The Greatest (2009) User Reviews

Spotty characterization undermines what could have been a great movie.

[lewiskendell · 6/10 · 13 August 2010]

"I want to know everything I would know if he was still alive. I want more memories of him."

After their teenage son Bennett (Aaron Johnson) dies in an accident, Allen and Grace (Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon) are left unable pick up the pieces and move on after his death. But when the young woman (Carey Mulligan) who's carrying Bennett's unborn baby arrives at their doorstep with nowhere else to go, the tension and pain of Bennett's death is brought forward in a way that will either destroy the family, or finally push them towards dealing with their grief. Scenes of Rose and Bennett's relationship before his death are also woven throughout the movie, and provide a nice way to better know the two characters.

The Greatest started off pretty well. The scenario of a family struggling with the loss of a child isn't an uncommon one, but the cast seemed well on their way to delivering a solid story about loss and healing. Mulligan was excellent, and Brosnan and Sarandon were solid, even though they occasionally didn't quite deliver the emotion that they were reaching for in a few scenes. No, my problem with The Greatest wasn't the actors or the premise, it was the writing.

The story takes the oddest detours at times, often with little relevance to, well...the actual story. This really seemed apparent with the character of Ryan, whose entire subplot with the girl he meets has little relevance on his character arc, and made his resolution feel artificial, as a result. And Rose and Allen's trip to a teenage party seemed completely out of place, and I was left wondering what it was supposed to add to the story. The characters also didn't appear to have a truly solid identity, and as a result, some of their decisions and interactions didn't come off as genuine. It's like writer and director Shana Feste had ideas about what she wanted to see happen in the movie, but didn't bother to build those ideas around relatable and believable characters. A movie like this depends on making a connection between the audience and the characters, and at times, that connection felt very hollow, for me.

The Greatest is an okay movie, but I'm convinced that it could have been much better with a script written by someone with a better grasp on creating solid characters.

Touching Film

[ArizWldcat · 8/10 · 15 February 2009]

This is not a "feel good" movie, but its feelings are true. The story follows a family (mother, father, brother) of a young man killed in a car accident in the first scene of the movie. Their lives are jumbled up by the introduction of the son's (brother's) girlfriend. I thought all of the actors turned in fine, powerful performances. Even more impressive is that the writer/director of the film was a first time filmmaker. That she was able to get such a marvelous cast in her first film is amazing. This movie reminded me of "Ordinary People," updated for today. Of course there are differences, but it's the same genre.

Although I recommend the movie, know that it's kind of a downer. I have a feeling it won't do well because these days people want movies that are more of the "feel good" variety.

A Great movie

[cl777 · 8/10 · 26 February 2010]

The Greatest, starring Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, and Carey Mulligan (An Education), is a relatively unknown movie by a first time director (Shana Feste) that is nevertheless quite good.

Brosnan and Sarandon are married and play the grief stricken parents of two teenage boys, one of whom dies suddenly in a horrific traffic accident at the very beginning of the film. Sarandon is excellent and demonstrates she is a superior actress in her portrayal of a mother grieving I would almost say to the extreme. She is haunted by what happened to her son, by the fact that he stayed alive for 17 minutes and that she was not there to help him. She simply cannot get over the loss and resents her husband for moving on so quickly. A very poignant scene occurs when he offers her a bell, a sort of tool to help her with her grief, and tells her to ring it each time she thinks of their deceased son. She takes the bell from him and starts ringing it- non-stop. This and many other moments were extremely sad, showing how people cope with loss in very different ways.

Things get even more complicated with the early appearance of Carey Mulligan's character, the girlfriend of the late young man, and her surprise announcement. This leads to even more sadness and hurtful reminders for the mother, but also a certain easing of the pain for the father, which inevitably results in great tension between the couple. Sarandon gets especially furious, distressed and jealous when, trying to reach her husband during a break down, she finds his phone turned off and learns subsequently that he had gone to the movies with the young girl. The scene escalates so much with an almost silent force that Brosnan picks her up and throws her fully clothed into the ocean, to awaken her and make her see that her anguish is unreasonable and causing pain to the rest of the living members of their family.

