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32 comments in total

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31 out of 38 people found the following comment useful :-
belly laughs and sweet tears too!, 19 June 2007

Author: tracyj32 from United States

I loved the great relationships in this buddy movie for gals, and wish I could see more movies about real people in dramatic/comedy- so interesting and a great discussion starter too about life, death and what to do with the remains. All the stars give great performances, Jessica Lange is stunning and sweet and really lovely - she makes her character someone you wish you knew! And how to describe Kathy Bates and Joan Allen? Just the best buddies a girl could ever have. The scenery of Utah, Nevada and California is amazing! In fact, for a great scenic movie with gorgeous shots of the surroundings, Bonneville far surpasses " A Year in Provence" that was so hyped last year. Hope everyone gets a chance to see it!

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24 out of 31 people found the following comment useful :-
It's a great ride, 12 August 2006

Author: Clayton Davis (Claytondavis@awardscircuit.com) from New Jersey

Bonneville The new film from unknown director is from Christopher N. Rowley and stars Academy Award winners Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and three time nominee Joan Allen. This is the story of three extraordinary women who go on a road trip to bring one of their dead husband's ashes to his spiteful daughter from his previous marriage.

Our film opens up with the introduction of our main character Arvilla who is played marvelously by Jessica Lange whom shows the audience that she still has it in her to be an acclaimed performer. After losing her husband, Joe, while on a vacation, she returns home to cremate her husband and to spread his ashes when his daughter Francine (played by Christine Baranski known for her roles in Chicago and Cruel Intentions) has a will from years prior and orders that his ashes be returned home with her. After Arvilla claims that her will is out of date and he had made a new one she searches all over her house and comes up empty. In Francine's will he leaves his house that Arvilla and Joe lived in to her daughter and Francine is willing to trade her father's ashes in order for Arvilla to stay in the house.

Enters her two best friends; rebellious party animal, Margene (Kathy Bates) and goody prude Carol (Joan Allen) give their two sense and suggest maybe it's better to give the ashes to his daughter in order to keep her home. Arvilla has a week to return the ashes to Francine and here starts our adventure. She decides to fly out along with her friends and half way to the airport in Joe's 66' Pontiac Bonneville makes a decision to drive from her small town in Idaho to a cross country adventure.

These three women are a true delight and a testament to what love, friendship and faith are all suppose to be. This is truly a film for an older crowd of people but as young man myself, I secretly wished for a happy life to come like the one's of these women. It's an uplifting feel which brings a concentrated confidence for all people. With a breakout performance coming from a young Victor Rasuk as Bo, the film plows down the walls of vanity and brings in the sense of adoration and tenderness.

Oscar prospects go for all three women with Jessica Lange going lead and Allen and Bates for supporting. But I have to say that it's Kathy Bates who is the standout of the women and completely steals each scene she speaks in. She'll bring you to tears from her speeches about life to her wishes about death, you can't leave that theater without holding her in your heart. Allen is also great and we all know she is long overdue for her Oscar and we cannot wait for her to make it to a podium soon.

The film is a "Grumpy Old Men" meets "Boys on the Side" with a powerful touch and courageous feeling. The film will likely not hit big the awards contention but could snap and go as awards season approaches. It's playing in Toronto as a gala and could be word of mouth hit.

Grade: ***/****

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18 out of 24 people found the following comment useful :-
Yes!! A Movie for Me, 29 February 2008

Author: eliflores111 from United States

I have to write about Bonneville in light of the user comment by some of these other users and critics.. I am sick of reading negative or poor reviews from films from all of these sour men. I read a few sub par reviews and thought to myself, Bonneville can't be that boring and it wasn't. I was happy to see a film that fits an older demographic. I went with my grandmother and it has been about 10 years since she has gone to the movies, she was pleased there was something out there she could relate to and not be offended by everything that is on the screen, without giving away much about the film, it was a warm film that highlighted 3 relationships and went through feelings that affect many woman as they reach older age. Worth the ticket, movies like this don't come around every year... all these old men get off these boards and out of the papers and get a life, take films for what they are and why they are made, don't be a hater just because you are sitting at your desk writing about 3 awesome woman.

