Feature Review | Tuck Everlasting
Written by: Brian Orndorf

“Tuck Everlasting” is a Walt Disney production along the lines of their relatively recent family films such as 1985’s “The Journey Of Natty Gann,” or 1991’s “White Fang.” They’re films based in pure emotion and audience participation. But in the last 10 years, that sensibility has been utterly eroded by faster, hipper, less trusting filmmakers and scripts. “Tuck Everlasting” is a film that should not be viewed by anyone with a cynical heart, for its charms and determination will no doubt be lost on those who cannot allow themselves to uncross their arms.

In the early 1900s, a privileged young woman named Winifred (Alexis Bledel, “Gilmore Girls”) is frustrated with her sharply-controlled life. Afraid of being sent off to a boarding school, Winifred runs off into her family’s lush, ample acreage and stumbles upon a Jesse (Jonathan Jackson, “The Deep End Of The Ocean”), who is drinking carefully from a spring. Fearing untold dangers if his presence is revealed to the outside world, Jesse takes Winifred to his family, including his father Angus Tuck (William Hurt), mother Mae (Sissy Spacek) and brother Miles (Scott Bairstow, “Party Of Five“). Worried at first about the dangers of this strange and quiet family, Winifred soon becomes one of them, and falls in love with Jesse. Trouble arrives with a stranger in a yellow suit (Ben Kingsley), who is bent on revealing the mystery behind the Tucks. A secret that could bring dire consequences to those who wish to experience it.

Based on the novel by Natalie Babbitt, “Tuck Everlasting” is a flamboyant affair in virtually every aspect of the entire production. It’s a film that revels in high drama, almost to a point of being downright hammy. These characters don’t just profess their love, they reach for the lightning bolts in Heaven to bring down enough power to express their feelings. The bad guy of the film snivels unlike anyone since “Gosford Park,” and the secret behind the Tucks is as big as a revelation can get. The film plays out on largeness, both in scale and emotion, and that’s what makes the picture a winner. It’s rare, outside of maybe “Titanic,” to find a film that can lead with its heart, and refuse to pull back even at points where the melodrama can be wince-inducing. Though stingy with honest-to-god enchantment, “Tuck Everlasting” is steadfast in its convictions, and it’s nice to see Disney go back to this type of family production that lacks any kind of forced sentiment or merchandising onslaught.

“Tuck Everlasting” marks the big screen debut for Alexis Bledel. Though backed by a wonderful cast, this is Bledel’s film, and while it lacks her usual delicate work on the wonderful television series “Gilmore Girls,” Bledel acquits herself nicely to the big screen. She has nice chemistry with Jackson (himself a powerful young actor), but this is only a first cinematic step in a mighty career for this talented actress. I look forward to her future endeavors.

Also somewhat finding his bearings to some extent in this, his third film, director Jay Russell (“My Dog Skip”) shows his neophyte tendencies a little more clearly than Bledel. “Tuck Everlasting” has a very literate script, but in the final film, there are far too many stilted words for the actions onscreen. This results in clumsiness and a nagging literalization of almost every scene, when taking out every other line would’ve made the film much more mysterious. But this uneven control over the film seems to suit Russell as well, as he forges ahead with some pretty strong melodrama without ever flinching away from it. Maybe because he didn’t know that he could.

Shot beautifully (by James Carter), scored with gusto (by William Ross), and with a plot that actually causes one to consider its message, “Tuck Everlasting” is a sturdy film from the Mouse House. It might be a shaky second return step toward honest storytelling from Disney (after “The Rookie” from this past spring), but I respect the attempt.

Grade: 7 out of 10     

Related: Tuck Everlasting One Sheet

COMMENTS
Date/Time of Posting:  Oct 22 2002 / 16:59:08
IP Address:  64.12.96.46
name = ashley mandrusiak
Email = mam mam 110
comments = i love the movie it was so sad andit was roamtic to i love the boy name jesse i it he is really hot and sexy to i want to see it agian and agian hope to you    love ashley lynn mandrusiak

Date/Time of Posting:  Dec 02 2002 / 20:03:17
IP Address:  204.249.195.129
name = chaunci
Email = chauncimax@yahoo.com
comments = I thought it was great.I loved it.My whole class
had to read it for a grade.We even had to do a
prodject about it.I made the touch me not cotage.
DO you think eath Winnie or Tuck could send me a
letter hand writen so I can take it to school and
get extra points? [content edited out for security reasons]
THANKS I LOVE THE MOVIE PREVEIWS BUT I HAVENT SEEN THE MOVIE.WELL IF YOU NEED ANYTHING EMAIL ME.