SnoopyStyle Bob Jones (Michael Keaton) is dying from cancer as a P.R. guy in L.A. His wife Gail (Nicole Kidman) is pregnant with their first baby. He starts making videotapes to introduce himself to his future child. He is estranged from his family in Detroit even changing his last name, and has no close friends. His brother Paul Ivanovich (Bradley Whitford) is getting married. After being told that he has only 3-4 months, Gail directs him to a Chinese healer named Mr. Ho (Haing S. Ngor). He is powerfully effected by Mr. Ho and starts examining his unexamined life. Bob and Gail fly back to Detroit.This starts very slowly and dourly. Bob is not an appealing character. He's closed off. Watching him doing the videos is pretty boring. This is screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin's only directing credit. The lacks any kind of drive for a very long time. It's a poignant concept and Keaton pours everything into this. It adds up to a tiresome cinematic experience.

tolerford Deliberately watch it for Keaton's mastery. Having been months since last seeing it, still, the day Queen Latifah knocks on the door, when he shows how hard it is to walk, is the second stark reminder of how good he is. The first is as he dies. The only performance of dying that has that world-class quality is Christopher Reeve in "Somewhere in Time".Keaton's character choosing to leave his child various videos as they occur to him, especially the one about shaving, is what wells the tears for me. You can touch the feeling Keaton is capable of evoking.Like some of the other comments, I agree I was astounded that he didn't win the Oscar that year, much less not even nominated. Yes, Tom Hanks was incredible in "Philadelphia". It's apples and oranges.I disagree that the Chinese attitude toward his anger was hokey. Anger does become illness.

duffman_o This movie is written so well! Every time I watch it, it makes me become more introspective. I will take stock of my own life, and re-appreciate the people around me. The movie also exposes the personal pain that we carry through our own life, thus calling me to forgive.I believe the father - son relationship in the film is wonderful. Hell, the whole family dynamic used to portray personal baggage is perfectly relatable.The movie is a real tear jerker for me. I do not weep during films ... this one I do. STILL.The only pan I have is a slight one. I am not a Nicole Kiddman fan. Her emotional range is typical hers .... Weak. A stronger actress, would have put this film in the box of Kleenex hall of fame!

biltard This was 117 minutes of pure Hell and I wouldn't care if the main character winds up there! Michael Keaton used to be a funny witty smart a$$ but has now morphed into a pure dumb A$$. I'll save you $2 in rental fees and 117 minutes; He dies at the end and I for one was very glad it was over! Ten bucks says his wife taped over his video tape five minutes after watching it. I think the writer should have have died before he finished this script it might have saved us from Deep Impact and Stuart Little 2. I can't believe someone thought that a movie about a guy video taping his last thoughts was a good idea. My Uncle Walters video will was more entertaining than this movie and at least I got something out of it at the end!