward says the f-word once and also makes an obscene gesture. Characters use the s-word more than 10 times. God’s name is misused a dozen times, including several instances in which it’s paired with “d–n.” Jesus’ name also is abused a half-dozen times or so. Milder profanities “h—” and “a–” creep into the script with some regularity.

Drug & Alcohol Content

We see Carter smoking a cigarette. He lets it drop from his mouth after receiving a depressing, health-related phone call—suggesting that his smoking habit brought on his cancer. He and Edward sip champagne. The Hong Kong woman orders a glass of wine.

Other Noteworthy Elements

As entertainment, The Bucket List showcases some of the messy realities of cancer and its treatment. Edward suffers through a brutal round of chemo, and we see him grimacing in pain, shivering and crouched over a toilet to vomit. (We hear retching noises.) “Somewhere, some lucky guy’s having a heart attack,” he says. Edward and Carter discuss suicide.

Edward apparently helped break up a relationship between his daughter and her abusive husband—by use of nefarious, possibly illegal, means. Both main characters make references to critical male body parts and bodily functions.

[ Spoiler Warning ] When Edward’s ashes are deposited in the Himalayas next to Carter’s, Carter’s voice intones that Edward would’ve loved being buried up there because it was “against the law.”

The Bucket List is being billed as a “feel-good” comedy—a little odd, considering it revolves around two terminally ill gaffers trying to squeeze the last bit o’ juice from life before they, um, croak. Comedian Gilda Radner, who died from cancer in 1989, once said the disease was “the most unfunny thing in the world.” But director Rob Reiner now begs to differ.

If you overlook the language and raunch-factor—a sizable order— The Bucket List has a nominally uplifting message: Family, friends and even faith are, at the literal end, more worthwhile than all the money in the world.

But equivocation may spoil the spectacle. While the film pushes audiences to ponder the importance of their own lifelong decisions, it refuses to make a dicey decision of its own: When the pencil of life has been sharpened to the nub, how are you going to use it? For yourself or for others?

The Bucket List suggests Carter’s been living his life for others for the last 45 years or so. He dropped out of college and took a job as an auto mechanic to make ends meet for his family. He’s worked like crazy to make sure his children have all the advantages they could ask for. Etcetera. Now, with months left to live, he wonders whether he deserves some “me” time. He doesn’t want his remaining days spent “smothered in pity and grief,” according to Edward, and comforting those people who, Carter feels, should be comforting him.

So, for a time, he leaves his wife to gallivant around the globe with his new best friend. And the story suggests that’s a good thing. After all, Carter rekindles his love for his wife on the trip, and Virginia later admits to Edward that Carter “left a stranger and came back my husband.” Through his extended vacation, Carter realizes what’s really important to him. So all that’s cool, right?

Well, you know that old saying that goes, “Two wrongs don’t make a right”? A right and a wrong don’t make a right, either. It’s still basically selfish of Carter to abandon his wife. And it doesn’t much matter what he’s done with his life up till then, or how close to the grave he may or may not be. Jesus never tells us to start living selfishly when we arrive on death’s door.

Make no mistake, there’s nothing un-Christian about enjoying life. John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came to give us life “to the full.” We are to relish the gifts that surround us and the opportunities we’re given, and we shouldn’t condemn Carter for having fun. But we can knock him around a bit in the literary sense for leaving his grieving wife—even temporarily—to do so.

Jesus tells us, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Or, by taking that old Egyptian proverb and tweaking it a bit, we can think of it this way: God is far more concerned about whether we’ve brought joy to Him (and others) than gathered it in for ourselves.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

Latest Reviews

Venom: The Last Dance

She’s All That

Weekly Reviews Straight to your Inbox!

Want to stay Plugged In?

Our weekly newsletter will keep you in the loop on the biggest things happening in entertainment and technology. Sign up today, and we’ll send you a chapter from the new Plugged In book, Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family , that focuses on how to implement a “screentime reset” in your family!

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Parents' Ultimate Guide to AI Companions and Relationships

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Jewish Experiences
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Parents' guide to, the bucket list.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 3 Reviews
• Kids Say 9 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Bittersweet dramedy approaches death with humor.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that although this movie is a comedy, it deals with cancer and death: The first half of the movie shows how the illness ravages the body and wrecks the spirit (or at least attempts to). Patients are shown getting their heads shaved, doubled over toilets retching, and wandering hospital corridors…

Why Age 14+?

