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The Bucket List

Play trailer Poster for The Bucket List PG-13 Released Jan 11, 2008 1h 37m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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40% Tomatometer 176 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Billionaire Edward Cole and car mechanic Carter Chambers are complete strangers, until fate lands them in the same hospital room. The men find they have two things in common: a need to come to terms with who they are and what they have done with their lives, and a desire to complete a list of things they want to see and do before they die. Against their doctor's advice, the men leave the hospital and set out on the adventure of a lifetime.
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The Bucket List

The Bucket List

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Critics Consensus

Not even the earnest performances of the two leads can rescue The Bucket List from its schmaltzy script.

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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator As Rob Reiner should know better and Jack Nicholson should know better and Morgan Freeman should know better, what you have here is a film which has to make you ask: how come they didn't? Aug 23, 2018 Full Review Alonso Duralde MSNBC ... plays like Ingmar Bergman's Wild Strawberries, reimagined as an uninspired sitcom and travelogue. Rated: 2/5 May 1, 2008 Full Review Jonathan F. Richards Film.com You get the performances you expect from these two great stars, which lift this story mercifully but marginally above its meager content. Jan 15, 2008 Full Review Grant Watson Fiction Machine If there is a message to be found in this 2007 comedy, which was directed by Rob Reiner, it is that if you are going to be diagnosed with terminal cancer then you will be better off if you are enormously rich. Rated: 5/10 Jul 31, 2024 Full Review Richard Crouse Richard Crouse In the end it's a predictable movie that seems to try and manipulate the viewer into bursting into tears when really he or she might only be trying to suppress yawns. Rated: 2.5/5 Jan 31, 2021 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins One of the most fun and uplifting films of the year. Rated: 8/10 Nov 24, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Farid M The film highlights the meaninglessness of life and how materialistic the world we live in has become. The fact that wealthy people can no longer enjoy life is like completing a game at 100%—everything seems to be in perfect order, yet they simply ignore the emptiness. Poor people, on the other hand, are forced to face these truths, because otherwise, they have no choice at all. And when I say "poor people," I actually mean most of us—people living with the mindset of the rich while still being poor. You don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy life, but you absolutely have to do justice to it. When we close our eyes for the last time, we should be able to say to ourselves, “I truly lived this life,” before leaving. Otherwise, all we have is wasted time, a fleeting spark, and endless meaninglessness that consumes us. This film truly touched my life. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/20/25 Full Review Alexandra S "The Bucket List" is a truly captivating film that combines comedy and drama. This insightful story, inspired by real events, follows two terminally-ill men who escape from a hospital to fulfill their wishes before they die. The plot is both gripping and deeply thought-provoking, forcing the viewer to reflect on life, death, and what truly matters. The brilliant cast, led by the incredible Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as the two lead actors, delivers powerful performances. The film's characters feel real, and their journey is incredibly inspiring, showing friendship and the strength of the human spirit. All in all, "The Bucket List" is an aesthetically pleasing and emotionally charged finale about the importance of living in the present. It’s a must-see that leaves a lasting impression. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/18/25 Full Review Robert R Nowhere near the rollicking comedic triumph that the marketing would've led you to believe it was back in 2007, "The Bucket List" is actually a deeply sobering, generally quiet study on the meaning of life in the face of a ticking clock and, though there weren't any waterworks on my side of things, I completely understand why this movie turned so many folks into a puddle when it came out. It's just sad, man. Particularly the last half-hour or so and not in like a purifying "Green Mile" or "Me And Earl And The Dying Girl" kind of way. Just depressing. Still, a movie making me feel misery is a movie making me something and that's to be commended (lol). Kidding aside, there are some elegant tricks played upon the audience during the film's final act and I think — ultimately — what's said is worthy of being heard. Definitely on the lesser end of the spectrum of Rob Reiner's filmography, but he's done far, far worse. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/03/25 Full Review Audience Member Even The man who has everything didn't do everything with all of his money... that's life Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/05/25 Full Review thiago s Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, a história é mais ou menos, o elenco é bacana e alguns ajudam a melhorar o filme, o filme ainda coloca um drama que é bom, mas o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 04/03/25 Full Review Leaburn O Morbid, boring and badly acted. Poor script and the messaging is weak. I’ve had deeper baths than this film. Watched on DVD. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/23/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Bucket List

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Movie Info

Synopsis Billionaire Edward Cole and car mechanic Carter Chambers are complete strangers, until fate lands them in the same hospital room. The men find they have two things in common: a need to come to terms with who they are and what they have done with their lives, and a desire to complete a list of things they want to see and do before they die. Against their doctor's advice, the men leave the hospital and set out on the adventure of a lifetime.
Director
Rob Reiner
Producer
Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Alan Greisman, Rob Reiner
Screenwriter
Justin Zackham
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Production Co
Warner Bros., Two Ton Films, Storyline Entertainment
Rating
PG-13 (Language|A Sexual Reference)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 11, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 13, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$93.5M
Runtime
1h 37m
Sound Mix
Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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