Rob Reiner's name used to be associated with acclaimed blockbusters—classics like When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, Stand by Me, Misery, This Is Spinal Tap, and of course, The Princess Bride. But Reiner's more recent output as a director have veered toward more schmaltzy fare, taking toll on a once great career. Even if (like me) you enjoyed 2010's Flipped and 2007's The Bucket List, even those don't measure up to Reiner's heyday.

Things aren't getting any better. Reiner's The Magic of Belle Isle ranks alongside the average direct-to-video Christian film or a Hallmark channel movie. Though a well-intended effort, it's hard to believe Reiner's name is attached to something this contrived and clumsy in scripting and pacing. Fortunately, Belle Isle has an ace in the hole: Morgan Freeman. The esteemed actor with the soft, commanding voice could probably get away with reading the phonebook on film and still offer some entertainment value.

Morgan Freeman as Monte

Morgan Freeman as Monte

Freeman is virtually a one-man-show as Monte Wildhorn, a once great writer of Westerns coping with alcoholism and confinement to a wheelchair. Nephew Henry (Saturday Night Live's Kenan Thompson) recognizes the need to get his uncle out of his crotchety routine and inspire him to write again. He enlists Monte as house-sitter and dog-sitter for the summer in the small lakeside town of Belle Isle (not to be confused with the island off the coast of France).

Upon Monte's arrival, the film wastes no time introducing us to the O'Neil family, his next-door neighbors for the summer. Charlotte (Virginia Madsen) is a mother dealing with the pain of a new divorce, and has relocated her three girls from New York City to make a fresh start. Teenager Willow struggles with being away from her friends and her father. Six-year-old Flora is also in need of a father figure in a different way, looking for loving care. And 10-year-old tomboy Finnegan wants to learn how to write stories. Could there possibly be a more Monte-shaped scenario to step into?

We know exactly what to expect from here. Monte is destined to befriend the O'Neils, stepping in as a father figure and friend for the girls while nurturing Finn's desire to write. Nothing wrong with some predictability and schmaltz, especially if a film inspires and amuses through its observational drama and humor. The problem with Belle Isle, however, is that it's so contrived that little of it is ever truly believable.

Virginia Madsen as Charlotte

Virginia Madsen as Charlotte

Shortly after Monte moves in, another neighbor arrives. Al Kaiser (Fred Willard) invites Monte over for the funeral of a local resident. Despite Monte's protests ("I didn't know the man!"), he shows up, mostly for the free beer. Then Al, clearly a fan of Monte's work, insists that Monte recite the man's eulogy for the guests. What stranger does this? Yet despite Monte's objections (not to mention his alcohol level), he reads it flawlessly, as only Morgan Freeman could.

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Before long, the O'Neil family invites Monte over for dinner. Notwithstanding his constant grousing and desire to be left alone, Monte seems to flip some internal switch and behaves as the model of cordiality and charm. He even volunteers to sing for them after dinner. Again, only Morgan Freeman.

Realistic character development is a consistent issue for Belle Isle. People are quickly introduced, only to change personalities even more quickly. Where's the drama in that? As prickly and unhappy Monte seems to be in the first 20 minutes, everyone in town is warm and receptive to him—and he's all too happy to oblige. Of course Monte is especially charmed by the O'Neil girls, particularly Charlotte, as shown in an odd and slightly creepy romantic dream involving both of them.

Belle Isle also fails as a mentoring film. Here's an opportunity to depict the art of writing and convey the power of imagination to kids in a fresh way, yet all Monte has to offer Finn is fortune cookie advice like "tell about what you don't see." Moreover, one of the first things Finn is shown doing in the movie is spinning a tall tale to scare her younger sister. She doesn't really need Monte's writing advice as much as his encouragement. What should be a sweet-natured budding friendship ends up being lame and clichéd.

Freeman is excellent—his conversations with the dog, though sometimes forced, are frequently the cute and funny highlights—and Madsen is luminous, but the charm of the leads can only carry this movie so far. The younger girls aren't given enough to make a lasting impression, and all the other actors are relegated to mere cameos.

Freeman on the set with director Rob Reiner

Freeman on the set with director Rob Reiner

It's a pokey little movie with an awkward flow, flat humor, and pat answers. Instead of exposition that naturally builds to conflict and a climax, it merely plods along with a simple conclusion that hardly makes the movie worthwhile. Belle Isle is a redeeming story, but as family fare, kids and adults will mostly find it dull and underdeveloped.

The secret to Reiner's past success as a director/producer seems to be choosing great books and plays for adaptation, including collaboration with the late great Nora Ephron for When Harry Met Sally. When he tries to offer originality as a writer/co-writer, it feels anything but. Seems like Reiner has lost his own magic touch.

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Talk About It

Discussion starters
  1. When asked why he gave up writing, Monte says it was for the same reason he gave up religion: "God confided in me he's an atheist." What do you think he means? Has he truly given up on God? How would you respond to a comment like that?
  2. What is Monte's reason for being in the wheelchair? How does the adage, "One door closes, another one opens," apply to both his past and his present in this movie? How is Monte's character ultimately redeemed?
  3. What does each O'Neil girl need to heal from the divorce, including Charlotte? How does Monte fill that need for each of them? What need do the O'Neils fill for Monte?
  4. What is the "magic" referred to in the title of this movie? Is it related to the location of Belle Isle itself, or something else?

The Family Corner

For parents to consider

The Magic of Belle Isle is rated PG for mild thematic elements and language including some suggestive comments. There's a fair amount of profanity for a family-oriented film, most of it mild; misuse of Jesus' name included, though a girl gets in trouble for doing so. A particularly vulgar clown makes a rude sexual comment about Charlotte. Also, Monte is shown regularly drinking whiskey and beer as if it were water.

The Magic of Belle Isle
Our Rating
2 Stars - Fair
Average Rating
 
(12 user ratings)ADD YOURSHelp
Mpaa Rating
PG (for mild thematic elements and language including some suggestive comments)
Genre
Directed By
Rob Reiner
Run Time
1 hour 49 minutes
Cast
Morgan Freeman, Virginia Madsen, Madeline Carroll
Theatre Release
July 06, 2012 by Magnolia Pictures
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