GamerTab That was an excellent one.

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Ariella Broughton It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

bi-azh This is how I understood the film without having read the book. I don't give a summary,that has been done by the other reviewers here, and yes, my review will contain spoilers. The drama is told about and around the character Ward Allen, a locally renown and remembered local sort of hero. But why was he important and what was his meaning for those who have known him and remember him? It seems, that he had a way to impress his follow men by his stubborn way of living in a romantic past, that was slowly slipping away and was glorified when he was long gone. The important factor here is "time" because clearly the 1920ies were a turning point, after WW1 and the great war to come that was sweeping away social classes and ways of living not only in Europe but also in America. The beginning of modern times is obvious, there are coaches and horses in the streets but also automobiles. In one scene Ward and Christmas look from their boat to the rising of an industrial building at the horizon and Ward says that the birds are not flying over it. The story reminded me very much of Ford Madoxx Fords "Parades End", set in the time of WW1. The hero of that story, who was also a creature of a time long gone, was defined as the last gentlemen, because of his unfaltering upkeeping of a moral codex no longer important in a changing society.(Watch Benedict Cumberbatch in the BBC miniseries) The hero of Savannah on the other hand is not so much a gentlemen but a free spirit, a man who doesn't like to be "tamed", not by his family and upbringing, not by his wife and not by the society around him. But he stands no chance,time goes on and everything changes, his lifestyle with living outdoors and sustaining himself by hunting is no longer possible, and industrialization is on the horizon. That is child is stillborn can be a symbol. He has to take this strike of fate and then another and so on until he sees no way of going on and kills himself. All that is told in a slow and melancholic way with the help of a frame story in the present. The omnipresent birds and the water carry highly symbolic meaning as the flow of time. Many critics say that the three story lines are not told good enough, one should have concentrated on the friendship between the former slave and white man, that was his friend. But I don't think that is what this film is about, that is only a sideline. From that missunderstanding there might come the critic of using too many clichées,as someone accused the film on the messageboard. But those "clichées" are not what is important here. Ward had the ability to express himself by writing - he was not a writer in the usual sense of the word. Because of his upbringing and education he had the possibility to describe his confusion and the problems he had with the change of the older way of living to the modern age. He couldn't accept it and stayed therefore as a symbolic figure for the turmoil of that age, that many might have felt. As mentioned in the other reviews the pictures and the filming are excellent and the cast did a very great job, mostly Jim Caviezel who proved that he can also play extrovert characters. His use of his voice and movements are highly entertaining to watch. This is not a film for the big audience but it should have gained more attention. One thing I didn't like so much was the score. The main theme of the music was nice and kind of hypnotizing, but it was used too much, should have varied more.

Amy Adler Ward Allen (Jim Caviezel) likes what he likes. Born into a family of wealth in Savannah Georgia at the turn of the twentieth century, he nevertheless does not become a businessman. Instead, he likes to be on the marshes near the ocean, hunting duck for the fine restaurants of Savannah. With him is his constant companion and partner, Christmas (Chiwetel Efiolor), a former slave. This alone is a cause of gossip at a time when whiles and African Americans didn't socialize in the South. but, in truth, Ward just loves the "wild places" over sitting in an office somewhere. Very handsome, he catches the eye of a lovely woman, Lucy Stubbs (Jamie Alexander) who her stuffy father (Sam Shepherd) has promised to another man. Yet, Lucy is also a lady who walks to a different beat. She shuns her father's choice and pursues Ward. Soon, they are married and living in Ward's opulent mansion. Still, his married state doesn't change Ward, who continues to hunt and get roaring drunk at the local bars, where he tells long stories. From time to time, Ward is also hauled before a judge (Hal Holbrook) for charges of hunting in forbidden waterways. Yet, Ward always gets off easy, for the judge likes him and his strong arguments for his chosen profession. Naturally, this creates some conflict for Lucy, especially when she discovers she is expecting a baby. Will Ward ever change? This beautifully lyrical movie, an homage to the loveliness of Savannah and its surroundings, will charm a certain type of movie fan. Its quiet, unusual story is paired with sumptuous scenery for a visually stunning experience. Also, Caviezel is one attractive and talented man, an actor who tops my list of "men who can make the heart pound". Alexander, Holbrook, Shepherd, Efiolor and all of the supporting cast is very fine, also. Do you consider yourself drawn to artistic, independent flicks? Take a trip to this Savannah soon.

mariasquare Let me tell you one thing. Watching this movie will not be a waste of your time. This movie explores the friendship between a white man and a black man. It's a beautifully made movie with gorgeous settings, humorous lines(at times), splendid acting and overall a great theme. Although I do feel that the relationship between Ward and Lucy gets in the way of the friendship between Ward and Christmas. I think they should've focused on that friendship from A to Z because it feels as though the movie is too crowded. Not much development or exploration between Ward and Christmas. The relationship between Ward and Lucy on the other hand, I find it very cliché. The good girl falls for the bad guy. They get married, she becomes pregnant and something dramatic happens along the way. But overall, i enjoyed watching this movie. I'm sure you won't regret watching it. You won't be complaining and cursing about wasting your 1.5 hours.

David Ferguson Greetings again from the darkness. Beginning with "Based on a True Story", the movie takes us on a bumpy ride known as the life and times of Ward Allen, a silver-tongued duck hunter with a free spirit like few others. Director Annette Haywood-Carter utilizes Jack Cay Jr's "Ward Allen: Savannah River Market Hunter" as her source material, and the marsh lands of Savannah make for a beautiful setting.Jim Caviezel dives into the role of Ward Allen and it's initially quite startling to see him play such a loquacious character … we are so accustomed to his normally quiet and stoic nature. Caviezel seems to revel in the courtroom scenes where he recites Shakespeare and charms the judge (Hal Holbrook) and gallery. Flip a switch and the next scene will have Allen exchanging familiar glances and verbal jousts with his duck hunting buddy Christmas (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a freed slave who is the perfect companion for Allen.Evidently the real Mr. Allen was smart and engaging, but drank too much and constantly pushed the limits of legal hunting. His loyal dog, Rock, follows him everywhere and seems to anticipate his every need. This odd life takes a turn towards normalcy as Allen falls for a beautiful socialite played by Jaime Alexander. The two hit it off and get married, against the wishes of her father played by the great Sam Shepard. Unfortunately, it's at this point that the movie gets convoluted and loses focus, trying to be too many things at once.Caviezel and Ejiofor have a really nice screen presence together, but the interjections of home life between Caviezel and Alexander just stomp out any flow to the story telling. The attempts to make Mr. Allen a legendary, larger-than-life figure fall short because of the clunky script structure. The bookend with Christmas telling the stories to both a young and adult Jack Cay (Bradley Whitford) just beg for continued focus on the bond between kindred spirits Allen and Christmas. The enigmatic Ward Allen was clearly an interesting man and I look forward to reading Cay's book … it's just disappointing that the script was not sharpened prior to filming. It should be noted that there are a few tremendous songs throughout, including two very different versions of "Wade in the Water".