The younger brother, appearing almost indifferent at first, succumbs to his emotions in the second half of the movie. The father, who keeps a cool demeanor and tries to hold the family together through his strength also finally collapses and interestingly, Sarandon picks up where he left off and comforts him, telling him that their son did not suffer. The whole family and their links are very credible and Brosnan astonished me by being particularly realistic.

Even if this movie is almost painful to watch due to the difficult subject matter, it is very well acted and written, making it extremely emotional and powerful. It ends well so do not be too afraid, but if you are a crier, a tear or two will definitely be shed.

My rating: 7.5 For more reviews please check out http://paulinasmovies.blogspot.com!!!

Treasure your family before its too late

[Gordon-11 · 21 February 2010]

This film is about a family who grief over the loss of their son in a traffic accident. This process is complicated by the unexpected arrival of a teenage girl who claims to have their son's unborn child.

"The Greatest" is powerful and touching. The mother, played by the amazing Susan Sarandon, is relentless in knowing the truth about her son's final moments. She gives such a moving performance that anyone gets saddened by her tragic loss. Carey Mulligan also deserves mention, as she displays a spectrum of convincing emotions effortlessly. Judging by the stream of great movies she is in, she will be a big star and Hollywood knows it.

"The Greatest" is a powerful story that moves anyone easily. As Susan Sarandon's character says, once your child is born, a woman knows that her child is the greatest. It is easy to relate to this statement, and yet everyone seems to be forgetting to celebrate this fact. As this film shows, you never know what you have got until its gone. "The Greatest" is a powerful reminder that you should treasure your family before its too late.

first class cast

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 18 September 2016]

Grace (Susan Sarandon) and Allen Brewer (Pierce Brosnan) are devastated when their son Bennett (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is killed. He had stopped in the middle of the road to romance Rose (Carey Mulligan) when they get hit by Jordan Walker (Michael Shannon). Grace is obsessed with her son's last minutes with the criminal Jordan waiting for him to wake up from his coma. When a pregnant Rose shows up at their door, Grace is furious and disbelieving. Allen is more supportive of the homeless Rose. Bennett's black sheep younger brother Ryan (Johnny Simmons) struggles to deal with his family and he finds Ashley (Zoë Kravitz) in his support group.

The greatest part is the actors. There are some aspects that feels awkward. Grace's obsession is very obsessive. Her relationship with Rose is strange. It speaks to a dysfunction before Bennett's death. Carey Mulligan is enchanting and Pierce Brosnan is terrific. Aaron Taylor-Johnson doesn't fit the school star role. He's more of a geek. This is a sudsy soap that has plenty of family melodrama that is elevated by the first class cast.

A very emotional but very predictable movie

[jafar-iqbal · 7/10 · 26 September 2013]

A family is torn apart with grief when the eldest son is killed in a car crash. All the members of the family deal with the loss in different ways, alienating each other in the process. Things get even more complicated when a young woman turns up, pregnant with the dead son's child.

For a lot of the time, 'The Greatest' is a very depressing movie. There's a lot of crying, or people on the verge of crying, or people trying their best not to cry, and that isn't the most pleasant viewing experience in the world. However, to give credit where credit's due, writer/director Shana Feste has done a solid job of making it engaging and watchable. The subject matter is very interesting – how do a mother and father cope when their son dies? How does a young boy cope without his older brother? How does a young woman cope without the love of her life? Feste does a very good job of portraying the different expressions of grief and, while it's a bit depressing, it's also a bit cathartic.

Annoyingly though, the film starts to go a bit downhill in the final third. There's a since of harsh reality in that first two-thirds, but it gets a bit hokey towards the end. The film is immediately predictable, which is tough to avoid. But rather than offer some surprises, the movie gives you exactly what you expected, and does it with a healthy dose of Hollywood-esque melodrama.