Some drinking in social situations (restaurants, etc).

Everything from "goddammit" to "s--tty" to "f--king" (though the "F" word is use

A flight attendant leaves an airplane washroom looking unkempt and fastening the

Numerous raves for the kopi luwak, Indonesian coffee known to be the most expens

At one point, Cole and Chambers scream at each other on a sidewalk. A married co

Any Positive Content?

For all of the bluster of one of the characters, the movie's overall message is

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Everything from "goddammit" to "s--tty" to "f--king" (though the "F" word is used sparingly). One character gives another the finger.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A flight attendant leaves an airplane washroom looking unkempt and fastening the buttons of her blouse; a man leaves the same washroom soon after (shenanigans are implied). A woman propositions a married man (he turns her down). Some semi-crass discussion of sex. A husband and wife embrace tenderly and reminisce about the first time they got together. One entry on the list is "to kiss the most beautiful woman in the room."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Numerous raves for the kopi luwak, Indonesian coffee known to be the most expensive on earth. Signage for Cole's hospital, Reed Hill. A glimpse of a NYC taxi logo. One character loves to watch Jeopardy .

Violence & Scariness

At one point, Cole and Chambers scream at each other on a sidewalk. A married couple also argues (not much screaming, but there's tension).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

For all of the bluster of one of the characters, the movie's overall message is heartwarming and affirming: A list filled with exotic adventures is fun, but the biggest task to check off before your time is up is staring life (or death) in the face and embracing its daily joys.

Parents need to know that although this movie is a comedy, it deals with cancer and death: The first half of the movie shows how the illness ravages the body and wrecks the spirit (or at least attempts to). Patients are shown getting their heads shaved, doubled over toilets retching, and wandering hospital corridors tethered to IVs. Through it all, there's a fair amount of strong language (including "f--k," though it's sparing). Ultimately, though, the film is about overcoming challenges and staring death in the face without blinking -- an uplifting note on which to end. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (3)
• Kids say (9)

Based on 3 parent reviews

Kick the Bucket

What's the story.

Edward Cole ( Jack Nicholson at his preening best) and Carter Chambers ( Morgan Freeman as his usual noble self) are exact opposites: One is a hedonistic multi-millionaire playboy, the other is a loyal, long-married mechanic. But when they're both stricken with cancer, they wind up roommates in one of Cole's hospitals and become fast friends. When their prognoses turn grim, they make a pact to complete a "bucket list" -- an inventory of things they need to do before they die -- and set out to complete it. Naturally, their plan isn't as simple as it sounds. Both have unfinished business back home, and soon their journeys are interrupted by real-life demands. They also have metaphorical baggage to unpack, the biggest of which is facing death knowing that they've made peace with their lives.

Is It Any Good?

Viewers looking for innovative storytelling and surprises won't find much of either in Rob Reiner 's THE BUCKET LIST. It's straightforward and predictable, with nary a divergence from the standard Hollywood playbook. But that doesn't mean it's not engaging -- and for that, it has its two leads to thank. You have to give the producers props for trying, but it's all a bit too treacly. Save for one unexpected twist, within the first half hour, you can pretty much tell which loose ends will be tied up before the credits roll. (No offense to Freeman, but can we do away with his now-ubiquitous, gravitas-filled voiceover? The man has other talents.) Cole will be revealed to have a soul much more complicated than the movie first hints; Chambers will become a man much more conflicted than his serene exterior suggests. And you can bet that each helps the other fully realize his potential.

Still, there's a certain delight in seeing Nicholson and Freeman interact; it's a heavyweight duet in which Reiner clearly takes delight. He gives them time to playfully spar and do what each does best (Nicholson is playful, Freeman is grave). Maybe the next movie they'll be in -- and they ought to team up again -- will have a more insightful, original script. Though, truth be told, obvious as The Bucket List may be, you may find yourself hard pressed not to be moved -- if only a little -- in the end.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about why Hollywood is enamored with movies about terminal illness ( Terms of Endearment , Mask , My Life Without Me )? Why do you think that subject is so compelling to producers -- and audiences? How does this film find humor in the subject without going too far? What about it is realistic? And unrealistic? Do you know anyone who's battled cancer? What was that like?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 25, 2007
• On DVD or streaming : June 9, 2008
• Cast : Jack Nicholson , Morgan Freeman , Sean Hayes
• Director : Rob Reiner
• Inclusion Information : Black actors, Gay actors
• Studio : Warner Bros.
• Genre : Comedy
• Run time : 98 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : language, including a sexual reference.
• Last updated : May 14, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

The Shawshank Redemption

Something's Gotta Give

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Movie Review | 'The Bucket List '

For Geezers Gone Wild, Too Little, Too Late

By Stephen Holden

• Dec. 25, 2007

“The Bucket List” operates on the hope that two beloved stars rubbing their signature screen personas together can spark warm, fuzzy box office magic. I wouldn’t count on it. Stars or no, it is an open question whether audiences will flock to a preposterous, putatively heartwarming buddy comedy about two men diagnosed with terminal cancer living it up in their final months.

