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# ‘Unfinished’ is predictable
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/unfinished-is-predictable/
- Published: 2005-09-09T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T07:46:11.000Z
- Author: Dan Dunn
- Tags: Entertainment, Santa Monica, #archive-import

An all-star cast, gorgeous setting and a damn fine performance by a bear highlight this offering from director Lasse Hallström (“The Cider House Rules”), the latest in a recent spate of films being unceremoniously dug out of the Miramax storage closet now that parent company Disney has parted ways with Harvey Weinstein. On the bright side, “An Unfinished Life” isn’t nearly as bad as the unfavorable release date and inadequate marketing campaign would suggest, especially when compared with other recent Miramax disappointments such as “The Great Raid” and “Underclassman.” But the latter films didn’t have the ingredients for success that “An Unfinished Life” had going in, which makes it all the more surprising that Hallström’s movie isn’t a whole lot more enjoyable than it is.

Redford finds himself on familiar turf — a ranch located out in the wide-open spaces of Wyoming. Einar Gilkyson is a bitter coot, tortured by the death of a 22-year-old son who was killed in car accident over a decade earlier. Speaking of familiar, Morgan Freeman virtually repeats his “Million Dollar Baby” role as the kindly old best friend of the ornery old white guy, only here Freeman’s Mitch is a bit more dinged up — the result of a nasty encounter with the aforementioned grizzly. Still, it wouldn’t have been too big a surprise had Hilary Swank showed up in sweatpants and started training … or Brad Pitt with a fishing rod for that matter. Instead we get Jennifer Lopez as Jean, widowed wife of Einar’s dead son and mother of the granddaughter (Becca Gardner) he never knew he had. Einar blames Jean for his son’s death (she was driving the night of the accident) and is reluctant to help even though she’s on the run from an abusive boyfriend (Damian Lewis). So he grumbles, then relents, cuz that grandkid of his is awfully dang adorable. What it all comes down to is that there’s healing to be done and forgiveness to be granted. And, of course, that’s just what happens. Hallström can only hope audiences forgive his film’s predictability and general sluggishness. (Rated PG-13 for some violence including domestic abuse, and language. Running time: 107 minutes)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 9, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/090905.pdf?ref=smdp.com)