Director: Jay Russell
Stars: Alexis Bledel, William Hurt, Ben Kingsley, Sissy Spacek, Jonathan Jackson, Scott Bairstow, Amy Irving, Victor Garber
Winnie (Bledel) is being forced to go to a school she does not wish to attend, so in frustration she goes running in the woods where she meets a boy, Jesse (Jackson) who takes her back to her family. It turns out they have a secret – they’re immortal and they’re hiding from the outside world. While Winnie is gone her parents send out a search party, among them is a man in a yellow suit who seems to know more about the mysterious nature of the family than he lets on.
I’m always a fan of stories and films that have the curse of the immortals theme. It’s something I find infinitely fascinating and I was surprised at how good Tuck Everlasting is. It’s mostly set in woodland so it has this fairytale feel to it, and although it kinda overplays the romance between the two lead characters the performances are sweet and you do get a sense that they have a powerful connection.
There’s quite a bit of tension as they family scrambles to try and protect their secret, and their backstory reveals a lot of tragedy. Kingsley is a great actor and lends some gravitas to the antagonist he plays as well, providing a simmering threat throughout the film.
I am curious whether other people feel the same way I do though, because being immortal is always seen as a curse and it’s rare that you find a story where it’s presented as a good thing. I’d actually love to be immortal and I’d like to see more stories where people revel in it. i’m just curious why it’s always seen as such a bad thing.
The ending is poetic and actually forces some introspection. It doesn’t take the easy way out and it actually provokes discussion about whether the characters were right to do what they did. I found Tuck Everlasting have a lot of substance and I love it when a film surprises me like this. Really good film, definitely recommend. Perfect for cosy wintry nights.