The geezers chafing at death’s doorstep are Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman), cancer patients who meet cute in the room they share in a hospital owned by Edward. A greedy billionaire health care mogul, Edward is a victim of his own ruthless cost-cutting program that decrees two to a room in his cramped establishment.

Obviously, no billionaire in his right mind would endure such humiliation in an institution he is knowingly bleeding to death; he would have his own deluxe private suite somewhere else. Edward, however, does have gourmet food supplied by his obedient assistant Thomas (Sean Hayes), which he lustily consumes until chemotherapy takes away his appetite along with his hair.

Slipping into their stock screen personas of rampaging fool (Mr. Nicholson) and pious wise man (Mr. Freeman), neither actor adds a note that we haven’t seen before. Given less than a year to live, Edward and Carter flee the hospital to board Edward’s private jet for a final blowout underwritten by Edward.

Along the way they become best pals who help each other learn the usual lessons about living life to the fullest. The movie strenuously denies medical reality. As they undertake their journey, both men, in temporary remission, appear as robust as the rejuvenated seniors in “Cocoon.”

Their initial adventures, like sky diving and race car driving, are high-adrenaline stunts embraced with macho zeal; they even visit a tattoo parlor. As they follow an itinerary that takes them to the south of France, the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, the Himalayas and Hong Kong, these stopovers, obviously filmed on a soundstage, have all the reality of snapshots photographed in front of travel posters.

On the sexual front, the happily married Carter demurs when opportunity presents itself. But nothing has ever prevented Edward, who has been married and divorced four times, from pursuing continuous novelty. The movie mercifully spares us the spectacle of Mr. Nicholson, whalelike at 70, in full rutting mode.

Directed by Rob Reiner from a sketchy screenplay by Justin Zackham, “The Bucket List” fails its stars in fundamental ways. Mr. Nicholson has played wealthy rogues before (most recently in “Something’s Gotta Give”), but this particular bon vivant is unsalvageably repellent. The actor’s frantic mugging, guffawing and eyebrow twitching only underscore the character’s pompous self-satisfaction. By the time the movie allows Edward a token gesture of humanity (his guilt-stricken attempt to reunite with an estranged daughter he cruelly betrayed), it is too little too late.

Carter is the one who initially brings up the notion of “the bucket list,” a roster of must-have experiences to be pursued before “kicking the bucket.” We are asked to accept that this dignified sage has been happily toiling as an auto mechanic for 46 years after forgoing his higher education to support a family. Anyone this articulate and composed would have risen far above day-laborer status.

Largely self-taught, Carter keeps himself in mental shape by watching “Jeopardy!” and competing out loud with the contestants. During their travels he is a font of geographic and historical trivia.

For all the kindly gravity he puts into the role, Mr. Freeman cannot begin to make you believe that a quiet family man like Carter would abandon his loyal wife (Beverly Todd) during his final months of life to go on a spree with a rascally egomaniac. I don’t imagine Mr. Freeman believes it either.

Saddest of all, the professed spiritual goals on the pair’s checklist of things to do — “laugh till you cry,” “witness something majestic” — are the kind of pallid bromides found in the pages of a quickie self-help book: “I’m Not O.K., and Neither Are You.”

“The Bucket List” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It has off-color dialogue.

THE BUCKET LIST

Opens on Tuesday in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto.

Directed by Rob Reiner; written by Justin Zackham; director of photography, John Schwartzman; edited by Robert Leighton; music by Marc Shaiman; production designer, Bill Brzeski; produced by Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Alan Greisman and Mr. Reiner; released by Warner Brothers Pictures. Running time: 1 hour 38 minutes.

WITH: Jack Nicholson (Edward Cole), Morgan Freeman (Carter Chambers), Sean Hayes (Thomas), Rob Morrow (Dr. Hollins) and Beverly Todd (Virginia).

