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Little movie: Big essence of Paul Newman

Author: Brian Wright from United States
8 October 2008

Sure, he's done a lot of other huge movies and lived a full life as a racing driver and a working philanthropist, but to me none of his work in the movies or on stage compares to this perfect swan-song film of 1994, Nobody's Fool. The nice thing about movies is that to appreciate them you only have to receive them: who cares how they come about or who makes it possible? (Tho of course we do care.) What distinguishes Nobody's Fool—not to mention it is literally Jessica Tandy's final film—is how the lead character Donald 'Sully' Sullivan is more like Paul Newman, the real person, than any other he's done (IMHO).For my complete review of this movie and for other movie and book reviews, please visit my site TheCoffeeCoaster.com.

Brian Wright Copyright 2008

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Masterpiece

Author: grandisdavid from washington DC
8 October 2005

Robert Benton has signed another masterpiece with this touching, refined and profound movie. The acting deserves tons of Oscars (Jessica Tandy and Paul Newman are amazing: the latest is acting one of his best roles). The support characters are excellent, so is the beautiful cinematography, the delightful dialogs and the screenplay. You OUGHT to watch this very underrated movie, woefully unknown. There is nothing cheesy about this aging man working on little odd jobs to make a living. He is known and tenderly loved by all his neighbors, even by his enemies. He is not flawless but has got a kind of wisdom through the simplicity of his life and through his attempt to correct the mistakes of his past. The character really grows on you so is this unpretentious art film.

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Unmissable Americana

Author: MidniteRambler from London
8 May 2004

A slice of life from Smalltown, USA, where everyone seems connected to everyone else. Bittersweet and comical in turns with first-rate performances all round, particularly and as usual from Newman, and from Willis, a million country miles from Die Hard and Armageddon. The ensemble cast is top-notch and propel the tale through the ups and downs of Newman's character's attempts to come to terms with - and redeem himself from - a wasted life in which he took no part in the upbringing of his son and in which, we suspect, he flitted from job to job, home to home and woman to woman.

Nobody's Fool is a classic slice of Americana and, in its category, unsurpassed. One of the best films of the nineties and one enjoyable to watch again and again and again, for the acting, for the dialogue and for its warmth. Don't miss this one.

2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:

Standout film in every department

Author: Bjorn (jbjorns) from Iceland
13 December 2005

Nobody's Fool is on par with Terms Of Endearment and Ordinary People as a fantastic human drama but it also has a lighter and irresistible approach that's no less captivating.Paul Newman plays blue-collar working stiff Sully, a man who's not lived much of a life; at least according to his landlady (the always wonderful Jessica Tandy). Having deserted his wife and child as a young man, Sully, in his old age, meets up with his son as a grown man and develops a relationship with him and his grandson in the proceedings. Also we get too see the people in Sully's life; his obnoxious boss (wonderfully played by Bruce Willis), the boss's wife (Melanie Griffith's best ever performance) who Sully is constantly harassing, his landlady and her son, his best pal and and a mean ass dog.

Director Benton gets first rate performances from the entire cast and handles all the proceedings well. The small town atmosphere of Bath, New York, is wonderfully captured and it's one of these small towns you'd just love to live in. The script is expertly written and has unique and wonderful characters, multi layered and interesting.Nobody's Fool is a standout film in every department, a perfect example of what a good cast and a good director are capable of pulling off when the material is good.

One of my top 10 films ever. 10 out of 10.