Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

This is one of the many really good films that the public slips by without notice - their loss. Well done on every level, writing/scripting, the acting is superbly understated and real. Duvall does is usual great job, as does Shirley Mclain. Richard Harris is excellent and Sandra Bullock makes her small role a pleasure to watch. A bit of a tear jerker, but real to life. It's one of those wonderful not so little films that will stick with you long after you have forgotten the title. If you can find a copy don't let it go until you have watched it. Then be sure to share it with friends, they will appreciate the recommendation.

I saw this movie 13 years after it was made and I am stunned at how little attention it received. Robert Duvall was exquisite. Every part was played beautifully but Duvall inhabits the character of Walter so perfectly that I wouldn't have known it was he were I not told. Duvall and Harris are both fabulous as disparate characters at the sunset of their lives and small-town Florida is the ideal location. Smaller parts played by Sandra Bullock, Piper Laurie and Shirley MaClaine are also diamonds. To see such a terrific movie that went unnoticed on its release is more evidence that the studios are being run by children who see no value in anything that doesn't involve car explosions and aliens.

I saw this film by chance, was working at home with the TV humming, and it caught my attention. Didn't do much work! It's a great piece of acting, Duvall is amazing as an old Cuban bachelor, and Harris is very touching as a lonely retired sailor (oops sorry... captain!). MacLaine has a smaller part, but acts it perfectly, with a classy economy of emotions. They all fit their characters like gloves.The whole film is a quite little masterpiece, and extremely emotional. Couldn't stop the tear flow ;o) I'm rushing to see what else that director did, Randa Haines. Not surprised this film was directed by a woman, it's got that light yet deep emotional quality...Another excellent aspect of this film is the way the atmosphere is depicted. You can feel the heat, and laid back lifestyle of... wherever it's taking place... Miami? A superb sound track, Cuban Son, helps a lot too.Great film to see if you're in a thoughtful mood, and if you're looking for something else than action blockbusters.

In 1992, I was a literary agent at Writers & Artists Agency in LosAngeles. In a town where new scripts by unproven young writerscan't get their scripts read, I was one of the few agents who waseager to find new talent. One day, I received a letter from a youngwriter asking me to read his script. The title intrigued me and thestory he described demanded that I read the script. The young writer's name wasSteve Conrad and he had just graduated from the University ofChicago. The script was "Wrestling Ernest Hemingway", and fromthe very first page, I knew I had to represent it. The writing was sosimple, so poetic, so powerful, so witty and so real that I calledhim before I had even finished reading the script. I was able toconvince Todd Black, an enthusiastic young producer, to read itand his passion matched mine. He sold it to Warner Bros. andthey made the movie. In a Hollywood rarity, Steve remained thesole writer of the script.I am so gratified to read the User Comments and to see how thislittle gem of a movie has affected so many people. I am no longera literary agent; I now teach English and History to 6th graders. Ishall always be so proud that I had some part in bringing thiswonderful writer and his script to the screen, and that so many ofyou have shared my passion about it.