A River Runs Through It (1992)

This has to be the first movie I've seen because of its poster. Specifically, I learned of its existence from a large poster on a classroom door. While I haven't been in school since 2004 and I had no reason to value that one professor's cinematic taste, it just looked so pleasantly...peaceful. And that's what I was in the mood for.

Based on a semi-autobiography, it takes place in Missoula, Montana, for a good stretch of the first half of the 20th century. Minister John Maclean (Tom Skerritt) rather strictly home-schools sons Norman (Craig Sheffer) and slightly younger Paul (early Brad Pitt) with special emphasis on Presbyterian values and, almost equally, fly fishing. By adulthood, Norman comes a bit closer to the former of his father's ideals, taking a university position in Chicago. Paul, refusing to leave his hometown, boasts some important connections as a newspaperman but seems less respectable to polite society, with such habits as drinking and gambling into debt. When Norman returns, the brotherly love is a little shaky, tho shared fishing experience doesn't hurt.

Major subplots concern women in their lives. Norman tries to impress one Jessie, but culture clash with her family, especially her brother Neal, complicates matters. Paul takes a Blackfoot date (whose actress appears to be white) to a segregated joint, adding to his already dangerous lifestyle.

I had expected something pretty quaint, but "low-key" may be a better term for it. There's a little too much of an edge for quaintness, despite the PG rating. Prostitutes, curse words, and the occasional fistfight will do that.

Ultimately, I failed to detect much of a unifying theme. This may be a common risk for adaptations from true stories with long time frames. IMDb comments discuss the significance of the fishing scenes and a religious undercurrent, but both totally escaped me. I couldn't even have told you a good reason for the title.

Indeed, those comments suggest that the film's biggest fans are also fans of fishing and/or theism. The sport doesn't begin to interest me, and my craving for theology sputtered years ago. I have to call this choice of viewing a misfire for myself. I almost didn't bother to review it.

Looking back, I wonder if Robert Redford's direction had something to do with my dissatisfaction. Ordinary People was good enough that I could respect its Best Picture win, and Quiz Show was OK, but nothing else registers highly enough to entice me. ARRTI may well be the last picture I see in which Redford stood behind the camera.