This movie was...okay...for what it was, I guess. Redford IS great in this. He looks very grizzled and worn out and plays his stoic character very well. Some good, tender moments come out of his interaction with his granddaughter. The rest of the cast was functional, although no one else really stood out. The movie was very predictable, and had a few moments of unrealistic sentimentality. The scene near the end where Morgan Freeman and the bear confront each other was, to me, cringe-inducing. Do you think this bear thought to himself "Well, I've already messed this guy up...I think this time I'll give him a pass"? This is a PREDATOR. They don't think in those terms. They sense a threat or a meal, and you are in big trouble. Of course, this was played up for the "Awww" factor, but I found it insulting and unrealistic. Also, there was really no big climax. The penultimate scene, where Redford kicks abusive Gary's ass and sends him on his way was played out much too quickly, and Gary pretty much tucked his tail between his legs, and caught the first bus out of town. That was it. There should have been something much more menacing about Gary. He shouldn't have been that easy to scare off. The movie didn't so much end as it just kind of petered out.
The scenery and Redford's acting were first rate, and everyone else did a decent job, but overall I found it to be disappointing.
The scenery and Redford's acting were first rate, and everyone else did a decent job, but overall I found it to be disappointing.