Ulee's Gold (1997) Reviews

I wonder how I ended up watching this flick. Maybe I was eager to see Jessica Biel in her acting debut? Anyway, even though it is a really obscure flick, I thought it was actually not bad at all and I was above all impressed by Peter Fonda. Peter Fonda never really had what you could call a stellar career and became above all famous as a counter-culture figure in the 60’s. The biggest appeal with this flick is that Fonda got to play a drastically different character, a quiet and introverted man, something quite different than the free spirit he portrayed in ‘Easy Rider’. Apparently, it was also a way for him to channel his father, the great Henry Fonda, possibly one of the greatest thespians that ever lived but apparently not the easiest father to communicate with. Obviously, Peter Fonda was praised for his portrayal and it was definitely deserved since he really carried the movie on his shoulders. Concerning the movie itself, I thought it was pretty good but nothing really amazing. Basically, without the impressive performance by Fonda, this flick didn’t have much to offer, I’m afraid. To conclude, even though it was not really groundbreaking, it remains a pretty good drama and I think it is definitely worth a look. 

Peter Fonda is no 'Easy Rider' in this movie, in fact I don't even think he was awake during filming. This may have been one of, if not, the most boring films I have ever seen. I honestly don't think there was a point to this film, where was the plot, where was the drama, where was the acting, where was anything? Ulee's Gold? More like Ulee's Fools Gold.