'The Ballad of Jack and Rose' tells the story of an ailing radical, living a seemingly idyllic life with his daughter, but with his future threatened by the twin threats of development and his own impending mortality. The real theme is sustainability, in it's broadest sense: Jack's world is environmentally sustainable, but not emotionally or economically so. There are some good performances, and the drama stops short of providing simple resolutions as Jack and Rose look to the future. There is some idealisation, however, of their disappearing lives: writer-director Rebecca Miller gives Jack an inheritance, to free him from the need to make compromises in his life, and a disease (a weak heart) he can bear nobly. The totality of Rose's isolation from the world also seems slightly exaggerated - it seems that, in the normal run of things, that the only person she speaks to is her father. I still liked the film, however; and was moved at its end.

Daniel Day Lewis is an incredible actor, he is wonderful to watch but...while I was watching this movie I was thinking to myself "why in the world did D.D.L. make this piece of crap movie?" I feel it was an amazing talent wasted. The script didn't have enough meat in it for D.D.L.'s powerful acting ability. It had the 'potential' to be a good movie, but the directing, the timing, the flow, the storytelling ability, it just didn't work. And Beau Bridges, that whole story line was just weird and didn't make much sense. Sorry I know a lot you loved it, but it was boring, and it was a stinker....don't waste your time watching this.

This is a droll tale about some feral wookie types and their problems dealing with normal human behavior. Yeah you know the types with their shaggy hair and no shoes working out all night because they refuse to turn on the heater. If you are into really long pauses and reflection scenes coupled with silence and minutes passing uneventful I would recommend this yawner. Don't get too excited though ... or fall asleep cause in the end aliens come and change the whole thing... just kidding nothing happens... thats what happens... nothing. Some OK mandolin during the credits though I give it that (the whole script was probably written while this music droned) All in all i recommend this title for senior citizens with heart conditions, Jahovas Witnesses, Mormans, fridged women, and rehab clients. ... any one with strong emotional dependency issues really.

The acting is terrific, of course, with Daniel Day-Lewis and Catherine Keener headlining here, but the script is just all over the place and never has a real clear direction in where it's going. The beginning grabbed me and I felt like this was going to be a touching story, but as soon as Kathleen and her two sons came to move in with Jack and Rose, everything fell apart. As I said before, the acting is wonderful, the direction is smooth, and the dialogue is good, but I simply couldn't help but wonder why the film went in the direction it went. It seems that we are supposed to feel sympathetic for these characters, but both Jack and Rose are simply irrational and much too isolated for their own good. It starts well, but as a whole, this film spirals off into a world of confusion.