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12 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
A Mormon Thelma & Louise, 14 May 2007

Author: Homogeek from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Bonneville an adventure that three middle age women (Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, and Joan Allen) embark on when one of their husbands, Joe, dies suddenly. Conflict arises when the daughter (Christine Baranski), by a previous marriage, of the deceased decides she wants to bury him near the family (the daughter's family) home in Santa Barbara. Arvilla (Jessica Lange), the 2cd wife of twenty years must deliver the ashes or risk loosing the house in Idaho that she shared with Joe. Joe specifically requested that his ashes be spread in nature but his daughter does not want to acknowledge the other life he built in Idaho and uses the Idaho homestead as leverage to get Arvilla to hand over the ashes. Lange and posse (Kathy Bates as Margene and Joan Allen as Carol) start a 'Thelma & Louise' style trip in an early-70's Pontiac Bonneville convertible. The movie points out that the three friends are Mormon but the religion of the deceased husband is not discussed. Margene is looking for a autumn romance, and Carol is wound up tight and very devout. All while Arvilla is just trying to cope with the sudden death of the man she loves. Will the three heroines find their way to happiness or contentment? Undoubt-ably. The movie is definitely enjoyable but drags in the center (bathroom break). Never actually seeing Arvilla and Joe together, I never got a feeling of how deep their love was. The Film originally slated for a 2006 released was re-worked for 2007. Since this was an early preview of the re-work things can still change.

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12 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :-
This is a real treat a movie composed of all the essential ingredients. I gave it a 10., 8 March 2008

Author: ylarge from United States

This was the funniest movie I have seen in a very long time. I went to the movies with a group of friends and we all agreed, why can't there be more of these kind of movies? We experienced some sadness and a roller coaster of emotions. Many of them included truly funny, funny comedy. The actors and actress' were casted so well. Kathy Bates is hysterical. I really can't believe anyone could see this and not give it a thumbs up. Bring it on..... more good movies like this one! The scenery was certainly a big plus for this movie also. If you want a short trip across our great country and to be entertained while watching it, go see Bonneville, if in fact, they allow it to be shown at the movies. We saw no sex and no murders, hope that does not disqualify this as a winning movie.

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8 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
Caution: Women on Road Trip, Stumble, Fall, 7 April 2008

Author: Social_Correspondent from New York City

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Bonneville is the result of what happens when a bunch of men produce a movie about-- and ostensibly for-- women, but make sure it's written and directed by men. Honestly, I'm beginning to wonder if we'll ever get to see the woman's point of view in a Hollywood movie. Ever.

Three BFF's of a certain age, set out on a road trip for the purpose of personally delivering the remains of one's recently deceased husband, to his funeral service. You see, the man's daughter by his first marriage, is intent on having Daddy interred with Mommy, even though Daddy was married to another woman for the last 20 years of his life. But we all know that women are jealous of other women so if the widow doesn't ante up the ashes, the step-daughter will take away her house.

There are many similarities between this and another significant female buddy road trip movie from a few years back. The Bonneville gals even don the "uniform" of the free feminine spirit—the chiffon head scarf and a pair of big dark glasses a la Grace Kelly. Not to mention, they're in a convertible and the sight of all that unruly hair would be too much for most viewers.

En route from Idaho to California, Arvilla, the widow and her pals, the feisty Marjeen, and Carolyn, the obedient Morman, prove that women just can't be left on their own as they helplessly stand by, pondering their fate, when they blow a tire on the Salt Flats of Utah. Thank God that a young strapping man on his own personal quest wanders up to save them. Thank the screenwriter that this hottie doesn't sleep with one of them and steal their money.

During a few more stops along the way that seem impromptu but are really part of Arvilla's grand scheme to relive earlier adventures, albeit only in her mind, we are lulled by lovely scenery, a new-age hip soundtrack (courtesy of the young strapping man), and the predictable bit of bickering from our menopausal ménage.