Probably the most interesting character is Grace Brewer, played by Susan Sarandon. Obsessed with knowing every detail about her son's death, she seems to border on insanity at times. Ryan (Johnny Simmons) is also excellent as the younger brother, who is living in denial. It is a subtle performance from the young actor, and his eventual breakdown is one of the most emotional moments of the entire film.

And then you have the big let-down and the big show-stealer. The let-down first: Pierce Brosnan. The guy makes a great 007, a great one. But here, he felt really out of place. Brosnan is a good actor, don't get me wrong, but he has an AWFUL American accent and just isn't emotive enough. And on the opposite end of the spectrum is Carey Mulligan, the show-stealer. I love watching this girl act; she is a fantastic actress who never seems to put a step wrong. While her character in the movie might not have a lot of depth, she still manages to breathe life into it. Her personal journey is the one I felt most attached to and, again, it's predictable but interesting.

'The Greatest' is a very typical independent movie. A strong cast with good performances, an unconventional story that's solidly told, but with a number of flaws that stops it from getting better commercial success. It does have enough to warrant a watch, though. You might even shed a tear or two.

"The Greatest". An Emotional story of Love and Family

[TeddyStockholm · 7/10 · 13 August 2010]

i am writing this review right after viewing the movie. this movie is about a family and a teenage girl grieving the loss of their beloved son and boyfriend. the loss gets together the young girl and the broken family. this is a beautiful and emotional story mixed with a great set of cast.

throughout the movie you are shown memories from the relationship between this young girl and this boy. an intriguing love story that surely made their mark in my heart. this is truly on of the best love story's ever, alongside with a perfect drama story of a broken mother and a father living in denial of his sons death, and their other son with mentally problems and a drug addictions.

this movie with its outstanding performances from Pierce Brosnan, Carey Mulligan and especially Susan Sarandon and its story will truly make you emotional, i can admit that there were a few tears on my cheeks during the movie.

i strongly recommend this movie, it will make you change the way you see things, you will understand the true meaning of family and love.

8/10

Filled with depression and grief, "The Greatest" is still good

[napierslogs · 6/10 · 8 August 2010]

"The Greatest" appears to have a dichotomy between its title and subject matter. You may expect a love story or a happy exploration of self and family, but it is a drama, in the saddest sense of the word.

It is a depressing tale of loss when a young man dies, his family and pregnant girlfriend grieve. Each character grieves in their own way, often with brusque and coarse actions resulting in many feelings of solitary - for both them and the audience. It is a slow and sorrowful film to watch; however, if you can get past all the depression and despondency, "The Greatest" does eventually live up to its title and delivers on its promises of being uplifting with life-affirmations of love and family.

All the actors really are phenomenal including Oscar-nominee Carey Mulligan and a new young actor I will be watching for, Johnny Simmons. For fans of loss and grieving films, "The Greatest" is good, but the great moments take a long time to form.

Death to Birth

[gradyharp · 9/10 · 13 June 2010]

THE GREATEST is a small film, quietly made in 28 days by first-time writer/director Shana Feste. The story/script is so unusual and touching that she was able to gather a rather extraordinary cast to bring this delicate story to life. It remains amazing to many of us that while the audiences flock to the gigantic CGI big noisy flicks, little jewels such as this film go completely unnoticed. The only hope is that enough people see this film now on DVD that that both the message of the movie and the quality of the acting and production gain the attention THE GREATEST so justly deserves.

Without introductory remarks the film opens with a brief prelude of the love between two (just graduated from high school) youngsters who after their first encounter with love pause on the drive home to attempt to make their feelings into words and BAM - a truck plunges into them and the boy Bennett (Aaron Johnson) is killed while the girl Rose (Carey Mulligan) is spared. The camera takes us rather abruptly to the graveside where the grieving parents Grace (Susan Sarandon) and Allen (Pierce Brosnan) and their young drug addicted son Ryan (Johnny Simmons) stare blankly into the hole that has been placed in the middle of their lives. None of the family copes with the death well: Grace can't stop talking and crying about Bennett and searches for a way to find out how Bennett spent the last 17 minutes of his life (that time between the accident and his death) to the point of attending to the truck driver (Michael Shannon) in coma at the local hospital, awaiting his recovery to learn about those 17 minutes; Allen is unable to sleep and tries to cope with the tragedy by not allowing mention of it in his home; Ryan, now on frequent tests to see if he is drug free, attempts to relate to a group therapy session of kids whose siblings have died.

