Grace Is Gone (2007)

hyped garbage

Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Many reviewers gushed about how this movie is a wonderful drama about coping after a loss. Sure it is, but that's not the point of the movie. It was clear when watching this film that it was one thing only: preachy propaganda. Now, I'm not judging the message of the preachy propaganda, just pointing out what this film is: One strong, loud message, which is so blaring that it scared people away from the box office. It wasn't an emotional fiction, it was 100% political commentary, and moviegoers can smell that a mile away and they usually don't like that. They want entertainment, not a sermon. Not only that, I further submit that John Cusak is an extremely intelligent person and knows exactly what he was doing by agreeing to take on this project. He knew the movie wouldn't do financially well but the message probably spoke to his beliefs. It's not an anti-war message in the literal sense. The point isn't "War is Bad." It's more of an anti-Bush's stupid notion to go into Iraq itself. It's mostly critiquing Bush's main reason of going into Iraq, namely "Ahm a war prezidunt." Most Americans realize now that Bush wanted to go into Iraq, Iran, Syria, and North Korea for a campaign against evil without 1) understanding the true consequences of attempting it and 2) without the determination to stay hard when things get messy, which things did, which is why he never made it past Iraq. This movie's message is: "Hey, future presidential leaders! Please realize that when you make some tossed-out decision about "gowin' tawore" that you're sending real actual men and women who have lives, who have families, and there will be huge repercussions for each loss, every victim is a major tragedy, not just 'Oh, cool, we only lost 4 this week.'" I think the writer of this movie felt that this message was a necessary one to reach the hearts of every American because he probably believed that the Iraq war was a half-thought out plan that Bush decided on just because he felt like it. To make my theory more obvious, they even had a scene where Cheney or Rumsfeld or whomever was saying the rhetoric of 'if we don't continue our aggression it will be seen as a sign of weakness.' Liberals HATE that line of reasoning, which is why it's in here, to have viewers scream "That's why soldiers are dying?!" So, where do I stand? I definitely agree with the message of the film but at the same time, I had no idea I was signing up to join a rally for 90 minutes in watching a movie. The obviousness of the film's message was a bit eye rolling, that's all. And it therefore seems like a project or an after-school special for adults that only reached a handful of US audiences. I guess it's good to have it out there for the record. Perhaps it can even be shown in schools. Great, stellar acting by all, for what it's worth.

A poignant and heartfelt drama that uses the backdrop of the Iraq war to tell an affecting story of love, loss and family, Grace is Gone is a highly recommendable film that was underseen upon release in 2007 and is worthy of your time to this day.Featuring one of John Cusack's most effective and nuanced performances, James C. Strouse's debut film is small in scale yet big on heart and harbors a beating heart that'll make viewer's laugh and shed a tear in equal measure.Strouse finds a great tone in the often tricky balance of humour and drama in this film and it's a shame in the meantime since Grace is Gone's muted reception in 2007 that his only developed the little seen The Winning Season and the nice if a little lacking Jemaine Clement star vehicle People Places Things, a film that played well in the festival season last year.Strouse shows a real feel for characters in Grace is Gone and Cusack's Stanley Phillips as well as his two daughters as played by then youngsters Shelan O'Keefe and Gracie Bednarczyk are a family unit we quickly develop feelings towards and their cross country road trip that is acting as an intermediary between Stanley letting his children know about their mother's passing as a servicewomen in Iraq is a lovingly structured one.Front and centre to this journey is Cusack, who playing more vulnerable and inwardly tormented than we've perhaps ever seen him before or since shines as Stanely. He not only looks the part of a man struggling to come to terms with not only losing his wife and best friend but a man that is trying his best to learn how to not only tell his daughters about this tragedy, but learning to in fact talk with them like the parent they will need. It's not a showy turn but it's a quietly devastating one and a reminder as to why at certain stages in his career Cusack has been one of the best performers in Hollywood. Surrounded by the impressive O'Keefe and Bednarczyk as Stanley's daughters, Grace is Gone's cast is a real winner.In many ways slight yet in equal ways important and touching, Grace is Gone is one of the better Iraq war themed films that has been produced and with a great cast, a finely crafted score that was constructed by Clint Eastwood and a story that will resonate with many who watch it, Grace is Gone is the little movie that could and therefore should be watched by all.4 pre-work morning rev ups out of 5

Like as usual one of the John Cusack's movie that was not widespread among the movie goers. The story of a loving, caring father of two, as well about his dignity. So many movies I'd seen that just deviates slightly from the same storyline and becomes a massive hit, mainly because of the actors or the filmmakers. This one was surprisingly a little fresher from the familiar theme.It was a road-movie-drama which is very much for family audiences. About spending time together and handling grief. A little emotion, a little adventure, a little fun, gives the overall satisfaction of giving a try. I am glad for watching this little movie, which opens about the family value when you miss your loved one under your arm.A very simple and sweet movie, merely one line story that expanded just over a 80 minute long. A fine piece of product for the tearjerker. Everybody was cool in their respective role and so the locations. Lovable movie through your whole heart, and that's exactly what I did, probably you would do the same if you're not those who always try to find flaws and bash it.8/10

I had assumed that the reason Grace Is Gone had done so poorly at the box office was because people did not want to see a film with a depressing premise in the middle of a massive recession, and a still-raging war. Now, after viewing, I realize that the low turnout was probably more due to the fact that it's simply not be a very good film. The movie starts out strong, but it's all downhill after the first 10 minutes. It moves at a glacial pace, the plot does not appear to be well thought out, the dialogue is pedestrian, the actions of the main character strain credibility, and there is not one remotely surprising moment in the entire film. Not to mention that it is shot in quite the banal fashion, with sloppy, clichéd camera setups, which don't do much for the visuals in the film. I'll take blatant sentimentality, (don't worry, there's some of that too), over complete boredom any day. I was surely not looking for car chases or gunfights, but simply something to hold my attention, which can be done with the simplest of stories. The director simply seems to lack experience or confidence in trying to tell the story in any other way than he imagined it when writing the script. And from script to screen is where an good idea turns into a great film.The script itself seems without focus and a bit amateur; the type that will occasionally win screen writing competitions, but will almost never make it to the big screen. I can only imagine that the main reason the film was even made was because it piqued the interest of its star, John Cusack. However, a great role (and Cusack is indeed quite good here), does not make up for a film that goes nowhere. There are whole scenes that could've been cut in half, but instead the actions, or lack thereof, of the characters are lingered on with a preciousness that those moments do not deserve. We all know that kids annoy each other and their parents. We don't need 20 shots of this. I can only imagine the disappointment of a couple, who paid for a babysitter and a night out at the movies, and was treated to the insipid, maudlin environment they could've seen by simply staying at home with their own kids. It's a subject matter that had a lot of potential and could've been quite the good film if handled more deftly.