Not a lot happens in Wyoming and crotchety Einar (Redford) likes it that way. He's still fuming over the death of his son a dozen years ago, filling his days with farm chores and caring for his friend, Mitch (Freeman), who was crippled by a grizzly. There isn't another soul for miles, and no, this isn't the upcoming gay-cowboy movie Brokeback Mountain.
Einar is none too pleased when his estranged daughter-in-law, Jean (Lopez), shows up with a granddaughter he never knew about. Jean is running away from an abusive ex-boyfriend, and Einar has never forgiven her for surviving the car accident thatkilled his son.
By now, you may have recognized this as a Lasse Hallstrom picture, he with a penchant for suffering protagonists (The Shipping News, The Cider House Rules). Rarely do such talent and beauty go together with such sadism. Even the bruises on J. Lo's face look pretty.
If you know what to expect, and aren't asking for much more, there's a lot to like here. Most notable is the chance to see two old pros like Redford and Freeman go back and forth. Their banter alone is nearly worth the price of admission. Also worth noting is the performance of newcomer Becca Gardner, whose turn as Jean's daughter never rings false. Throw in some sharp dialogue and beautiful British Colombian scenery (standing in for Wyoming), and the result should be quite charming.
Which makes it frustrating that the story is handled with all the grace of a Holstein. Explaining Einar's cantankerousness, a local waitress tells Jean about the daughter she lost, and we get a lecture about how parents should never outlive their children. Meanwhile, the bear that trampled Mitch is caught and caged, where he will spend the rest of the movie sulking and serving as a symbol of bottled emotions. Wyoming can be a very depressing place.