Into this dysfunctional crumbling decimated family comes Rose, three months later, pregnant with Bennett's child, seeking refuge from a mother who is an addict. She is invited to move in, despite the fact that Grace loathes the idea and thinks Allen is merely trying to resolve the grief he has ever faced by attaching to Bennett's only girlfriend. The remainder of the story reveals how each of these injured four characters gradually interact and by bearing their personal grief with their own life problems manage to find a place where they can recover together.

The acting is superb as one would expect from such a talented cast: Carey Mulligan again shows us that she is an important emerging actress; Susan Sarandon allows us to see and understand the degrees of near insanity that grief for loss of a child can distort a life; and Pierce Brosnan proves he is a first-rate actor, managing a difficult role with great sensitivity. The rest of the cast is also excellent in very minor roles - Jennifer Ehle as an ex-lover of Allen, Aaron Johnson and Johnny Simmons as the brothers, and Michael Shannon as the driver of the truck who gradually awakens form his come to make Grace face some truths. As for Shana Feste, she is a strong artist and we should be seeing more beautifully crafted stories from her.

Grady Harp

No More Sorrow

[raulfaust · 7/10 · 30 July 2014]

A teenagers dies in a car accident and his family is left helplessly. From that perspective, it's evident the pain that parents and relatives go through, so that's what "The Greateast" focuses in. The actors involved in this project are professional, with highlights to Susan Sarandon and Pierce Brosnan, who play the desperate parents that suffer, each one, in its own way. The mother is the one who cries, gets grumpy and tries to relieve her pain by insulting others; the dad, on the other hand, prefers quieting down and trying to fill his mind with other stuff. There is a beautiful scene in the beach, where both adults go for a swim, even if it lasts only a few seconds. It's good to see the development that Sarandon's character has in this picture, thanks to a well written plot. The film as a whole just isn't better because sometimes it feels too strong; I mean, there is no comedy or any light scene to make it at least charming. This is pure drama! So, if that's what you're looking for, "The Greateast" is gonna be a good choice.

Ordinary people

[jotix100 · 5/10 · 19 July 2011]

The death of Bennett Brewer, a popular teenager is at the center of this story. We watch as he and his girlfriend Rose are making love. Taking her back home, Bennett makes a tactical mistake in stopping in the middle of a road to declare how much he loves her and how deeply he has fallen in love for her. Unfortunately, it is at this moment when a truck comes out of nowhere, crashing against the car. Bennett is killed after staying alive for seventeen minutes.

We watch the distraught parents at the grave site. Rose, with an arm on a sling, comes to the funeral, but she stays out of the picture. Going home, in the limo, we see Grace and Allen Brewer with their other son, Ryan, sitting in stone silence. Never do we see these people comforting one another, much less talk about the tragedy that is changing their lives forever.

Speed forward to three months after Bennett's death, when a pregnant Rose shows up at the Brewers. Mysteriously, this teenager has no one in the world, or so it appears. Later on, we learn she has a mother somewhere. Allen is sympathetic to what Rose is experiencing. Grace, on the other hand, wishes this intruder could be the one that had died, not her beloved Bennett.

The problem with "The Greatest" lays in the way the screenplay by Shana Feste, who also directed, does not make too much sense. One can make excuses for certain liberties most filmmakers take, but it is inconceivable the situation caused when Rose decide to crash with her would be in-laws, and better yet, that they went along with taking this stranger they knew nothing about into their midst. There are things that have been presented in a better way in films on this subject.

