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Forever Young (1992)
Rate:
6
Viewed:
4/25
4/25:
Although I saw Forever Young back then, I didn't realize it was a box-office hit.
The first thirty minutes didn't click with me, and I thought I was in for a long boredom. By the time the
two boys showed up, my potential rating was dropping faster than a rock. Finally, Jamie Lee
Curtis entered the picture, and it started to get better because she developed instant connection with
everybody, allowing Mel Gibson to get into his groove for the first time.
From thereon, the story got better and better. I was ready to give the film a '7' until the boy decided to
join Daniel and Helen at the end while they were having a beautiful moment. What a selfish, awkward thing to do.
Earlier, I could see Daniel rolling his eyes whenever the boy kept pestering him about this or that, and
he would be like, "Now what? Oh, all right...I'll pretend to be your father for a minute, so I can get on with
my damn life."
I don't buy the military forgetting about the submarine coffin that held Daniel inside for fifty-three
years. So is Wilcox telling Daniel there were no records held by the military going that far back.
Yes, they do! Daniel's information will check out based on the people he knew and
his serial number; plus, they will have his picture on file, and it'll match exactly. I love the look
on the black doctor's face when he went, "Oh, silly me...that's right, that's right...," when
he pored through the journals. Like I care.
Anyway, I give Jamie Lee Curtis the most credit for saving Forever Young. Without her, it would've been
hopeless. On the other hand, Mel Gibson is Mel Gibson. When he woke up in 1992, he wasn't
believable as somebody who might be fascinated and surprised by the changes. By the way, that's an excellent
job by the makeup people on his face; it's an Oscar winner if I ever seen one, putting
Mr. Saturday Night to shame. Unfortunately, nobody was recognized for it.
Elijah Wood is the single worst part of the film. If I were everybody, I would use him as a plot device
to open the submarine coffin. Thereafter, he can be safely dumped, and Mel Gibson will take over without a
problem. It's a relief that Nick Stahl was the right choice for
The Man Without a Face the following year.
All in all, Forever Young shows how child stars can spell disaster.