A River Runs Through It – Family and Flying Fishing Flow - Review

 

A River Runs Through It – Family and Flying Fishing Flow

                Set in rural Montana, you meet the Maclean’s, a fly-fishing loving family that make it look easy.  Robert Redford, the director, provides a visually stunning view into their lives beyond the river.  From the beginning you are drawn in by the grace of the combination of fishing and family.

                Brad Pitt’s character is the younger Maclean brother that grows up but doesn’t fly far from home. Those that are drawn to bad boys will love his character but will feel every moment of the film’s twists with his internal and drinking struggles. His strong relationship with his mom and father, played by Brenda Blethyn and Tom Skerritt, will make you feel the pains that parents can faces with their children – even adult children. This is Pitt’s first lead role, coming off of award winning movie Thelma and Louise.

                Older brother Norman, played by Craig Sheffer, is more reserved and methodical. He dreams bigger dreams beyond Montana and fly fishing once older. As a young man, he had to step into his father’s, the reverend, office many times to rewrite papers.  “Again” his father would say.

                The movie is narrated by Redford as Norman, the original author of the book that the movie is based. Robert’s voice provides the perfect feel of the early 1900’s that the film is set in. It also allows him to come from behind the camera, although not a visual, but heard throughout the picture.

                The film grabs your heart right away as the young brothers lay in the grass, surrounded by “untouched” thousands of acres, talking about what they want to be when they grow up. Somewhat typical, but interesting answers follow as they are young and have always lived in the same place. You know right away though that they are completely different from each other but close.

                In one part of the movie, after you are completed engaged in the story, Pitts character says to another character “There are 3 things we are never late for-Church, Work and Fishing.” This brings home what has been instilled into the boys by their parents, although they struggle at times with it themselves.

                Each brother takes a different path in life that keeps the story twisting and turning. One brother tries to protect the other from a life that might lead down a dark and unforgiving road. Drinking, gambling and fighting are just not a good mixture.  Throw in meeting ladies to impress within the story and things are sure to be interesting -Especially if one is not allowed into the bars due to skin color and one is pretty feisty.     

                This film will leave you reflecting and wading into your own childhood, decisions and a simpler life that is far from where most are today. I am very impressed with the storyline and cinematographer’s ability to reel you in. You will want to fish your way back to those feelings and fix wrongs of your past. You will certainly want to take a trip to Montana to get more of the huge mountains and beautiful, flowing streams. Pitt looks a bit like Robert Redford in his younger days so you might want to watch it a few times, just to make sure you didn’t miss anything.