Quartile rating: 8.5/10 · 3 ratings
The Maclean brothers, Paul and Norman, live a relatively idyllic life in rural Montana, spending much of their time fly fishing. The sons of a minister, the boys eventually part company when Norman moves east to attend college, leaving his rebellious brother to find trouble back home. When Norman finally returns, the siblings resume their fishing outings, and assess where they've been and where they're going.
A River Runs Through It is distinguished primarily by its breathtaking cinematography — Philippe Rousselot won an Oscar for his luminous capture of Montana's rivers and landscapes, which elevates the film well above average visually. The plot is gentle and episodic rather than dramatically propulsive, a meditative character study that works better as mood piece than narrative engine; it's above average but not exceptional. Acting is solid across the board with Brad Pitt charming and Craig Sheffer earnest, though neither delivers a truly transformative performance. Novelty is moderate — the semi-autobiographical, lyrical literary adaptation has precedents, and while Redford's direction has a distinctive elegiac tone, it doesn't reinvent the form. The ending is poignant and quietly moving with its famous voiceover coda, but follows naturally from what precedes it without surprising or stunning.