I was expecting the collaboration of Robert Redford and Brad Pitt to be something stellar but the River runs through it is clearly not that film. This is a slow paced meditation by Redford which involves small town politics, fly fishing and the understanding of family dynamics. This isn't a bad movie but more of a tempo that it should be watched in the right frame of mind.

Very good Robert Redford film dealing with a strict minister and his children. The latter grow up and the younger son, a reporter, has a lust for drinking and gambling which cause his ultimate downfall.Tom Skerritt is excellent as the stern minister dad. He comes to see nature as part of his religious training and emphasizes the sport of fly fishing to his young charges.Time periods seem to go very quickly in the film, such as the older boy attending Dartmouth.The usually feisty Brenda Blethyn has a rather benign part as the mother of the two boys. Besides her, I would have liked to have seen more of a character study of Jesse's brother, smitten with Hollywood and a drunk as well. Did he show homosexual tendencies?The nostalgic ending was terrific as we returned to nature to exhibit our values.

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.

It is quite hard to believe, that a movie with so many hateable clichés in it, could turn out to be such a good movie. A River Runs Through It a film directed by Robert Redford, based on the novella by Norman Maclean by the same name, stars Craig Sheffer as the lead Norman Maclean, and Brad Pitt as Norman's little brother Paul Maclean. The movie sticks fairly well to the story for a story of this kind, that doesn't many many cinematic opportunities. Although a few details are sacrificed, it does not take away from the originality of the story. It also adds some of it's own, new touches, that help make the movie more memorable. The adaptation of the film, while not being completely accrete, is able to stay true to the story if that makes any sense. This is why the film A River Runs Through It while not sticking completely to each event of the book the of the same name by Norman Maclean, is able to stay true to the overall story and messages that are portrayed in the book. While adding a little touch of cinema so that the average masses of movie goers won't get to bored. By the time the credits role. The characters in this film, are just the right amount of book adaptation, and the it would already take a very intriguing actor to play the free spirited Paul, but seeing Brad Pitt in the role, just makes it even more interesting. Craig Sheffer, while not p ache viewing such stardom as Brad Pitt, still is able to play his role in the movie very effectively. These two leads, realistically, couldn't have been cast any better. Of course there are other side characters that weren't as perfectly cast. Norm and Paul's father didn't particularly fit in the role. Almost everyone who read the book probably imagined him as more of a big rugged guy, even if her was a preacher, that is how the book portrayed him. Not to mention Paul's beautiful Native American girlfriend p, who was neither beautiful, or Native American. But this is just nitpicking, since no film can have a perfect cast, and the two brothers are enough to keep this movie afloat nicely.The theme is something that movies can get very wrong, very easily, in book to movie. adaptations. Especially when dealing with a theme such as the one in this book, which is confusing to the most advanced reader. The film makers were treading on thin ice, when they took up this part of the story. But, to their credit, they don't just portray the theme accurately, they make it easier to understand. With a story such as this one, with such a narrative and underlying meaning in it's characters. The theme is not just being waved right in your face, and screaming that it's the theme. Your have to search for it, and even then it's very hard to understand. It one of those themes where you read the whole book, and came find all the little details, and put them all together, and your starting at complete nonsense. The movie decides to uncork the nonsense for you, while still not shoving it in your face, so obnoxiously, as films tend to do with their themes. The actors also certainly know what their young to portray their theme. With their clear use of meaning in their lines, and just how subtlety the can lay on the emotion. It's clear the message in A River Runs Though It isn't one that's going away any time soon. So on the whole, even if the movie did have a few things that seem to crop up in movies are less than appetizing, (seeing a girl from acrossed to room at a party, and falling in love with her, the strict parent, the reckless decision as youth, that could have killed them, but they turn out okay anyway). However the movie was a successful adaption of the book it is named after. It's characters are for the most part, well adapted, and it's theme is clear. Little more can be asked of a movie adaptation of a book. This movie is one that is sure to please, fans of the classic short story, and true movie lovers a like. Although if your a person who only likes big studio movies, who favors big explosions, among other unrealistically big things on the screen at all times, I'd leave this one out of your collection. But if your like so many other classic movie lovers out there, this is a movie for you, just try and see passed all the obsessive fly fishing.