Susan Sarandon is asked to do another one of her bereaved mothers trying to cope with a big loss, something we have already seen her do, to much better results, one must add. Pierce Brosnan, whose company produced the film, and is listed as one of the people responsible for the film, shows a much vulnerable side. His Allen is carrying a lot of guilt inside him because of his involvement with a colleague. Carry Mulligan, impressive in other films where she has appeared, does not elicit the viewer's sympathy, perhaps because of the way Ms. Feste conceived her character, or the direction given to her. Michael Shannon, an interesting actor, shows up in a small role toward the end.

Absolutely loved this movie

[princesstopaz93 · 10/10 · 15 July 2012]

A 6.6 out of 10 is disgusting, this movie was amazing and is definitely one of my favorites. I just finished it and I am still crying. I cried from start to finish, even laughed a little. Its heart warming in a kind of dark way. I will recommend this movie to everyone I know and will most definitely watch it again, and will more than likely cry just as much. Anyone debating on whether or not to watch this movie....WATCH IT! Its wonderful. Kept me interested from start to finish, awesome casting. This movie makes you feel like you knew Bennet and that you were grieving with the family. You feel their pain even though you may not have gone through something as tragic.

Acting so good this story becomes painful to watch

[juneebuggy · 7/10 · 11 October 2014]

Yeah this was a pretty depressing movie about a grief stricken couple who find chaos and comfort when they reluctantly take in a young woman (Cary Mulligan) who claims to be pregnant with the baby of their recently deceased son. It's filled with such great acting though, -and not just from the obvious (Pierce Brosnan & Susan Sarandon) so that you really get pulled into the story.

The family is such a mess after the death of their son that its almost painful to watch. Sarandon's character becomes a selfish bitch, for lack of a better word and Allen (Brosnan) just shuts down altogether. They both refuse to see the gift that is right in front of them in their sons unborn baby and his girlfriend who is just crying out for love and full of questions. I also enjoyed watching the younger brother deal with not only his brothers death but the decline of his parents and family as a whole. 08.13

Great substance, clumsy movie, but a tearjerker anyway...yeah, a confused mess, actually

[secondtake · 5/10 · 13 July 2010]

The Greatest (2009)

A crisis of youth becomes a crisis for a whole family, and it's serious stuff. There's an attempt, very conspicuous in gesture and angst filled expressions, to be gritty and real, and it's a believable scenario. It's a tearjerker, surely, an intimate psychodrama dripping in sentiment.

However, the movie depends almost purely on this terrible crisis to succeed, and that's actually slightly backwards, in movie terms. That is, it should be the writing and acting that sweeps us in and makes us share the grief of the main characters. You end up wanting to empathize, but it's sometimes despite the movie, which pushes very hard, like a friend who wants to make you feel bad about something. It has such touching moments it's hard to quite accept that a lot of it is clumsily written, almost like a high budget beginner's film, which sounds worse than I mean it. But you'll see, I think, even if you love it thoroughly, that it works modestly. So accept its flaws, ignore the obvious flashbacks to the good times, skip the dining room table where people are sitting all on one side so we can see them all from the camera, ignore the patter that is meant to make life ordinary and doesn't, and so on. Be forgiving or give it a pass.

What saves the movie (somewhat) from its excesses is the performance of the lead girl, Rose (Carey Mulligan), and the father, Mr. Brewer, played by Pierce Brosnan, who is a nuanced dad, whatever his James Bond pedigree, though neither one is given decent lines to work with. (Brosnan was also a producer, go figure.) The mother is meant to be disturbed in her grief, and she sure is. The sexy grad assistant is too too obvious even for the movies. And the brother, well, what is his role, actually, just to add a second improbable plot? And there is surveillance video of the crash, which is beyond even reasonable open-mindedness, given the isolation implied by the first several minutes of the movie. The sensationalism of that, alone, will warn you of what's to come.