Bucket List, The (United States, 2007)

Lately, it seems every time I review a Rob Reiner movie, I lament the fall this once reliable filmmaker has taken. Admittedly, Reiner started at such a pinnacle that there was nowhere to go but down, but it's beyond consideration that the director of The Princess Bride and This Is Spinal Tap would be responsible for the likes of Rumor Has It . Thankfully, while The Bucket List doesn't return Reiner to the top of his game, it at least elevates him to the level of respectability. The overly melodramatic yet life-affirming screenplay is in part redeemed by the solid performances and easy camaraderie of the two veteran stars. This is one of those (rare) occasions when I was able to tune down the cynicism and enjoy it on its own terms, even if there was a war at the end between my tear ducts and my gag reflex. Frank Capra would have been at home here. (His grandson is listed as a co-producer.)

Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) are both afflicted with terminal cancer. Edward is a wealthy CEO with no one to visit him except his assistant (Sean Hayes) as he suffers through chemotherapy. Carter is a car mechanic who is surrounded by his wife of 47 years, Virginia (Beverly Todd) and his two sons and daughter. In addition to sharing a room at the hospital, the men share a diagnosis: six months to a year. They make a mutual pact not to waste that time. They create a "bucket list" - a series of things to see and do before they die. Edward's wealth makes all things possible, so they are soon jetting off to see the Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal, and the Great Wall of China, among other places. They go skydiving and drive race cars and search for the perfect woman. In the end, however, it's the little personal things that mean more to both men.

The movie is essentially about these two unlikely individuals forming a friendship, bound together as they are by the most forceful bond imaginable - the immediacy of their deaths. Their conversations vary from the inconsequential to the big issues. They discuss God, faith, and religion, and Edward dismisses the idea of reincarnation because he can't figure out what a snail could accomplish to gain a next-life promotion. Writer Justin Zackham may have been trying to uncover some universal truth but, if that's the case, he doesn't succeed. The "profundities" uttered by the men are far from earthshattering or though-provoking.

While the circumstances of these men are extraordinary (how many dying people get to fulfill all their wishes?), the grounded presences of Nicholson and Freeman keep things interesting. Beneath all the continent-hopping, we see two genuine characters emerge: men who, despite their odyssey, are frightened by what the future may or may not hold and are trying to come to grips with the enormity of what faces them. While there are moments when Nicholson lapses into Nicholson mode, there are also plenty of scenes in which he plays the role straight, with uncertainty replacing machismo. Freeman, as always, embodies his character. Both Edward and Carter undergo emotional journeys that occur separately yet in parallel with their physical ones. The film's ending, which is the continuation of a bookend that begins with the first scene, offers closure. There's enough humor sprinkled throughout to keep the movie from overdosing on its own sense of seriousness.

The Bucket List is a simple movie. It's a travelogue and a road film that offers a little deeper emotional resonance than many similar films. This is obviously designed to be an Oscar calling card for both Freeman and Nicholson, although it's unclear whether either of them will make the cut. Their performances are strong and their name recognition will help, but this is a crowded field. (Nicholson is good, but I wouldn't take a slot away from Philip Seymour Hoffman for him.) The Bucket List is sentimental but it's not so phony that one will be embarrassed to shed a tear or two at the end. The movie's sincerity helps it get over some of the most difficult hurdles and the feeling after leaving theater is one of having experienced something worthwhile albeit unremarkable.

Comments Add Comment

• Cider House Rules, The (1999)
• Citizen Kane (1941)
• War Zone, The (1999)
• Hole in My Heart, A (2005)
• Neon Demon, The (2016)
• Showgirls (1995)
• Chinatown (1969)
• Departed, The (2006)
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
• Mars Attacks! (1996)
• Batman (1989)
• Wolf (1994)
• Glory (1989)
• Dark Knight, The (2008)
• Gone Baby Gone (2007)
• Bruce Almighty (2003)
• Hard Rain (1998)
• Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (2021)
• Soul Men (2008)
• Monsters University (2013)
• (There are no more better movies of Sean Hayes)
• Cat in the Hat, The (2003)
• Win a Date with Tad Hamilton (2004)
• (There are no more worst movies of Sean Hayes)

The Bucket List (2008)

Stream & Watch The Bucket List

Cast & Crew

Trailers & clips.

Movie Details

Featured news.

Similar Movies

Movie Reviews

Follow Moviefone

Latest trailers.