Marvin's Room (1997, VHS)

I rented Marvin's Room through Netflix.com and I fell in love with it...right along with bawling my eyes out. It was one of those stories where you feel like calling up all of your older relatives and your siblings after watching it to make sure they know you love them. Realistic....very much so.

There were many good parts of this movie...the actors, the storyline and the way it made you feel.

The actors consisted of a hodge podge of old to young actors. You see Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, and Robert DeNiro as the "veterans" of the screen. Meryl Streep with a background that ranges for recent (Music of the Heart) to a 20 year old movie like Sophie's Choice. Her acting in this movie is no exception to her usual heart wrenching woman gone bad characters. She's believable and plays the trashy divorcee quite well. She's joined the Goody Two Shoes Diane Keaton who as usual plays a do gooder who makes you want to jump into the screen and hug her tight. Robert DeNiro, who usually plays the tough guy gangster, actually is believable in his doctor role. I was surprised to see him play a doctor who deals with serious issues without pulling out the tough guy accent and bravado. Very impressive.

All of this "Old style" acting is joined with the "younger generation" led by Leonardo DiCaprio. His bi-polar acting makes me think of his performances in "Basketball Diaries" and "What's Eating Gilbert Grape." He acts the prince and then the off kilter bad attitude and foul-mouthed brat. I've always admired him...even if he did take part in that THING they called a movie, "The Beach." As the old joins the new they pull off this heartwarming story of what happens when bad things happen to good people.

The storyline falls along the edge of being _too_ tear jerking. You have the old man who can't talk and is totally reliant on his daughter who adores him...you have the cute old lady aunt who can't tell right from left, and you have the daughter who can't quite live any other type of life then the one that her family has made for her. It's about interdependency, routine, and the chaos that happens when those two things are disrupted. There were many parts of this movie where I bawled my eyes out and also times when I bit my lip from snorting through my nose.

Other than being totally depressing and making me feel like crying silently into my pillow all night....the story did make me feel like calling up my dad and telling him how much I love him...it also shows the bond between siblings that can't even be broken with time. Through the acting, the storyline, and the direction of the mood...this movie was heartwarming and inspiring...even if a bit depressing...rent it. I promise you...You'll cry and like it.