Okay, one last confession. It gets so emotionally atomic at times, with the throbbing cellos coming in the background, I had to laugh out loud. I swear. And yet, I see how it deals with some truly, believably gorgeous stuff.

The son's room

[dbdumonteil · 10 May 2012]

Except for the baby ,the movie will remind Italian cinema buffs of "La Stanza DeL Figlio" and the part of Ryan is close to Conrad the young brother of "ordinary people" ;like in the contemporary "rabbit hole" each of the parents desperately searches for solace:the mother tries to talk to the other injured driver to know the last words of her son (whereas Nicole Kidman,fascinated by a comic ,wants to believe that in parallel universes ,her son is happy);the father tries to live again,goes to the movie theater with the pregnant girlfriend,attends the echography whereas his wife quickly leaves the room "if you lose your dog,we're not given a puppy!" The cast is excellent ,particularly Pierce Brosnan,cast against type :he and his younger son seem to have overcome the pain,but when they finally break down,their despair and their tears are deeply moving.The flashbacks are short and effective ,particularly the last one which is also the end of the movie and which is not a goodbye but a hello.

Entertaining but predictable emotional drama

[mrcibubur · 6/10 · 27 September 2010]

This is a very watchable entertaining but alas predictable emotional drama which appeared short on the run time. Certainly a tear jerker and there was good acting by Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon and Harey Mulligan.

The young Son is killed in the car crash and it brings his girlfriend played by Harey Mulligan into contact with his parents and a close relationship forms between them especially as the girl is carrying their Sons baby.

the title for me doesn't fit what the film was really about which centred around a family struggling to terms with the sudden loss of a loved one. More appropriate to a movie about Muhammed Ali or Schumacher or someone in a sporting or artistic context. It wont be top of your list for viewing I suspect but Brosnan never makes a bad movie and Sarandon contrasts with her role in 'Peacock' just as the young girl contrasts with her star role in 'An Education'

An emotional drama that you feel the hurtful pain only it ends on a happy note with the birth of hope.

[blanbrn · 7/10 · 3 September 2010]

"The Greatest" a small independent release is one feel good film of dealing with hurtful and painful emotions, and it's carried along by a stellar cast of well known people like Brosnan, Sarandon, and newcomer Mulligan. As the story is heartfelt and tragic it speaks volumes to show how many families have to cope with the loss of a loved one. Only the strong survive as in the end a new born treasure takes away much of the pain and brings those hurt together.

Carey Mulligan is Rose a young teenager who becomes pregnant after her first sexual experience and right after her partner is tragically killed in an auto collision. That's left his parents Grace(Susan Sarandon)and Allen(Pierce Brosnan)unable to deal with the daily stresses and coping methods as waking up each day is a day of hell especially for Grace(and Sarandon was in emotional top form). Then one day Rose shows up at the doorstep claiming to be pregnant with their dead sons child.

It's painful for Allen to accept and Grace takes it even harder as the pain and pressures are still ever present as they must also deal with raising their other teenage son. Finally after breakdowns and sorrow tears the acceptance is welcomed and Rose gives birth bringing everyone together and it's like family. Overall this film is a little painful to watch especially emotionally yet it proves a relief to sorrow and tears can come unexpectedly and off schedule. Really a good little indie picture that ends with joy after riding the tide of pain.

It Sure isn't "The Greatest." **1/2

[edwagreen · 6/10 · 19 February 2011]

There is just entirely too much going on in this picture.

Despite the fact that Pierce Brosnan is hopelessly miscast as the husband to a very old looking Susan Sarandon, the film goes on and on and could conceivably rival "Peyton Place."

When their son is killed in an auto accident and his girlfriend injured, the parents soon learn she is pregnant. Mother Sarandon is bitchy and refuses to accept the girl. The younger brother meets a girl at grief counseling and they like each other until he finds out something about her. Exhausted, Brosnan appears to have a coronary, but doesn't, while his son lights up a joint in another room.

The guy involved in the fatal accident comes out of a coma and tells Sarandon that her son's last words were that he loved the girlfriend. When Sarandon hears these words, suddenly she looks better and everyone is happy.

