User reviews

GRIFFIN & PHOENIX is a quiet little made for television film that touches the vulnerable heart. Originally written in 1976 as a television film by John Hill, this thirty-years-later version holds up well, and the fact that audiences will still opt for sensitive stories that treat difficult topics in a mature manner, adding warmly humorous touches to a potentially maudlin idea, speaks well for our continuing tastes.

From the opening frames of the film we learn that Griffin (Dermot Mulroney) has inoperable cancer: his frank and compassionate physician (Lois Smith) aligns him with reality. Griffin is a divorced father of two boys and his first attempt to find meaning in his limited time is to spend time with them, an attempt partially thwarted by his ex-wife. Once a workaholic, Griffin attends a class on death and dying at the university and there he meets the rather strange and isolated Phoenix (Amanda Peet). Griffin's new take on life encourages him to go after the seemingly impenetrable Phoenix and through a series of wildly frivolous escapades he courts her and they gradually fall in love - something neither felt they could do. They cope with issues of intimacy and finally Phoenix shares her secret with Griffin, a secret that plunges them headlong into a fully blossomed romance. How the two cope with the inevitable is well handled, rarely bordering on sappy, and always holding our compassion.

Director Ed Stone paces the film well, inserting moments of extended silence to match the emotional atmosphere, allowing breathing space. Both Peet and Mulroney create believable three-dimensional characters and are well supported by such solid actors as Lois Smith, Sarah Paulson, and Novella Nelson. The story may have sad aspects, but the cast always allows the humor inherent in any life event to come through. And that is one of the several reasons the film works well. Grady Harp

I enjoyed this movie a lot. I don't have much to add about the movie itself which other reviewers haven't covered already; I'm doing a review only because of the polarity of the existing reviews. Most are 8-10 stars; a few are 1 star. Nothing much in between. Well...

There are a few points where we can criticize the plot or the editing for not showing this or that. OK. If that bothers you then you should ding it a point or two for those failures. However, it's absurd to rate this a 1/10 for that. The reviews saying this is the worst rom-com ever, etc., are nonsense. The characters, however incomplete their depiction might be within what is in this film, are warm and sympathetic -- and flawed. Yes, they are imperfect people, and some of their own choices have created some of their problems. Perhaps the movie should have spent more time pointing that out and making it a more central element of the storytelling? You think that would make it a good film, from 1 star to... what? Mulroney and Peet give excellent performances here and they have good on-screen chemistry. The things which are shown tell a story, and it's a story worth seeing. It's not the whole story of either of their lives, but hello, this is one movie. Get real.

I don't think "Griffin and Phoenix" quite rates the 10 that many are giving it, because it does have a few flaws, but IMO those flaws are secondary to the high quality of what is shown and of what we feel with these two suffering lovers. There is a lot of success here. Don't let the boo-birds distract you from the treasure.

I'll close by saying that I've been a fan of Amanda Peet for a long time, and she's as good here as in anything I've seen from her. Those beautiful eyes of hers are so expressive; she doesn't have to work too hard to hook me in, but it's nice when she does anyway. :-)

I have to admit that I am somewhat biased about this film. I have an incurable form of leukemia and I found this film so touching. Everyone deals with this stuff differently and I really resounded with how the 2 leads dealt with this part of their life. The film was appropriately funny in spots and at the same time, dealt honestly with the other side of that coin. Well done. Great casting, chemistry and writing.

This is about two people who needed each other in life and found love. It's always a great reminder that it's always good to love in life regardless of certain situations. The two leads in this movie are great actors. They made this movie enjoyable to watch.

