Tuck Everlasting Review
Posted by Ashish on 10.15.2002
Disney brings this classic childhood story to life in a big, beautiful way.
Tuck Everlasting
Release Date: October 11th, 2002
Tuck Everlasting holds a special place in my heart. It, to this day, ranks as my favorite childhood story and one that swirls up fond memories of my carefree days. With that said, I had somewhat mixed feelings when I heard that Disney was turning the story into a major motion picture. Afterall, Disney has shown in the past that they have no reservations about changing and molding an already classic story as they see fit.
For those who have not read the book, Tuck Everlasting is a story aimed at young children, but raises topics rarely ever presented to 9 and 10 year olds, life and death. The story is about a young girl who meets a family that has discovered a fountain of youth and will never die. It presented complex topics such as the value of life, the circle of life, and questions of ones own mortality to children, but did so in a way that came off perfectly and made the story a classic.
The movie centers around two principle themes, love and immortality. Alexis Bledel, a relative newcomer, plays Winnie Foster, a 15 year old girl living a somewhat isolated lifestyle. Her desire and curiosity for adventure leads her to explore surrounding areas, and this leads her to the Tuck family, specifically Jesse Tuck (played by Jonathan Jackson). The two grow a budding romance centered around a crucial secret that the Tuck family is hiding – they have found a fountain of youth; they are immortal. From there on, the movie raises questions about immortality and living life to its fullest. Winnie learns that immortality, as good as it may sound at times, is a mixed-blessing at best, possibly even a curse. The story is deep, perplexing, adventurous, and romantic all in one. Winnie can drink water from the fountain of youth and forever stay 15 with her love Jesse, or go on with the rollercoaster that is life. Is immortality a blessing or a curse? The movie shows the consequences of each path in marveling fashion.
The movie does make some changes to the original story. The date has changed from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s (1914 to be exact). The most obvious change is Disney’s decision to put much of the focus on the romance between Tuck and Foster. The romance adds a lot to the book-movie transition and creates more of a hook that reels the audience in.
One of the hardest challenges that movies based on classic books have to deal with is capturing the magic of the book on the screen. Tuck Everlasting does that. It brings to life the fantasy that was the book and engrosses the viewer in a world of awe and wonder.
The setting and costume design are top notch. Director Jay Russell does a magnificent job of recreating 1914, a crucial time in the history of the United States when the country was establishing a firm identity for itself and switching basis from rural to urban.
Russell also has an amazing cast to work with. Although new, both Bledel and Jackson do a very good job of playing the two main characters, creating the innocence, puppy love, fantasy, and wonder that is needed to make this story work. Bledel shows tremendous range in her performance, which will definitely get her some attention. The supporting cast features, among others, Sissy Spacek, William Hurt, and Ben Kingsley, all of whom deliver super performances that help round out the movie.
I will not reveal the ending since you owe it to yourself to see it. However, it will leave the audience thinking about the questions the movie raises. This type of film is rarely aimed at children, which makes it even more impressive. Disney does a masterful job of raising complex questions in a way that younger people can understand.
The cinematography is also, at times, beautiful and breathtaking, capturing amazing landscapes and settings.
The 411: Tuck Everlasting is one of the surprise films of 2002. It is a tour de force full of amazing acting, one of the greatest stories ever penned, and intriguing questions that will leave you with plenty to chew on afterwards. Disney’s version of the classic book does it justice.
