aul Newman’s the whole ticket (and then some) in this much-ado-about-nothing tale of a scuffling 60-year-old who’s finally forced to do some moral reckoning. Newman is Sully Sullivan, an adolescent-at-heart beer guzzler who works for unsavory contractor Carl Roebuck (a first rate Bruce Willis) and has a soft spot for his wife Toby (Melanie Griffin). When his college professor son Peter falls back into his life (he’s getting a divorce), Sully must do what he least likes to: behave as an adult, or learn to. Writer Richard Russo (“Empire Falls”) is a sultan of village patois and director Robert Benton makes all the little moments count — Sully’s relationship with landlady Beryl, the venerable Jessica Tandy, is particularly poignant. Finally, though, it’s all about ole’ blue eyes. A must-see for Newman admirers.
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About the Author: Marcia Yarrow
A military brat, Marcia Yarrow was born in Hamburg, Germany but grew up in Germany, Spain, and Provo, Utah. She's been writing for the magazine since its creation in 2004.