Film
Movie theaters, reviews and showtimes in New York, plus articles, trailers and more
- Home
- Box Office
- Listings
- Trailers
- Features
Bookmark this page- Edition:
Bonneville (2006)
Director: Christopher N. Rowley
Movie review
From Time Out New York
The road to tedium is paved with good intentions when three old friends in a cherry-red 1966 convertible embark on a voyage of self-discovery that begins in Pocatello, Idaho, and ends in Santa Barbara, California. Arvilla (Lange) shared 20 great years of love and adventure with her husband, Joe, and promised him that she’d scatter his ashes after his death. But Francine (Baranski), the fiercely coiffed spawn of Joe’s first marriage, wants her daddy buried next to his first wife in California. Since Joe was careless about details like updating wills, the house he and Arvilla shared is now Francine’s. If Arvilla fails to bring Joe home, Francine will sell it. So with best friends Margene (Bates) and Carol (Allen), respectively sassy and uptight, in tow, Arvilla heads west in Joe’s prized Pontiac Bonneville, making a series of sentimental stopovers at sites ranging from Las Vegas to Joshua Tree.
While it’s a pleasure to see seasoned American actresses d’un certain âge accorded center stage, it’s sad to see their hard-won bona fides squandered on such pap. Bonneville is Thelma & Louise minus the menace, poisonous sexism, and cold-eyed awareness that the open road’s perils and rewards are different for girls.
Author: Maitland McDonagh
Time Out New York Issue 648: February 28–March 6, 2008
User reviews of this film
-
- Carol said...
- Posted on Jul 14 2008 08:58 The movie was mediocre at best. I didn't buy parts of the plot, especially the "romance" between fat Margene and the trucker. In realy life, this trucker would have most likely hit on one of the thinner, more attractive blondes. He would not have been a widowed gentleman, either. Probably married and a red-neck. Nor did I buy that the uptight married Carol would put a dollar in a slot machine and win nearly $200,000 instantly. Possible but not probable. And neither friend seemed even slightly evnvious. Why make these women LDS? Most LDS women are home, barefoot and pregnant or babysitting their grandchildren. I only saw this movie because of the fabulous older actresses.
- Report as inappropriate
-
- alex said...
- Posted on Mar 03 2008 17:53 I took my mom and her friends to watch this, and scored major brownie points. I thought I'd be bored out of my wits, but the movie was actually really interesting and entertaining. good acting, scenery, and soundtrack!
- Report as inappropriate
-
- Julia said...
-
Posted on Mar 03 2008 17:52
This movie was so touching, and the acting was inspiring. I definitely felt that it was a real inquiry into the human psyche, and an experience for everyone over the age of 30 who's questioned their purpose in life.
I loved this movie, and can't think of a better way to spend $10. - Report as inappropriate
-
- Amy said...
- Posted on Mar 01 2008 11:57 I thought It was great and it doesn't have to be exactly like Thelma and Louise..It's Bonnevillle!! Very light hearted and non-offensive!! Great Movie
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Christopher N. Rowley
Cast: Jessica Lange, Christine Baranski, Kathy Bates, Joan Allen
Rated: PG
Duration: 103 mins
US Release: Feb 29 2008
Most popular on this site
Features
To the letter
Forty years later, Costa-Gavras's Z still brims with fury.
Mind over matter
David Cronenberg reflects on a most bizarre body: his own corpus of work.
Fool's gold
Can an Oscar win lead to a cursed career? Here are five stories of postaward professional meltdowns.
We are the championed
Terrorists and teens abound in this year's "Film Comment Selects."
A history of violence
Matteo Garrone's kaleidoscopic Gomorrah wallops you with Italy's crime crisis.
True romantic
James Gray exchanges urban amorality for amour in Two Lovers.
Playing in the dark
MoMA salutes pianist Stuart Oderman's 50 years as the one-man sound of silents.
Junk bonds
Cast and crew recall the making of the classic NYC drug drama The Panic in Needle Park.
What do you think?
Post your review now