December 4, 2009

Entertainment

The Sanford Herald / Friday, December 4, 2009 / 11A

FILM REVIEW

PEOPLE

‘Everybody’s Fine’ misses the irony mark

“Everybody’s Fine� succeeds in evoking a spirit of family reconciliation and yuletide sentimentality.

Outweighing all of that, however, is an overriding sense of dĂŠjĂ vu.

Robert De Niro plays Frank, a retiree trying to adjust to a life of menial solitude, unmoored from the outside world by his wife’s death eight months earlier. Disconnected from his grown children geographically and emotionally, Frank embarks on a road trip to visit and, hopefully, reconnect with them.

Casual observers may note similarities to Alexander Payne’s About Schmidt, including De Niro and Jack Nicholson’s splendidly restrained performances. Officially, Everybody’s Fine is a remake of Giuseppe Tornatore’s 1990 Italian drama, �Stanno Tutti Bene,� starring Marcello Mastroianni.

This update from director Kirk Jones (“Waking Ned Devine�) amps the mawkishness to nearly oppressive levels, piling angst over growing old atop family dysfunction and the deaths of loved ones. Indeed, only the performances by the A-list cast keep this from dissolving into Hallmark Hall of Fame holidaythemed treacle.

Frank is the sort of

“Everybody’s Fine�

Grade: C + Director: Kirk Jones Starring: Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, and Sam Rockwell MPAA Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes Theaters: Crossroads 20 in Cary

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everyman who shops for expensive wine at a supermarket and haggles over the price of everything from gas grills to Christmas trees. Clad and accessorized in nondescript browns, he also epitomizes certain men — especially older and working class — who are laden with tender feelings toward loved ones but unwilling or unsure how to express them. The way he greets his children is illuminating: His daughters with awkward hugs and his son with a handshake.

As the film opens, Frank is eagerly preparing for his four children’s first visit since his wife’s funeral: David the painter; Robert the musician (Sam Rockwell); Amy (Kate Beckinsale), a hard-charging Chicago

ad executive; and Rosie (Drew Barrymore), a Las Vegas dancer. They all cancel at the last minute, however, prompting Frank’s cross-country odyssey.

Until the end, the script is furtive about the actual reason the children choose to stay away.

But, it strongly implies throughout that they were far more connected to their late mother than their supportive but demanding father.

In one affecting scene, Frank visits Robert during orchestra practice and, even in the midst of their reunion, is unable to stifle his disappointment that Robert has chosen to play percussion instead of pursuing a career as a conductor.

Each child carries skeletons and imperfections he or she is reluctant to share. But,

one problem is that the children are not allowed to be honest with their father; instead, Jones utilizes a bizarre, clumsily dream sequence to help Frank — and the audience — finally puts the pieces together.

The actors carry out their roles well, and De Niro’s interaction with each costar is pitch-perfect. However, there is a disconnect between the children’s dismissive, sometimes callous treatment of their father and the onscreen Frank.

We are merely informed about Frank’s domineering parenting without being provided any glimpse into that part of his persona (unlike, for example, Royal Tenenbaum). The result is an incomplete narrative that engenders a festering dislike for Frank’s children, who probably don’t really deserve our malice.

Of course, this lack of context is probably intentional since it tidily clears away emotional debris for an obvious, tear-jerking plot turn and a Norman Rockwell-esque denouement. “Everybody’s Fine� is supposed to be an ironic affirmation. Trouble is, by the time Christmas (and the closing credits) arrives, it’s hard to detect the irony.

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Oprah visits White House for Christmas special WASHINGTON (AP) — Oprah and Obama, teamed up again.

The billionaire talk show host descended on the White House on Thursday, accompanied by a giant Winfrey array of personnel and equipment, to interview President Barack Obama for her upcoming primetime Christmas television special.

In addition to a solo interview with the president, Winfrey conducted a joint conversation with the president and his wife, Michelle, and filmed a tour of the White House holiday decorations for their first year in office.

