Â鶹ԼÅÄ

If anyone can laugh convincingly in the face of death it's Jack Nicholson fronting The Bucket List as a corporate bigwig whose horizons are suddenly narrowed by terminal illness. Morgan Freeman co-stars as the broken down car mechanic who finds himself in the same boat, or as it happens, the same hospital room, where they both hatch a plan to live their last days to the fullest. It's a shamelessly old-fashioned if somewhat creaky crowd pleaser from director Rob Reiner.

The first half plays like a low-brow riff on Waiting For Godot. Edward (Nicholson) and Carter (Freeman) lay trapped in a sterile room with nothing to do but reflect on the inevitable. It's the sparks they generate, quietly grating on each other's raw and aching nerves that brings vitality to a stagnant situation. "Somewhere," muses Edward "some lucky guy is having a heart attack…" By the time Carter gets around to writing his list of things to do before he dies, that friction has evolved into friendship and Edward sets about turning those dreams into reality.

"AMUSING TO A POINT"

Ironically, the energy dips as soon as they flee the hospital. First on the list is skydiving, but it's not the crudely airbrushed spectacle of Nicholson and Freeman jumping out of a plane that jars as much as the sudden burst of happy hormones. The effects of g-force on a couple of OAPs is only amusing to a point; the film is much funnier and more convincing when they're angry at life. Each man's reluctance to face their loved ones is a source of some contention and yet the outcome is achingly predictable. It would be cloying as well if not for Nicholson and his uncanny ability to brush aside false sentiment with the mere lift of an eyebrow. Freeman's inherent gravitas brings the story down to earth when needed, which is quite often. You'll enjoy the trip, but only if you're willing to let these charming old coots take you for a ride.

The Bucket List is out in the UK on 15th February 2008.