i must have seen a different film!!

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

There is perhaps no better illustration of poetry in motion than the fluid rhythm of casting a fly fisherman's rod. The scenes of Reverend Maclean (Tom Skerritt) and his sons Norman (Craig Sheffer) and Paul (Brad Pitt) fly fishing in the Big Blackfoot had an almost hypnotic effect on this viewer; if only I could pursue the art of casting a fly rod with such grace. The story will resonate with those affected by father/son relationships, and possibly even more for anyone who has, or had, a brother who meant as much to them as Norman and Paul did for each other in this film. It wasn't until I finished watching this movie that I found out it was based on the real life story of Norman Maclean, an American author and scholar who published a book under the same title as the picture ('A River Runs Through It and Other Stories').With Robert Redford helming the movie as director, I couldn't help notice a number of scenes in which Brad Pitt resembled the iconic actor using Redford's charm and mannerisms. Redford himself would have been ideal in the role of Paul Maclean had the picture been made some three decades earlier. In one of his earliest starring film roles, Pitt exudes the charisma and charm that would eventually make him a celebrity and star of the first order.There is some irony in Paul's statement to brother Norman as quoted in my summary line above. Vowing never to leave Montana following Norman's invitation to move to Chicago with him and his new wife, Paul's demons eventually caught up with him to insure that his vow would be fulfilled. What led to Paul's death can be conjectured from the type of life he led and the type of people he became indebted to, leaving unresolved the relationship he shared earlier in the story with an Indian girl. Taken in it's entirety, "A River Runs Through It" is as much a testament to Paul's short life as it is to his older brother's.

I count this among my favorite films, one I can watch time and again without getting bored. Beautifully shot and acted, and with a memorable score, it's a perfect way to pass the time on a rainy afternoon (like today).Plot in a nutshell: two brothers, Norman and Paul, take divergent paths on the way to manhood in early 1900s Montana.Perhaps this film speaks so effectively to me because I, like Norman, grew up with one brother (although, unlike Norman, I am the younger of the two). And like them, my brother and I share some similarities, but we are more different than we are alike. No differences, though, are strong enough to overcome the fraternal bond that unites them. Both in their youth and young adulthood, you see Norman and Paul "being there for each other" when push comes to shove.Some reviewers have stated the film is boring; I don't see that. Perhaps they were looking for an action/adventure film, I am not sure. This is drama, pure and simple, and done on an exemplary scale. It's like "Little Women," but for guys, and instead of four sisters, you have two brothers, Norman and Paul. We see their triumphs, their failures, their relationships....but most of all, we see that bond they share, shining through. I've always taken that as the theme of 'running through it'...their family bonds, and their fraternal bond with each other. It's a deep film, in that way. It can be uplifting, but also tragic; a sheer reflection of life itself.I've loved the film since I first saw it in '92, and my opinion hasn't changed. Even the music is wonderful; I bought the CD for the soundtrack I liked it that much (CDs, I know, but c'mon, this was 1992 after all!). Watching "A River Runs Through It" is like catching up with an old friend; every few years I make sure to revisit it, because it's time well spent.10/10. Poignant coming-of-age tale which also won the Oscar for Best Cinematography, and was nominated for Best Original Score. Would I watch again (Y/N)?: Absolutely, yes.

A superbly cast, well acted, exceptionally well shot film with lots of production values, but no plot elements to hold it together.This films looks at a time gone by. Early turn of the century Americana (or a decade or so after) in the Midwest, and specifically Montana. The cinematography is fairly well crafted, and the actors and on set people all do their jobs.But where's the story?The copy on the DVD box says this is a character study. Okay, but what about this character makes him interesting? The fact that he's a minister's son? That he dates women others might not? In the midst of a very picturesque location with lots of period props and costumes, there is absolutely nothing here to hold your attention.Does he engage in courtship with these women? Did he get his cues from another character who had loose morals? We don't really know, nor are we given any real insight, other than he's degenerating until he meets his end. And even then we don't get insight as to why it happened, though we can sort of piece things together.It's a film that looks like a masterpiece, but is ultimately pretty devoid of any feeling other than looking like it should have been more than it is.

The story about two sons of a stern minister (Tom Skerritt) -- one reserved, one rebellious -- growing up in rural Montana while devoted to fly fishing.This is one of those films that catapulted Brad Pitt to stardom. In fact, it may be the very film that did, since it was not "Thelma and Louise" and he was fairly established by the time "Interview with the Vampire" came out. So, good job, Brad! This is just a nice drama about two brothers in Montana. You know, nothing too exciting, but just a nicely scripted, well-acted story. And having Robert Redford narrate and direct is a nice touch. He really knows how to craft a story, making even the mundane worth watching.