I decided to watch this last night, on a whim, and was pleasantly surprised. I haven't always been a big Jason Sudeikis fan. He did start to win me over a little in the "We're the Millers" film, but I think I'm completely on board now! Ed Harris, on the other hand, has always been on my favorites list. He shows why in this film! I think I liked this movie more than I realized last night.
Matt Ryder (Sudeikis) works for a record label, signing rock bands. He's had massive luck in the past, but he hasn't been able to sign any major bands in some time. After loosing what would be a huge artist, he is facing being fired. He promises his boss that he will be signing a highly sought after band that has rejected him in the recent past.
As Matt looks for refuge in his office, he is greeted by Zoe (Elizabeth Olsen), a very beautiful woman who explains that she is the nurse of his estranged father, Ben (Harris), who is dying from cancer. Ben is a famous photographer who was absent for most of Ben's life.
There is a high level of resentment that Matt holds for his father, and isn't interested in seeing him. Zoe explains that Ben wants to drive from New York to Kansas in order to develop some roles of film that Ben took in his past. The company that is able to develop the Kodachrome film will be closing and the film will not ever be able to be developed again.
Matt decides to visit Ben, after much debate from Zoe. Matt is greeted by both Zoe and Larry (Dennis Haysbert), Ben's agent. They inform Matt further on Ben's diagnosis as Matt makes his way into his fathers room. We quickly find that Ben is quite the asshole, not only to Matt, but to most people around him. Matt leaves abruptly, vowing to not see his father again.
It isn't until later that night, when Matt receives a call from Larry with the offer of getting Matt a sit down meeting with the very band that Matt is seeking to sign in exchange for taking Ben on his journey to Kansas. Matt begrudgingly agrees. And Zoe is, of course, going with them.
The trip is not an easy one. Ben, being old school, demands the trip be completely analog; while Matt is set on using GPS, and listening to digital music. Father and son butt heads at every impasse. Luckily for Matt, the beautiful Zoe is a welcome distraction. Along the way, Ben requests to stop at his brother's house. It was Ben's Brother Dean (Bruce Greenwood) and Sister-in-Law Sarah (Wendy Crewson) who raised Matt after his mother died when Matt was 13.
Ben's arrival seems very off-putting by both Dean and Sarah, who are also very happy to see Matt. During the visit, some drinking occurs and Matt and Zoe share their first "moment" in a budding attraction on both parties. However, the next morning, Ben reveals that he and Sarah had had a very brief encounter before she and Dean were married. The ripples from this omission call for a prompt departure from the traveling threesome.
Finally arriving in Kansas, Matt and company proceed to deliver Ben's film to the small development company where Matt witnesses a group of professional photographers thank his father for his work. They are expressing how important Ben's work was to them and exclaiming that it was Ben's work that led them into photography and some very successful careers.
Matt has never seen this side of Ben, and slowly starts to realize how important his father's work has been. You can see the sense of astonishment seep onto Matt's face. You see his forgiveness for his fathers past. Now it's time for Matt to have the meeting with his rock band.
As Matt gets a verbal confirmation from the band, the members notice that Ben has lost control of his bodily functions and start to mock him. Zoe rushes Ben from the room, but manages to overhear Matt as he rescinds the offer to the band and scolds them for their actions.
Ben, in a fit a rage and embarrassment, fires Zoe, who seeks out the company of Matt in a nearby bar. As the two begin to drink, one thing quickly leads to another and we find Zoe inviting Matt into her room. Fast forward to the morning, and Matt finds Zoe in a manic state, collecting her things as she jettison's to the airport, leaving Matt to care for Ben.
As Matt arrives to collect Ben from his room, he finds that his father has fallen and is then rushed to the local hospital. It's here that Matt is told that his father is being kept comfortable, and will be unable to travel back home. However, Matt has other ideas! Matt kidnaps Ben and they travel back to the area where they wait the processing of the film. Because of the crowd of analog photographers ascending on the small town, Matt and Ben are forced to share a room. It is upon Matt's exiting of the shower that he discovers that Ben, his father, has succumb to his cancer.
We see the body of Ben being wheeled from the hotel while a gathering of photographers line the path with their cameras facing the sky in memoriam to their fallen idol. Later, Larry accompanies Matt at a diner near the photolab, where Matt is soon presented with the photos and slides from his fathers roles of Kodachrome. It is then explained that these shots were meant for Matt to see, and not to be shared with the public.
Matt travels back to New York and back to his fathers home. He tries to contact Zoe with no avail. Matt decides to chase his dreams, and to not give up on things that are important to him. You see him pick up his fathers drum sticks and start playing. Finally, Matt enters his fathers viewing room. He loads the slides and see himself. He see him as a baby, playing with his deceased mother. He sees himself the way his father saw him, as an innocent child, being loved. As he is consuming and accepting the fact that his father did actually love and care for him, Zoe returns.
This is a very touching story that reminds us that we never really know how someone else sees us. We never really know what's inside of the people who know us. Even our parents. Unless you're a parent, you'll never know the love that they have for their children. I tell my kids this all the time. This was a very touching story and moving. I'm very glad that I stumbled upon this film.
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