On Golden Pond

Starring: Katherine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda, Doug McKeon, Dabney Coleman
Directed by: Mark Rydell
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
1981

Times Seen:
Tim: 1


Summary: Norman (Henry Fonda) and Ethel (Katherine Hepburn) have returned to Golden Pond, where they are reunited with their daughter (Jane Fonda) and reflect on their life, their hopes, and their regrets.

Review:

Tim: On Golden Pond is impressive because it was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning three, including Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay. That's an impressive haul, and this is indeed a very, very good movie. It's a straight drama that features interesting characters, excellent performances, and an enjoyable story. While I may not have loved this movie as much as some, I recognize it's a thoroughly enjoyable movie.

The main appeal of this film is the cast, which is excellent from top to bottom. You have two acting legends in Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn, playing a long-married couple in the waning years. They both give remarkable performances- they really do seem like an old married couple, incredibly close and well connected, but changed by the years together. It's fascinating to watch them reflect back on their life while still trying to live. This movie does a good job of depicting what it must be like to get old and yet still having some life in you. It's an interesting time of life, and it's all shown well here. Fonda and Hepburn are great together and I loved seeing them play off each other. I'm not surprised that both won an Academy Award for their performances- they're well deserved, and the single biggest reason to watch this movie.

However, the great cast doesn't end there. Jane Fonda also gives a good performance, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. While she pales in comparison to Fonda and Hepburn, she still gives a solid performance and has a few incredibly emotional scenes. It was fun seeing her play daughter to her real-life father. Dabney Coleman gives a good performance as Fonda's boyfriend. I really liked the performance of Doug McKeon as well. It would have been easy for this role to be lackluster, especially with all the experienced talent around him. McKeon manages to hold his own and even shine, which is impressive. I really enjoyed the entire cast.

The story is very interesting. You have the initial dynamic between Fonda and Hepburn, and their relationship is quite interesting. Then, you add the younger Fonda as their daughter, and the relationship is somewhat strained. The inclusion of this drama makes the whole family dynamic quite engaging. Not only that, but she has a boyfriend and it's fun to see him interact with her crusty old father. That's even more interesting. And then, her boyfriend has a son from a previous relationship. That's where things get really fun- when Fonda and her boyfriend leave the boy in her parents' custody for the summer, the film really gets ratcheted up another notch. It's great to see two very different generations trying to interact- the older generation, and this young boy. Their blossoming relationship is the real heart of the movie and it's fascinating to watch it grow. That was probably my favorite part of the movie. The fishing scenes where they bonded were pretty powerful. The film does a great job of establishing this dynamic, and then bringing Fonda back at the end to close the circle and bring it all home. It's really a very well told story from start to finish.

There's so much to like here. However, I also mentioned I didn't love this movie- I really liked it, but didn't love it. At 109 minutes, the film felt about 10 minutes too long. There's a few scenes that just feel like they drag out too much. I thought the resolution of Fonda and Fonda's relationship was good, but it was a little rushed. The film works because it devotes so much time to developing these characters and watching their blossoming relationships. And yet, the most powerful resolution felt a little rushed at the end. I thought that could have been more powerful. I also thought the film strayed into a little manipulative when the elder Fonda has his health scare at the end. I get it, but I didn't love how it was presented.

On Golden Pond is a really, really good movie. While I'm a little surprised at its nomination for Best Picture, I'm glad it did not win. It's not a movie at that level. However, it is a film that features incredible performances and great writing, and I love that the film picked up 3 Academy Awards in those categories. This is a very well made movie and a very enjoyable drama. I'd highly recommend this film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Grumpy Old Men, The River