Come on. We know that people deal with grief differently but this is a little too much to take.

Very sad story

[HotToastyRag · 7/10 · 22 March 2024]

Here's an interesting bit of trivia about The Greatest: the sections featuring Carey Mulligan and Aaron Taylor-Johnson were originally supposed to be shown in chronological order at the start of the movie. Then, after Aaron's death, the rest of the drama would unfold with Susan Sarandon and Pierce Brosnan. Someone at the studio, or perhaps focus testing, thought the story wasn't interesting if told linearly, and so the final edit was changed.

Whichever way you watch it, Carey and Aaron were enjoying young teenaged love until he died in a car crash. Aaron's parents, Susan and Pierce, are destroyed and express their grief in different ways. Everyone's forced to come together when Carey finds out she's pregnant. Usually, I'm the first to ask, "Why is abortion never discussed in movies?", but in this case, I completely understand. While it's not fair to automatically burden Carey with carrying the baby to term while she's practically a baby herself, it would be heartless for her to suggest to the grieving would-be grandparents that she terminate the pregnancy. This is a very emotional story, so get out your hankies. You'll see some great acting, but you'll also sit through an incredibly sad story.

Best of Sundance!

[vivlynn28 · 10/10 · 30 January 2009]

I saw over 20 films at Sundance this year and The Greatest was by far my favorite. The performances were truly special - I suspect (as a lot of people do) Carey Mulligan and Jhonny Simmons will become big stars because of this movie. Pierce was quite good as well - he shows a side we've never seen before and I applaud him for that. I've never been a big Bond fan but now I am a Pierce fan for sure. There is an excellent soundtrack to the movie - a lot of great bands - some that I actually wrote down and plan to check out. It was a lot more polished than anything I had seen in Sundance - it looked and felt like a real movie. The woman next to me went thru a box of tissues - it's pretty emotional but I left the theater feeling hopeful as opposed to sad. If it comes out in theaters I think it will do really well.

The Greatest review

[JoeytheBrit · 6/10 · 7 May 2020]

A study of the all-consuming grief suffered by parents unlucky enough to lose a child is given a boost by the presence of Susan Sarandon. Brosnan also does a good job, but there's nowhere near the level of emotional impact one would expect from such a topic.

Too many discrepancies to carry the plot

[pegicardstark · 2/10 · 17 July 2010]

Despite the excellent cast and an interesting idea, this movie was difficult to sit through. Many have mentioned the problem of a camera on a remote road that provided a security tape for the mother to watch, but that was just one problem in a movie full of them.

One small problem was the button-down father as a math professor. While there may be someone out there who teaches math and pays so much attention to his grooming, I certainly never met them while I was in school.

This professor is also somehow able to afford not just a 4500 sf house in NY, with a maid, but also a beach house, right on the beach. Maybe he made some good investments and maybe he had some huge inheritance, but most professors just aren't that well-to-do.

Ryan, the brother, and his drug problem seemed a little too easy. He was addicted, suddenly decided to get clean with no help except his mother's drug tests. This while his mother is so out of it that she can't even shop without having a meltdown. And he keeps a stash hidden under his bed while getting clean on his own. Just a little unlikely.

Where I really had trouble was the seasonality. The movie was set in New York, with a baby due in February. Yet 119 days before the baby is due, which would be October, the family is at the beach house on a weekend and they swim. In bikinis and swim trunks.

When the baby is born, in February, in New York, the heaviest outerwear worn is a trench coat. No hats, scarves, mittens, sweaters. Just a trench coat. With very brilliant green leaves on all the trees.

We are also expected to believe that two teens who make it to 18 without sex, have sex with each other the first day they talk to one another. They were both in love with each other for 4 years before talking, and fell right into bed.

All the great acting in the world isn't good enough to overcome the discrepancies that kept popping up in this movie.

