PG | 1h 54m | Drama | 2007
This unorthodox family drama prioritizes people above possessions and fine values above wealth.
When his billionaire grandfather Howard “Red” Stevens (James Garner) dies, Jason (Drew Fuller), an entitled, apathetic young man who was used to a lavish and wasteful lifestyle, expects to inherit nothing.
What little affection Jason had for Red as a child evaporated after his dad, working in one of Red’s businesses, died years ago. Grappling with grief and guilt over his son’s death, Red was so immersed in his work that he alienated his family, including his grandson.
Tasks to Inherit
Hamilton lists the tasks and, through video-messages recorded before his death, Red explains their rationale. Each task is its own gift, giving Jason new understanding about what really matters in life: family, friendships, meaningful work, money, and determination in the face of problems and losses. The tasks are not quite the 12 labors of Hercules, but close.Enraged at the thought of having to work for an inheritance he didn’t expect, Jason nearly storms out. He agrees to complete the tasks, partly out of greed and curiosity. Soon, Jason wises up. Turns out, his girlfriend Caitlin (Mircea Monroe) stayed with him only for his wealth. She soon vanishes at the prospect of him being penniless.
Along the way Jason befriends terminally ill, precocious preteen Emily Drummond (Abigail Breslin) and falls for her single mother Alexia (Ali Hillis). Eventually, he becomes a more caring custodian of his inheritance than if he’d received it instantly, effortlessly.
At times, this movie is so sweet in look and feel that you’re almost looking for James Stewart to show up. That said, its morals are perhaps even more relevant in the 21st century than those of Stewart’s films were in the 20th. Sure, some of its do-gooder motifs are obvious, and more than a few subplots seem contrived, but if you set aside the temptation to be cynical, its messages are profound.
This was Garner’s final appearance in a feature film, yet, with barely any screen time, he sparkles, subtly projecting Red’s mix of introspection, regret, warmth, conviction, and hope. Believably, Fuller transforms from the rude, indolent person he’d allowed himself to be to the conscientious, considerate, and empathetic person he becomes.
Every Happening a Parable
The priest at Red’s funeral cites a Malcolm Muggeridge quote that Red used to sum up his life principle, “Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message.”Thankfully, director Michael O. Sajbel doesn’t let Red off the hook. He gets him to admit, on camera to his grandson, that it’s his poor parenting that led his children and grandchildren to become materialistic. That explains his desperation to make a responsible, generous man out of the seemingly incorrigible Jason. Red’s hoping to teach his grandson what he couldn’t teach his children—that fine values are the only true wealth. He says in a video: “I made a lot of mistakes with our family. … How can I give you something and not have it ruin you like your uncles and aunts?”
In her most convincing and arresting scenes, screenwriter Cheryl McKay uses hardly any dialogue. Watch how Hamilton’s compelled to silently shove Jason’s feet down when he props them up on the table while watching Red’s video. For all his kindness, Hamilton won’t tolerate disrespect.
As part of Red’s tasks, Jason must work for Red’s longtime friend, Texas rancher Gus Caldwell (Brian Dennehy), a man of few words. Caldwell shows Jason that work, such as that on a sprawling ranch, isn’t about numbers. It’s not, say, the number of fenceposts erected before sundown. It’s about discipline, sacrifice, care, attention to detail, and building lasting value. Caldwell reassures a chastened Jason that if he works at other places as well as he just did on the ranch, he can do anything.
