The Bucket ListPPT
The Bucket List is a 2007 American chick flick film directed by Rob Reiner an...
The Bucket List is a 2007 American chick flick film directed by Rob Reiner and starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. The film tells the story of two terminally ill men who, while facing their own mortality, cross paths and make a list of things they want to do before they die. The film’s title is a reference to this list, with “bucket list” being slang for a list of things to do before one’s death.PlotThe film opens with two men, Jack and Bert, in their respective hospital rooms. Jack, played by Nicholson, is a billionaire who has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, while Bert, played by Freeman, is a working-class man who has been told he has pancreatic cancer. The two men are planning to kill themselves via assisted suicide after learning about their condition, but Bert is given a reprieve when the film’s doctors determine he can live for a few more months.While Bert is recovering in the hospital, he overhears Jack’s final wish: to have his ashes scattered over the world’s oceans. Bert hatches a plan to make money off Jack by advertising his services as a “bucket list” concierge who will help people with terminal illnesses fulfill their final wishes. Bert’s first client is Jack, who wants to live out the rest of his life like he did before he was sick—hitting on women, driving fast, etc.Over the course of the film, Bert and Jack travel the world fulfilling each item on Jack’s bucket list. These adventures range from Jack skydiving and skinny-dipping in Africa to him speeding around Paris on a Vespa and—in what becomes the climax of the film—jumping off a waterfall in Fiji. Bert also finds time to romance a doctor at the hospital, Carla, played by Shirley MacLaine, who helps him come to terms with his own mortality.Critical ReceptionCritical reception for The Bucket List was mostly positive. Many praised the chemistry between Nicholson and Freeman as well as their performances, which many felt were the film’s saving grace. Some reviews criticized the film’s formulaic nature and predictable storyline but still found value in the acting and direction.The film did well at the box office, grossing over $20 million in its opening weekend despite its $40 million budget. It ultimately grossed over $144 million domestically and $368 million worldwide.AwardsThe Bucket List received several nominations and awards during its release. Freeman and Nicholson both received Golden Globe nominations for their performances as Bert and Jack, respectively. Freeman ended up winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor—Motion Picture for his role as Bert. In addition, Reiner received a Directors Guild of America Award nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for his work on The Bucket List.LegacyThe Bucket List remains a popular chick flick and has become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, with many people still discussing it today. Its title—the “bucket list”—has entered popular culture as a slang term for a list of things one wants to do before dying. The concept of “bucket list” items has also become popular among non-fictional terminal illness patients as a way to help them come to terms with their own mortality.The Bucket List: Summary and AnalysisThe Bucket List is a 2007 chick flick that tells the story of two terminally ill men who make a list of things they want to do before they die. The film stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as Bert and Jack, respectively, and received mostly positive critical reception for its acting and direction. The Bucket List grossed over $368 million worldwide and is still somewhat of a cultural phenomenon today with people discussing its legacy. The term “bucket list” has entered popular culture as slang for a list of things one wants to do before dying.