And what girl-bonding trip would be complete without a handsome silver-fox to ride in and rescue the quirkiest, least attractive yet most "real" gal with true romance? So much for real-life rejection and disappointment.

Eventually, the three take a break from all this passivity and rent a houseboat on a convenient lake. Mere hours later Arvilla manages to run it aground. I kept waiting for her to accidentally drive the car off into a canyon. Oh wait, that's the other movie...

Fellas, let me tell you a secret: For centuries women have known that if they act helpless, you'll not only take over and do the dirty work, you'll feel better about yourselves having done it. She's running the whole game but she doesn't even have to break a nail. But trust me, when you're not around, she does just fine. In fact, women are infinitely more collaborative than movies (and men) give them credit. It is not credible to think that Kathy Bates couldn't have put her weight into getting that lug nut off the wheel. Even less so that the three of them didn't work together to figure it out. So stick to writing and directing and producing those fresh and original young man coming-of-age stories. No one does them better than you. Lord knows you've had enough practice.

At last we gather at a chapel to honor the absent patriarch, but where a woman's master plan is undone by simple clumsiness played for laughs. If you like your cine-women to act out the rituals of sisterhood, yet worship at the altar of men, this might be your movie. Personally I hope the next time I travel the heroine's journey to rediscover the feminine spirit-- yet remapped as folklore by men— is never. Ever.

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8 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
Great light hearted enjoyable film, 10 March 2008

Author: Pipukwes from United States

Bonneville is a movie that is more like what Hollywood used to make for films. A movie with a real believable story and not all a bunch of digitized magic. Finally a movie where the actors can act like real people we can all relate to in our own lives.

Lange,Bates and Allan did a wonderful job of portraying three Mormon friends rebelling against her step daughters wishes to fulfill her late husbands desires. A wonderful film with feeling and happiness. Should be more like this..

Christopher Rowley did a wonderful job of directing this cast in a heart felt film. Drop of Water productions should go along way in the future.

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10 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Kudos to the cast, 26 February 2008

Author: marth_duncan-1 from United States

I watched Bonneville this past week at a screener in New York and this film motivated me to get out there and try and spread the good word and the great feelings of friendship and commitment to your friends. I also give a lot of credit to the producers of the film for bringing such a stellar cast together for a common cause. Kathy Bates doesn't disappoint and she plays a great supporting cast for Jessica Lange. Joan Allen rides in the back seat and she provides a good balance of Bates and Lange as they take the Road Trip through some awesome scenery that is filled with a lot of turns and wonderful moments along the way. I will be looking for the film to come out wide so I can take my Mom and my Aunt out to see this film.

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9 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
Great Film for Family viewing, 28 July 2007

Author: tsmepajor from United States

Film shows extraordinary friendship between ordinary people in trying circumstances. The witty remarks in this film during personal hardships adds the humor needed to get through life's circumstances. The three main cast members compliment each other throughout the movie. The supporting cast adds another dimension to the superb three leading actors. Great scenery accentuate the thought process from scene to scene. Music also helps the tempo of the movie. Costumes were very good. Acting was genuine and the actor's subtle remarks shows individual character as well as their great acting ability. I thought the idea of the telephone was very cleaver and can possibly start a new trend for phones.

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7 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
Best Movie I've Seen in a LONG LONG Time!, 27 February 2008

Author: lwillard41 from Atlanta GA

Why aren't there more movies like BONNEVILLE?! We attended a sneak preview this Monday and couldn't believe we'd stumbled upon 90 minutes of such thoughtful and entertaining enjoyment! My friends and I couldn't stop talking about how we can really identify with these folks, we could BE living in this movie ourselves, and that's why we feel so good after we've seen it. The plot twists and turns in Bonneville are the best part of a fantastic movie: with the road trip metaphor bringing us eye-blink gorgeous scenery around each and every turn in the road, the ups and downs of their relationship make us blink and THINK "what would I do"!

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