But bigger problems soon arrive when Jean’s leaving doesn’t sit too well with her ex, and before long Gary (Damian Lewis) drives into town.

While trying to make better choices for her young daughter, Jean meets the local sheriff, Crane Curtis (Josh Lucas) who complicates her new lease on life. Re-building her life turns out to be more difficult than Jean thinks. But Einar devotes much of his time taking care of his ranch foreman (Morgan Freeman) who, a year ago was mauled by a bear. Time passes and the three of them somehow cohabitate.

Einar (Robert Redford) hasn’t ever come to terms with the death of his son or the one person he holds responsible for his death his elusive daughter-in-law. Fleeing from an abusive relationship, Jean knows she cannot run forever so with funds running low, she winds up at her father-in-law’s doorstep, hoping he’ll take them in. Following her husband’s tragic death, Jean walks away from family ties, and raises her young daughter (Becca Gardner) on her own. Redford and Freeman have a great rapport together and their relaxed performances would have gotten the film over if the story wasn’t so banal.Since the death of her husband Jean Gilkyson (Jennifer Lopez) deals with some pretty hard knocks, all thanks to one too many wrong choices. The story is all too predictable, stuffed with too much annoying symbolism, cheap emotional tricks and unwarranted solemnity, but the acting by a crusty and grizzly Redford, an earnest Lopez (looking just as pretty with a bruised face as ever) and an endearing Freeman gave the film some credence. The lessons learned are: Einar is on the wagon and forgives his daughter-in-law Jean stops running away and tries to make a go of it in Wyoming Mitch forgives the bear because he was only doing what bears do. When he tries to kidnap mother and daughter, Einar beats the living daylights out of the creep and sends him back to Iowa by bus. The abusive boyfriend returns and does not heed the warnings of Einar and the cop to get out of town. Mitch is obsessed with the bear and determines it should be free, and gets Einar to release it back into the wild. The bear that crippled Mitch conveniently returns and the animal control officers cage the bear in the local zoo. As expected, Einar soon warms to the nice-girl granddaughter he never knew he had and the two bond. She also scores the town’s cop Crane Curtis (Josh Lucas). Jean scores a job in the local diner and befriends the other sympathetic waitress Nina. Though Einar was with him at the time of the attack, he was too drunk to help get the bear off him. Also living on the property is Mitch Bradley (Morgan Freeman), a ranch hand who was badly mauled by a bear last year and is in severe pain needing to be nursed by Einar. Einar has never forgiven his daughter-in-law for the accident, and gives the two a frosty reception. He’s Einar Gilkyson (Robert Redford), whose ranch and personal life has nosedived since his son Griff died in an auto accident when his wife fell asleep at the wheel. It’s woven around a bleak narrative about an abused single mom, Jean Gilkyson (Jennifer Lopez) and her 11-year-old daughter Griff (Becca Gardner), splitting from Iowa after another beating from bully boyfriend of two years Gary (Damian Lewis) and going to her depressed father-in-law’s ranch in rural Wyoming. Its theme is about family togetherness, forgiveness and living an independent life without being caged. “ A tense but ultimately corny family drama.“Ī tense but ultimately corny family drama directed by the Swedish Lasse Hallström (“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”/”My Life As A Dog”) and written by husband and wife team Mark and Virginia Korus Spragg from the novel by Mr. AN UNFINISHED LIFE (director: Lasse Hallström screenwriters: from the novel by Mark Spragg/Mark Spragg and Virginia Korus Spragg cinematographer: Oliver Stapleton editor: Andrew Mondshein music: Deborah Lurie cast: Robert Redford (Einar Gilkyson), Jennifer Lopez (Jean Gilkyson), Morgan Freeman (Mitch Bradley), Josh Lucas (Crane Curtis), Camryn Manheim (Nina), Damian Lewis (Gary), Becca Gardner (Griff Gilkyson) Runtime: 107 MPAA Rating: PG-13 producers: Leslie Holleran/Alan Ladd Jr/Kelliann Ladd Miramax 2005)

Movie review an unfinished life