The film follows two men who are given a time-limited life sentence and realize the true value of life as they work through “The Bucket List” together. As they reflect on their lives and explore the meaning of true happiness and living without regrets, the story leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
“The Bucket List” refers to a list of things you want to do before you die. This movie is about two men who are about to die and work together to fulfill the items on The Bucket List. For many of us, the thought of death is uncomfortable. It’s often a topic we want to avoid, and even thinking about it can make us feel uncomfortable. However, rather than simply dealing with death, this film makes us realize what we should really cherish in life. Despite this, the movie is never heavy or dark. That’s because the movie is about life, not the dark side of death. As the two main characters work through “The Bucket List,” they reflect on their lives. The movie asks the audience, “Are you living a happy life right now?” As the audience watches these two men reflect on their lives, they also reflect on their own lives.
Two men meet in a hospital room. Carter, a knowledgeable automobile mechanic, and Edward, a wealthy businessman with a very cranky personality, are sentenced to a life of limited duration and share a hospital room. But the two men don’t always get along. Edward resents that he, the owner of the hospital, doesn’t have a private room, and Carter thinks he’s an eccentric and a terrible person. However, the two men, both nearing the end of their lives, gradually grow closer to each other as they realize that they have a mutual sympathy for each other. As they ask questions about each other and get to know each other, they share personal stories and become friends who play cards.
Meanwhile, as Carter approaches the end of his life, he remembers a book called “The Bucket List” given to him by his philosophy professor in college, and he writes down the things he wants to do in his last moments. Edward accidentally drops The Bucket List, and Carter sees it. Edward asks what it is, and when Carter explains it to him, Edward is intrigued by The Bucket List, so he writes down some of the things he wants to do and convinces Carter that he wants to do them all before he dies. It would cost a lot of money to do all of these things, but Edward convinces Carter not to worry about money because money is all he has. After some hesitation, Carter finally accepts his friend’s offer, and the two embark on the adventure of a lifetime to fulfill The Bucket List.
But their trip soon means no more treatments, which means giving up the life that could have been extended. As a family man, Carter faces opposition from his wife. But Carter is determined to follow his friend Edward’s lead, and despite his wife’s staunch opposition, he and Edward embark on a road trip to check off The Bucket List. Skydiving is the first thing Edward and Carter decide they need to do before they die. As they experience the exhilarating thrill of jumping out of an airplane, they also get tattoos, race cars, and have fun in ways they haven’t felt in decades. Along the way, they recapture the freedom and adventure they dreamed of as children and rediscover the small joys of life that have been lost in the daily grind.
Edward and Carter travel the world on private jets, staying in the finest hotels and living in the lap of luxury. In between their thrilling and high-profile plans to hunt in the Serengeti plains and visit the pyramids, they also have the opportunity to reflect on their lives, sharing candid and in-depth conversations about their lives along the way.
As they open up to each other, they learn more and more about each other. In the process, Carter realizes that Edward has a very Jericho heart, especially for his daughter, and that he has painful memories of her. For all his outward strength and seemingly bloodlessness, Edward is a man with a Jericho heart. Carter comes to understand that Edward regrets not being able to repair his relationship with his daughter, and that’s why he tries to maintain a cold and indifferent demeanor.
After a trip to Tibet to see the majesty of the world, the two are forced to return to their normal routine. On their way back to the U.S., Carter stops at his daughter’s house out of the kindness of his heart, and Edward is furious at Carter’s overzealousness, telling him that the trip was just for fun and that he shouldn’t be so intrusive. Edward’s cold words are unkind, and with that, Carter goes back to his normal routine, and Carter is happy to be back in the arms of his loving family. But when Carter’s illness worsens, he collapses and is rushed to the hospital, and Edward, who had coldly dismissed Carter as if he would never see him again, rushes to the hospital to show his unwavering friendship for Carter. Carter also reveals to Edward that the coffee Luwak that Edward has been enjoying so much is actually coffee made from cat feces, and the two of them have a “laugh like crazy” session.
Leaving the hospital with Carter, who no longer has any hope of survival, Edward visits his estranged daughter in an attempt to heal his old wounds. Edward breaks through the cold façade he has built up over the years and attempts to reconcile with his daughter. By reconnecting with his daughter, Edward is able to release the inner pain that has plagued him for so many years. Contrary to Edward’s fears, his cold daughter welcomes him with open arms, and his granddaughter kisses him on the cheek, fulfilling the item on his list of “kiss the prettiest girl. In this moment, Edward regains the precious value of his life that he had lost and realizes the true meaning of happiness.
In the meantime, Carter has passed away before Edward. At Carter’s funeral, Edward confesses to the people that Carter helped him live a happy life for three months. Eventually, Edward dies too, and the two of them are cremated, their ashes placed in a coffee tin, and buried on a panoramic mountain top, where they fulfill their last “The Bucket List” and say goodbye to the world.
The movie makes the audience think about the value of life by showing two men traveling before their deaths. We experience the lives of the main characters as they are about to die and ask ourselves, “Am I living a life without regrets?” The protagonists look back on their lives only when death tries to take their breath away. There are happy memories and unhappy memories that they want to fix. Through this process, the audience is encouraged to consider what is truly important in their lives and how to live for those values.
My message is this. Even if we’re busy and don’t have time, we should take a look at our lives once in a while. It’s a small but important step that we can take to avoid living with regrets and to live a happier life. As the old saying goes, “lose a cow, mend a barn”. It means to prepare in advance. In the same way, we need to be prepared. I’m not talking about preparing for death. It’s about preparing for the opportunity to reorganize your life. Then, when you face death, you can say that your life was good.
I’m a blog writer. I want to write articles that touch people’s hearts. I love Coca-Cola, coffee, reading and traveling. I hope you find happiness through my writing.