Rather than mope, Goode sets out to visit them individually in New York, Chicago, Denver then Vegas, despite his doctor advising not to travel due to a heart condition. Goode's odyssey eventually brings him to a realization that everybody is not fine, and not the father-child rapport he expected.
Directed by Kirk Jones, this American tear-bomb is based the 1990 Guiseppe Tornatore film, Stanno tutti bene, and features what is easily some of the best work Robert Deniro has done in recent years. Deniro's acting carries this sentimental story all the way to its finale with little trace of affectation.
At this point in his storied acting career, Deniro has fully mastered the ability to reduce a role down to its essential elements, creating emotional responses with mere glances or simple lip curls. His supporting cast appears to be deficient in comparison, and most seem to only fill out the rest of each shot.
Everybody's Fine is the story of an old man trying to connect with his children, and eventually connects with its audience. Deniro's ability to put magic into the subtleties of ordinary life will leave most with their hearts aching as the film progresses.
For a film about the fallacies of an overly pushy father trying to relate to his children, one gets the sense that the filmmaker's message is that such impulses are driven by a deep love. Three cheers for the acting of Robert Deniro and our beloved parents!
On a scale of one to ten, Everybody's Fine gets a more-than-just-fine eight.
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