Moving and Emotional

[angela-karnes · 8/10 · 21 April 2010]

I hope people see this well-written, well-acted movie. It reminded me of Redford's "Ordinary People", only less dark. This movie interjects welcome and necessary breaks of humor appropriately and ends so that it does not become too much to bear. And it does not dwell or linger in a dark place; the scenes change so you move with the story. There is one shot on the beach with Brosnan and Sarandon which is particularly lovely.

To see a film that wrings the tears out of your heart 5 minutes into it - only to succumb again and again - AND compel you to laugh out loud, is getting your money's worth. I saw it at the Nashville Film Festival and though I was into the movie, I could not tune out the audible emotional gamut of the audience - gentle sobbing, shock, chuckles and laughter. So it wasn't just me!

I expected perfection from Sarandon, anticipated good things from Carey Mulligan and Aaron Johnson, and was pleased with Johnny Simmons. What surprised me was Pierce Brosnan - not only that he played a sympathetic, complex character but also that he exec produced it. I liked him fine as a Bondsman but I admit I sold him short, subscribing to an eye candy should be seen, not heard mentality. I appreciated his packaging but never gave much thought to him having any interesting cerebral activity other than walk, smile and stun. Good turn for him! I was impressed and he should be proud.

Again, I am afraid that it will not be seen by many folks unless Marketing makes it happen. I expected an honest effort but did not really believe I would like it this much. I am glad I saw it. The storyline may not be so compelling in itself to draw in masses but those who come, will be touched and satisfied.

disappointing

[movieoooo · 1/10 · 19 January 2009]

Well if the only goal was to make old ladies in the audience cry then mission succeeded.

This film is simply not that good. It isn't entertaining to watch, the characters don't make us want to now more about them. There is little to no tension as the story develops.

Also S. Sarandon is terrible. Its like she just showed up on set, read her lines from a card and left. Its a shame because Brosnan is quite good. Although even if she had done a good job I'm not sure the film could be saved.

The cinematography is fine, but not amazing. The new jersey shots look different that the new york shots, almost like they are different movies. Other than that the film looks OK.

I wouldn't waste my time on this one.

Sentimentality is its strength ...or its downfall

[rooprect · 30 April 2018]

"The Greatest" feels like a Hallmark Channel movie with top A-list actors. Depending on what you think of the Hallmark Channel, this is either a compliment or an insult. As my title implies, sentimentality drives this story, not suspense or plot twists. Everything is (deliberately) predictable, meaning the actors' performances are the real attraction.

The story is about a dysfunctional family dealing with mourning and the extreme ways each person handles it, mostly in unflattering ways as if to show us how NOT to handle tragedy. The plot focuses on how they slowly attempt to reconcile their differences. The father (Pierce Brosnan) plays the stereotypical head of the household who refuses to break. The mother (Susan Sarandon) plays the self-absorbed victim who feels like she's the only one who's in pain. The son/brother (Johnny Simmons) totally disconnects as if he doesn't care. And a mysterious stranger who was the secret girlfriend (Carey Mulligan) represents the objective voice of reason with her wise, tolerant perspective, never really revealing her own struggle but instead seeking to draw the others out of their respective prisons.

If that description bores you, then you'll probably be bored by the movie. But if the core premise interests you, then give it a shot.

Although I said there are no plot twists, there are a few interesting complications (revealed right in the beginning) which spice up the story. Themes of infidelity, drug addiction, convicted criminals and unplanned pregnancy add some interesting flavor. But those remain off to the side so not to upstage the main story.

The climax and resolution comes down to a painful cliché which made me hate the movie at first, but now 24 hours later I think sometimes a cliché is the best way to make a point. I'm just mentioning that in case you have a similar reaction: give it some thought.

If you are looking for other quiet movies that focus on themes of loss and grieving, I recommend "Morning" (2010) - five chapters, or days, in the life of a couple suffering a tragedy; and on the lighter side I highly recommend "Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School" (2005) - the only movie that has multiple tragic deaths but manages to get your toes tapping to the Lindy Hop.