First, I want a DVD or the chance to tape this movie. Two actors that are not "super" stars but both very capable and respected. It's a story about life, not death. Amanda Peet and Dermot Mulroney will make you laugh and break your heart. Have the big box of tissue ready, but you'll be a better person for having watched it. The movie hooked me in the first five minutes. I couldn't stop watching, the chemistry just felt so real between the two of them. When I was in high school I read a short story written by a student, "How High the Moon". I know no one knows it but this story is like that. You think no one else in this world understands what you are thinking right at this moment or what you are going through and you couldn't be more wrong. I only saw it this afternoon and here I am writing my thoughts on it. If you haven't seen it make every effort to. If you're the type that doesn't cry at a movie guess what, there is a first time for everything.

i cant believe this movie never came to the theaters. they both should receive an award for there portray of the character's in the movie. they had to really feel the pain of loving each other so much even though they were dying. my mother has cancer and is in remission right now. i cried more than i have ever been able to cry since i found out about her cancer. i thank them both for letting me to finally cry. i think that there should be more movies that make people understand how precious life is and to live each day like it is your last. time is so short and we spend everyday wishing it away. i know everyone who watches this movie will cry and laugh at the same time. i thank both of the actors for putting there heart into this movie.

It's a romance story of two terminally ill people who meet each other and slowly, with some ups and downs, fall in love. While the woman is more somber, the man teaches her how to have a good time within the confines they face. What's a little mischief to a guy who is going to die soon anyway? The relationship between the two feels genuine.

You can pretty much predict how it starts and ends. There's also the obligatory scene in the middle where the woman leaves the guy because of a huge misunderstanding which could have been avoided if she had just talked things out with him. Please! No! Stop!

I think it's a movie that is full of personality, character and quality acting. I'm not ashamed to admit I cried at least twice throughout the duration. I also think it follows a tired formula that romance movies need to break out of.

Really tragic theme. Some things is totally necessary. First, why are his children mentioned when they do not have a feature in the movie? They don't know anything about disease. Waste time in movie. Second, comics scene in their situation (Phoenix and Griffin) in cinema, train etc are very stupid. Sorry, but both of them are very sick and in that situation he jumped in train. Third, he broken several cars. Yes, he is very angry, but that is a criminal. In realistic life? Little possible. Love story in movie is really touchable and possible in real life, unfortunately. Completely story was to be about love in very hard moment and maybe hope in healing future. No comics, no children, no aggression. This is a sufficiently difficult subject to interfere with all of the above factors that have no function in the film.

I feel that this movie has not gotten the credit it deserves. I saw it at the Toronto film festival and was blown away by its thoughtful plot and realism. It's character relationship is unmatched in many films I see today and its capacity to deal with cancer in a real and supportive fashion should be commended. This is a love story of our era and one that all should see.

The director was able to take a difficult subject and turn it into a light hearted, real story that allowed the audience to both feel the characters frustration, upset and sorrow as well as laugh and understand their humanity.

Amanda

Was this an indie/low budget film? The story for this movie was very good but somewhere along the way they missed something. It was definitely not the 'same old' story line. The time line was too condensed, it was like watching the Reader's Digest version. There were many things that could have been explained without adding too much time to the final product but that would've added a lot of clarity and made it more 'watcher-friendly'. Great acting on behalf on Amanda Peet and Dermot Mulroney but I understand why this was never released to theaters. Rent it to watch on a Sunday afternoon (or catch it next time it airs on Lifetime) and don't forget the box of tissues.

Everyone knows someone like this, they face something awful and turn out better people because of tragedy and not triumph. I am not talking about people you are out of control, but rather about people who are just what they present. I love the male lead in this role because he is someone who is putting himself aside to be there for this amazing woman. Right away, you might think that two people meeting under these circumstances is contrived. But the human probability of the story is very high, and I wonder it this kind of plot doesn't help people to think about the reality of their lives, how we might treat each other and feel about the time that we have had to live. I challenge you to watch this to decide.

This movie needs more advertising.

I would like to comment on this film, but this is a remake of one, which starred Peter Falk and Jill Claybourne. I found that the first one with Falk and Claybourne was much more intense and just a better film. The plot is the same, for the most part, so, if you have seen this version, go back and rent the original. I am not sure of the title, but I search for griffin and phoenix and found the Falk one. Once you watch both, I would appreciate some comparisons, which maybe like mine or entirely different. Guess I am a Peter Falk fan and appreciate the intensity of both characters. I found that the original version was a little more believable than this newer one.