sol **SPOILERS** Bittersweet and touching little movie that has to do with young Duncan Shorter,Joshua Jackson, who's life had hit a road block ever since his father-David-died of a sudden heart-attack ten years ago when he was 39 years old.Listless without any ambition Duncan's life has been going absolutely nowhere since he dropped out of school and gave up a collage scholarship when his dad passed away. Now Duncan is worried about his 82 year-old grandfather Ronald, Donald Sutherland, who's going fast with his kidney's shot and both Parkinson's and Alzheimers diseases starting to set in. With his Grandma Ruth, Louise Fletcher, unable to take care of her ailing husband Duncan gets a job at the couples apartment house as a handyman to be both close to Grandpa Ronald and thus prevent him from being sent into a local nursing-home that in fact, being the free soul that he is, will end up killing him.It's when Duncan meets Grandpa's home assistant Kate, Jullette Lewis, that he starts to feel that his life is about to turn around for the better. Kate is not only well liked by Grandpa Ronald but the old guy wants to play match-maker in getting her and his somewhat shy,with women, grandson Duncan hitched! It doesn't take long for both Kate and Duncan to fall in love with each other but the big stumbling block to them ever staying together is not only Gramps but what Duncan has been searching for, without success, the last ten years! The circumstances of Duncan's as well as his philandering brother Jake, Steven Pasquale, father's death!As Grampa Ronald's health begins to slowly deteriorate he starts to look for a way to ends his misery by getting Duncan to help him kill himself. Duncan who's been haunted over the years over his fathers, a recovering coke addict, sudden death, which he believes was the result of a drug overdose, is very much against letting Grandpa Ronald end his life, this time with a shotgun blast, in somewhat the same way!Solid performances all around by an all-star cast that includes in a very small but important role John Kapelos as the late David Shorter's best friend Stu. It was Stu who was with David the night he died and who set Duncan and his brother Jake's minds at ease in just what were the chain of events that lead to his tragic death.***SPOILERS**** As for Donald Sutherland as Grandapa Ronald he was never better as the sad and suicidal old man who saw his life ebbing away right in front of his eyes. Grandpa Ronald in trying to get Duncan to help him do the job, by blowing his brains out, on him backfired together with his shotgun when Duncan changed his mind at the very last moment. In the end it was fate that intervened and made Ronald's last moments on earth far more tranquil, and less bloody, then what they could have been.

gpoobah12 I saw this at the West Los Angeles screening last September. Since I was feeling a little homesick for Minneapolis, I decided to take a flyer and shell out $10 to see it. My expectations weren't that high since Mr. Dawson's Creek, Joshua Jackson, was one of the leads.Little did I realize that Joshua Jackson would be brilliant in this movie. As good as Joshua Jackson performed, Donald Sutherland turned in one of the best performances by any actor. This movie doesn't beat you over the head with a stick, it's much more subtle than the current schlock that passes for cinema these days! Juliette Lewis plays against type, but does it so well. You actually care about the characters. This is one of the best crafted films of 2006! The only flaw I see in this movie is the lack of distribution. I've told my friends across the country that this is a "must see" movie and only those in MN have been fortunate enough to see it. There are so few well made films, something needs to be done to increase Aurora's exposure!

leeloominai-3 The opening scene was filmed on one of the coldest days on record, and vividly illustrates the harsh cold of Minneapolis in winter. The climate and surroundings fit the family's story well, since even in the coldest, harshest reality there is a glimmer of warmth and love.One little annoying detail...they were too cheap to film in San Diego! The San Diego scene was filmed somewhere in LA...we don't have neighborhoods or freeways that look like that...it's only a 2 hour drive...come on.Other than that it was a great film. Donald Sutherland was amazing, he really found the character.

car1fsu I saw a screening of this movie last night and absolutely loved it. I went in with little to no expectations, and the film definitely delivered. The performances were subtle yet perfectly spot on, with the standouts being Joshua Jackson and Donald Sutherland. This is a true leading man role for Jackson, and takes him beyond just being "Pacey" into being a great, adult actor. Donald Sutherland is also a revelation, and their acting chemistry is fantastic.The film isn't manipulative or preachy, it just tells a story and tells it well and manages to make you care about every single character, which is quite an accomplishment. This is James Burke's first film, and I hope he makes many more because he is a talent. He has quite a way with actors (he got a great performance out of everyone, even the smallest characters) and a great sense of tone and control. He also was able to balance the humor of the script with the pathos, and never make it feel forced.If you like films about real characters and real emotions, you should see this movie -- you won't be disappointed.