Well, It Was At Least Average..."The Ultimate Life"

The Ultimate Life (2013)

PG

Starring Jason Stevens, Ali Hillis, Austin James, Drew Waters, James Garner

Directed by Michael Landon Jr.

The Story:

Jason Stevens (Bartholomew) is at a crossroads in his life.  Being sued by the family for control of the fortune left to him by his grandfather, Red Stevens (Garner).  With the woman he loves (Hillis) set to leave to put her doctor skills to good use in an impoverished nation, will he discover what is truly important by once again turning to his grandfather's journals?

While that is the story, it barely registers as maybe 15 minutes of the running time.  This is what opens and closes the movie.

Instead, the heart of the movie flashes back to young Red Stevens (James) as a teenager who has no desire to be in school, and once war breaks out, joins to save the world.

Then a fast forward to an older Red (Waters) who is struggling to make it as an oilman in Texas.

Red's drive makes him rich, but he realizes toward the end of his life that there are more important things to life than money.

It's a lesson that his grandson figured out, but not the rest of the family.

Of course, Jason will realize that the woman he loves is more important than any fortune, and the movie ties up mostly as you would expect.


Though it does have the odd cliffhanger of whether or not the litigation gets settled in the family.

Ah well.

Final Grade: C/C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'd have to let this one go.