Max Rose (2016)

Well Deserved Praise

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Max Rose (2013) *** (out of 4) Max Rose (Jerry Lewis) is a former jazz pianist who at the age of eight-one must deal with the death of his wife. Her death takes an even worse turn for Max who discovers that she might have had an affair on him years earlier when he was away from home.MAX ROSE is a film that barely got a theatrical release, which really is a shame. The film made the rounds for a while and people were screaming in hopes that Lewis would get one final Oscar-nomination but that wasn't to be. The film hardly got noticed by anyone and the critics who did see it pretty much ripped it apart. The reviews were quite bad and I must admit that I went into the film with low expectations and was pleasantly shocked at how entertaining it was. Yes, there are certainly flaws in the picture but it was meant to give Lewis a find curtain call and in my opinion it did so perfectly.The story itself is fairly simple and on a stylish level there's nothing extraordinary here. If you're expecting some sort of grade A picture then this isn't that. In fact, I guess one could argue that this is almost on a Lifetime type of level but what makes the film so entertaining is the fact that the cast is so excellent but more on that in a bit. I thought writer-director Daniel Noah did a nice job with the material as it really did a good job at looking at someone at the end of their life who is now having to make dramatic changes while also wondering if his entire life was a lie.I thought the story was good enough to keep you glued to what was going on and the film was actually pretty darn depressing at times. What made all of this possible was the wonderful cast and the performances that they brought. Kerry Bishe deserves a lot of credit as she plays the granddaughter and delivers a very good performance. You've got Kevin Pollack playing the son who battles with his father. You've get great performances from the likes of Fred Willard, Claire Bloom and Lee Weaver. Then there's Dean Stockwell who shows up late and really delivers a powerful performance.Finally, there's Jerry Lewis. I've always thought he was a highly underrated dramatic actor and that his greatest performance was THE KING OF COMEDY. He's excellent here and even though he doesn't have much dialogue he does a lot of physical acting with his eyes and just his body movements. I thought his performance was extremely good and it showed what he was capable of doing. As I said, the film is flawed and has its issues. It clocks in at just 83-minutes with the credits but what makes this so special is the fact that it gave Lewis a final lead role and one he did wonders with.

Jerry Lewis was cast in this slobbering bore-fest about an old geezer whom has recently lost his wife.The most sore-thumb quality about this tripe is the fact that it has no point except to prop up Lewis as a kindly old load whom we're supposed to find irresistible..... I did not. Hopefully this will be his swan song as an actor (by the way, he was NEVER an actor).Lewis was a comedian, nothing more -- and even then, he was funny only when he was funny, which wasn't very often. His pathetic films (especially the ones he directed) have proved that.If nothing else, Lewis' movies over the years (most notably in the 1960's) can be viewed as a poignant exercise in self-aggrandizement, similar to the way he conducted himself on the Labor Day telethons where he always said things like, "What 'I' have tried to do here....". Always "I", not "We".... "My kids", not "Our kids", etc.And for those who are too stupid to realize it (and there are many), Lewis cannot act, he cannot direct, and he certainly cannot sing. Just like any other mediocre performer, Lewis lucked into the position to do whatever he wanted to do in the entertainment industry, so he thinks he's a singer. Having fun in your little fantasy-life there, Jerry? In his lame attempt to feel superior to others, Lewis has never possessed the cognizance to understand that other people (even if they're not 'famous') are worthwhile human beings. Being famous, trying to be humorous, or owning a yacht, is not what makes the man. That comes from the inside. Being a loving person comes from an amiable heart.Most of all, love comes from sincerity which allows a person to accept and help others. Jerry didn't get that, he just never got it. Not when he was pan-handling for nickels on those telethons, and certainly not in 'Max Rose'. The audience is only offered a character filled with syrupy vomit which Jerry was hoping would be construed as "charm", an obvious failure.No doubt Lewis was expecting a 'deserved' Oscar for this.... deservedly, he didn't get it.

Just another Jerry Lewis Filmed Fiasco that sat unreleased.... until now, unfortunately. No doubt to prove that he's still relevant in some way, Lewis has allowed humanity to be 'graced' with this ridiculously sappy movie about the widower life of an old fart (Lewis, type-casted).Lewis putters around bumping into things, the camera incessantly zooming in for the close-up so we can see just how 'loveable' and 'cuddly' he really is -- yes, this is a science-fiction flick, folks. But at least Jerry doesn't try to sing!.... there IS a God! Jerry's fake pomposity is in tow once again. Pass on this matza ball of a film.

Greetings again from the darkness. It's pretty rare that an actor goes twenty plus years between lead roles, but such is the case for the legendary comedian and Muscular Dystrophy telethon host Jerry Lewis. Writer/director Daniel Noah's film was shown at Cannes Film Festival in 2013 as part of the tribute to Lewis, but it's taken about three years for it to gain any type of United States distribution.The film begins with a grief-stricken Max Rose (Lewis) dealing with the death of Eva, his wife of 65 years (played by the great Claire Bloom). We see Eva in flashbacks to little life moments, and also as an apparition and conversation partner as Max tries to solve the mystery of a 1959 make-up case … it's a mystery that could destroy Max's memories and the accepted version of his life.Max is being looked after on a regular basis by his doting granddaughter (Kerry Bishe) and periodically by his son (Kevin Pollack), who has more than enough stress in his own life. Max, a retired jazz pianist, has clearly never been the warmest or most open of gents, and the eulogy he delivers at Eva's funeral can best be described as self-centered.Soon enough, Max has moved into an assisted-living facility and the best scenes of the film find him re-discovering life with the likes of Rance Howard, Lee Weaver and Mort Sahl. Unfortunately this sequence is short-lived and Max is back on the trail of the mystery make-up case … which leads him to the mansion of a movie producer named Ben (or BS, if you're looking for a punchline). Dean Stockwell and Jerry Lewis are two screen veterans who know how to work off of one another, but just aren't given much to work within their time together.And that's probably the film's greatest weakness … it leans heavily on nostalgia. Seeing Jerry Lewis (age 90 today) back on screen generates a warm feeling – as do Ms. Bloom and the other old-timers, but the story is just too simple to provide any real insight or commentary on aging, loss, or family stress or secrets. The combination of nostalgia and sentimentality can work provided there is more depth – something that's simply lacking with our story and characters.Mr. Lewis gamely plays an unsympathetic character, and does capture the cantankerous nature that we've all witnessed in some elderly folks. There is even a laugh out loud moment featuring knitted pot holders, and we do get Lewis in a red clown nose – fortunately without his "Hey Lady!" voice. What's missing is the depth required if one plans to tackle a theme like making peace with the past … especially when the past isn't there to defend herself.