Frank Goode, a recently widowed man, has a lot of time to himself. He has not come to terms with the death of a wife that kept his life in order. Now having to face reality, he is somewhat lost, even in the most mundane chores, that his wife probably took care of. This is the same wife that kept from him the truth about their four children, now on their own, and what paths they decided to take as adults.
Frank, who is retired, decides to bring the four kids home for a sort of family reunion, but each one of them, with the exception of David, calls to send their regrets. Having such complicated lives, Frank decides to surprise them instead. First he goes to New York, but David is not around for the visit. He pushes on to Chicago, where daughter Amy is living in what appears a luxury existence, but he notices there's no love between her and a husband that appears not to be living at home anymore. As much as Amy tries, he still can see through her.
After Amy, Frank goes to Denver. His son Robert, who he thinks is conducting the Symphony Orchestra, turns out to be a percussionist. He excuses himself by telling the father he is going on a tour, so Frank goes on to Las Vegas to visit Rosie, a successful dancer. She dazzles her father by taking him to a luxury apartment she has rented to impress the old man. The arrival of an infant tells Frank that his daughter is hiding something from him, and in reality, Rosie is indeed connected to the lovely baby that comes unexpectedly with his babysitter.
Frank, who has a heart condition, was advised by his doctor not to fly, so he has taken to the roads and railways of the country. When he has seen that everyone is fine, he takes a commercial flight, something he shouldn't have done, in the first place. This brings the family together at last. Unfortunately, David is the only one that can't make it this time.
Kirk Jones adapted the magnificent Italian film "Stanno tutti bene" and transferred the action to America. Unfortunately, Mr. Jones didn't have a charismatic Marcello Mastroianni to play the central character. Not that Robert Deniro is not up to the task, it's that somehow this is not an interesting dysfunctional family which we are taken to be examined. Somehow the viewer does not get as involved as Mr. Jones intended. The original screenplay was by Massimo De Rita and Tonino Guerra, who was a genius in the Italian cinema. The original film was made better by Giuseppe Tornatore, a man who knows how to pull heart strings.
The cast that was put together is enough to attract an audience. The sad fact is Robert Deniro, like all mortals, is aging. What a great career he has enjoyed! Even though his Frank Goode is not one of his best creations, he does a fine job in giving him life. The three children, played by Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, and Sam Rockwell, are all fine. Sam Rockwell fares better perhaps with his take on Robert, the musician.
Henry Braham's cinematography takes us for a ride cross country with his sharp eye showing the way. Dario Marianelli's musical score plays well in the background. One would have wished Kirk Jones, in his Americanization of something that was done much better before, could have improved on the original, but at least, he tried.
Frank, who is retired, decides to bring the four kids home for a sort of family reunion, but each one of them, with the exception of David, calls to send their regrets. Having such complicated lives, Frank decides to surprise them instead. First he goes to New York, but David is not around for the visit. He pushes on to Chicago, where daughter Amy is living in what appears a luxury existence, but he notices there's no love between her and a husband that appears not to be living at home anymore. As much as Amy tries, he still can see through her.
After Amy, Frank goes to Denver. His son Robert, who he thinks is conducting the Symphony Orchestra, turns out to be a percussionist. He excuses himself by telling the father he is going on a tour, so Frank goes on to Las Vegas to visit Rosie, a successful dancer. She dazzles her father by taking him to a luxury apartment she has rented to impress the old man. The arrival of an infant tells Frank that his daughter is hiding something from him, and in reality, Rosie is indeed connected to the lovely baby that comes unexpectedly with his babysitter.
Frank, who has a heart condition, was advised by his doctor not to fly, so he has taken to the roads and railways of the country. When he has seen that everyone is fine, he takes a commercial flight, something he shouldn't have done, in the first place. This brings the family together at last. Unfortunately, David is the only one that can't make it this time.
Kirk Jones adapted the magnificent Italian film "Stanno tutti bene" and transferred the action to America. Unfortunately, Mr. Jones didn't have a charismatic Marcello Mastroianni to play the central character. Not that Robert Deniro is not up to the task, it's that somehow this is not an interesting dysfunctional family which we are taken to be examined. Somehow the viewer does not get as involved as Mr. Jones intended. The original screenplay was by Massimo De Rita and Tonino Guerra, who was a genius in the Italian cinema. The original film was made better by Giuseppe Tornatore, a man who knows how to pull heart strings.
The cast that was put together is enough to attract an audience. The sad fact is Robert Deniro, like all mortals, is aging. What a great career he has enjoyed! Even though his Frank Goode is not one of his best creations, he does a fine job in giving him life. The three children, played by Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, and Sam Rockwell, are all fine. Sam Rockwell fares better perhaps with his take on Robert, the musician.
Henry Braham's cinematography takes us for a ride cross country with his sharp eye showing the way. Dario Marianelli's musical score plays well in the background. One would have wished Kirk Jones, in his Americanization of something that was done much better before, could have improved on the original, but at least, he tried.