Desperate to provide care for her daughter, down-on-her-luck Jean moves in with her father in-law from whom she is estranged. Through time, they learn to forgive each other and heal old woun... Read allDesperate to provide care for her daughter, down-on-her-luck Jean moves in with her father in-law from whom she is estranged. Through time, they learn to forgive each other and heal old wounds.Desperate to provide care for her daughter, down-on-her-luck Jean moves in with her father in-law from whom she is estranged. Through time, they learn to forgive each other and heal old wounds.
- Awards
- 3 wins & 1 nomination
- See all cast & crew
- Director
- Writers
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe 1966 Mercury truck used in film was only sold in Canada, the actual shooting location.
- GoofsWhen Crane is driving Jean home from town there is no rear-view mirror in his vehicle. However, when they arrive at Einar's ranch a few minutes later, a rear-view mirror is clearly visible on the inside windshield.
- Quotes
Griff Gilkyson: You guys are gay, right?
Einar Gilkyson, Mitch Bradley: [both burst out laughing]
Einar Gilkyson: Well now, I'd think after almost 40 years working together, one of us would notice, don't you Mitch?
Mitch Bradley: Well Einar, I always thought you had really lovely hands.
Einar Gilkyson: You did? You never told me that.
Griff Gilkyson: I mean it's cool. Everybody needs love.
Mitch Bradley: You got that part right, little girl.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Comme au cinéma: Episode dated 13 December 2005 (2005)
Einar Gilkyson (Robert Redford) is a man in his 60's whose son was killed in an automobile accident eleven years ago, an accident in which this son's wife Jean (Jennifer Lopez) was driving. Jean left the little town, pregnant with her daughter Griff (Becca Gardner), and has been living a life of guilt and remorse partially relieved by frequent lovers - the latest being the severely abusive Gary (Damian Lewis) whose beatings of Jean and Griff result in Jean's leaving him to go to Wyoming where she hopes Einar will allow her to board until she earns sufficient funds to move on. Einar lives on the same little farm with his long time friend and helper Mitch (Morgan Freeman) and Einar lives with the grief of the loss of his son and with the need to tend to the ailing Mitch who was mauled by a bear. Jean and Griff enter the town and convince the reluctant Einar to allow them temporary quarters: Jean finds work as a waitress at the local café run by Nina (Camryn Manheim) and meets the handsome sheriff Crane (Josh Lucas). Slowly these disparate people assimilate over mutual needs and the presence of Jean and the granddaughter Einar never knew he had mends old wounds and leads to adventures that bring their bizarre circle of life to resolution.
Boasting a strong cast and fine script by Mark Spragg and Virginia Korus Spragg, Hallstrom keeps tight reigns on a drama that could have easily splintered into too many sidebars. He makes us work to understand the motivations of each of his characters, a fact that makes the story more involving. Redford, Freeman, and Lopez are excellent as are the lesser but fine roles by Gardner, Lucas, Manheim, and Lewis. Though shot in Canada the feeling of the Wyoming plains is palpable through the fine cinematography of Oliver Stapleton. This is a quiet film of brooding feelings and buried hurts, but the window for redemption is left ajar to open in the end. Grady Harp
- gradyharp
- Apr 12, 2006
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Una vida por delante
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $30,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $8,586,392
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $749,000
- Sep 11, 2005
- Gross worldwide
- $18,618,284
- Runtime1 hour 48 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1