Search

Signs Of Life

1989, Movie, PG-13, 91 mins

Signs Of Life: Review

starstarstarstar
SIGNS OF LIFE, which was coproduced by PBS' American Playhouse, suffers from the usual PBS-sponsored symptoms: despite excellent acting and vivid visuals, it's ultimately too bland and contrived to be very rewarding. Set in a dying seaside town in Maine, the action revolves around the last day of business at the boatyard owned by crotchety old shipbuilder Owen Couglin (Arthur Kennedy). Having built their last boat, Owen and his employees (Beau Bridges, Kevin J. O'Connor, Vincent Philip D'Onofrio, and Michael Lewis) must look for new work and start new lives--a difficult, humbling task that entails the unpacking of considerable emotional baggage, though the film ends on a predictably upbeat note. SIGNS OF LIFE is certainly heartfelt, but it is also gratingly earnest and cliched. Moments of genuine subtlety are defeated by the script's ham-handed symbolism, and the use of some very hoary screenwriter's ploys (the retarded character who forces others to learn more about themselves; the ghost that bedevils Owen's conscience) is especially annoying. Kennedy had made his acting debut in CITY FOR CONQUEST in 1940 and went on to appear in more than 60 features, including THE LUSTY MEN, THE DESPERATE HOURS, and ELMER GANTRY. He hadn't appeared in a film in a nearly a decade before this one, and died shortly after the film was released. leave a comment
Advertisement

Shop

Steven Curtis Chapman - Signs Of Life
Buy Steven Curtis Chapman - Signs Of Life from Amazon.com
From Hal Leonard Corporation (Paperback)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy New: $11.66
Signs Of Life: Channelsurfing through '90s Culture
Buy Signs Of Life: Channelsurfing through '90s Culture from Amazon.com
From Manic D Press, Inc. (Paperback)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy New: $12.95

more Signs Of Life products

Advertisement

Related Websites

You might be also interested in the following websites:

Most Popular TV Shows

  1. Dancing with the Stars
  2. The Game
  3. NCIS
  4. American Idol
  5. Wife Swap
more popular tv shows

Most Popular Celebrities

  1. Oprah Winfrey
  2. Carrie Prejean
  3. Mike Tyson
  4. Carrie Underwood
  5. Lou Dobbs
more popular celebrities

Most Popular Movies

  1. A Christmas Carol
  2. This Is It
  3. Men Who Stare At Goats
  4. The Fourth Kind
  5. Paranormal Activity
more popular movies

Top Videos

  1. South Park
  2. Saturday Night Live
  3. V
  4. NCIS
  5. Desperate Housewives
more top videos