She has interviewed Obama on other occasions, but not as president. She also shared the cover of her magazine for the first time with Michelle Obama, in this year’s April issue, which also featured a long interview with the first lady about decorating, helping women, parenting philosophy, life in the White House and other topics.

Winfrey has been in the Obama White House on other occasions. In addition to coming for the Feb. 17 interview with the first lady for her magazine, Winfrey was on the guest list for an inaugural reception.

Winfrey’s relationship with the Obamas dates to their days in Chicago.

Most notably, she lent her celebrity status to Obama’s

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presidential campaign, her first-ever political endorsement. A University of Maryland study found that her seal of approval may have netted Obama about 1 million votes in the Democratic primaries. She appeared with him at high-energy campaign rallies that drew tens of thousands of supporters, raised money and cheered him on at the Democratic National Convention.

Winfrey also was seen weeping in the crowd during Obama’s Nov. 4 election night victory speech in downtown Chicago.

Her “Christmas at the White House� show airs Dec. 13 at 10 p.m. on ABC.

Barkley, Eckersley, Petty to appear on HLN show ATLANTA (AP) — Sports stars-turned-TV analysts Charles Barkley, Dennis Eckersley and Kyle Petty will branch out to offer opinions on other topics in a one-hour special on news network HLN. “With All Due Respect� will air Dec. 20 and be hosted by HLN anchor Robin Meade.

The network said Thursday that the trio will discuss subjects ranging from sports to world news, entertainment and current events.

Barkley, the NBA Hall of Famer; Eckersley, the baseball Hall of Famer; and Petty, the longtime NASCAR driver, are all commentators for Turner Sports, which like HLN is owned by Turner Broadcasting System.

Steamy singer Adam Lambert still frozen out by ABC NEW YORK (AP) — A week after getting dumped from “Good Morning America,� glam-rocker Adam Lambert is still in hot water with ABC for his racy performance a couple of days earlier on its “American Music Awards� telecast.

Now Lambert says he’s been dropped from ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live� and its “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.�

The network “decided not to move forward� with booking Lambert on Kimmel’s Dec. 17 show, ABC said in a statement.

ABC spokeswoman Patrick Preblick said the talent lineup for the New Year’s Eve special has not been announced.

Lambert addressed the two bookings on his Twitter account on Wednesday. “Yes, sadly, friends, ABC has cancelled my appearances on Kimmel and NYE,� wrote Lambert. He added, “Let’s focus on being positive!�

In the meantime, all is not lost. NBC says he’ll be a guest on “The Jay Leno Show� on Dec 21. And he’s interviewed by Barbara Walters on her “Most Fascinating People of 2009� special — airing next Wednesday on ABC.

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Showtimes August 21-27 Showtimesforfor Dec. 4-10

Avatar - Midnight Showing Thurs Night, December 17, 12 am ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE ** Brothers: R (10:45) 12:45, 2:45, 5:00, 7:30, 10:00 **Armored: PG13 (10:45) 12:45, 3:00, 5:00, 7:15, 9:35 ** The Fantasic Mr. Fox: PG (10:30) 12:50, 3:00, 5:00, 7:25, 9:25 ** Ninja Assassin: R (11:30) 1:30, 3:35, 5:30, 7:45, 9:45 ** Old Dogs: PG (11:15) 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 7:30, 9:30 ** New Moon: PG13 (10:00) 1:00, 3:00, 4:00, 7:10, 7:35, 9:35, 10:05 ** The Blind Side: PG13 (10:50) 1:20, 3:50, 7:20, 9:50 ** 2012: PG13 (10:15) 1:15, 4:10, 7:05, 9:55 ** A Christmas Carol 3D: PG (11:35) 1:35, 3:35, 5:35, 7:35, 9:35

** Planet 51: PG (10:20), 12:20, 5:25

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