If today was your last day…

I had the pleasure of watching a very inspiring movie a month ago. I know it was released in 2007, but I just caught it on TV when I was in my spring break this year. Since I have never a been a fan of Jack Nicholson (nor even a film enthusiast in general), I wasn’t particularly interested in this production, but I decided to give it a try. 

Edward and Carter meet in a hospital ward. They both have cancer and are given one more month to live. Edward is the owner of the hospital and have a lot of money, while Carter is more the family guy, with a modest job. One day, Edward finds Carter writing a bucket list and mocks him. He start adding interesting and fun last wishes, but Carter doesn’t seem like he wants to talk about his list. As the days go by, both Carter and Edward are experiencing severe pains and sickness, due to their treatment. Knowing that they won’t get better, Edward decides to do all the things he listed on Carter’s bucket list; he knows he has the money and he does not want to waste the little time he has left. He manage to persuade Carter to join him and they both embark on the adventure of their lives. Together they do all the things they were to afraid to do, but they also grow as persons and learn new things about life, now, when their time is about to end. They somehow manage to heal the only they can; each other’s souls. 

The storyline seemed a little cliche at the begging, but it didn’t mater later, because of the incredible performance of the actors. The ending is not incredible surprising, but you can’t expect a surprise at the end of a film with people suffering  from cancer. I really loved the whole idea of the movie, the lines the characters shared, Carter’s thoughts and how he wishes to spend his last days of his life. It has drops of comedy in it and it really makes you think about how much a death penalty can change you.

It is harder to wake up when you are not actually asleep.