Movie- Broken Flowers

I will say straight out, I am not a Bill Murray fan. In fact, I kinda dislike him, and most movies he stars in. But I was willing to give Broken Flowers (2005) a try, based on some really good reviews, and I am glad I did, because it was an very good movie. And Murray did an excellent job in it.

Murray plays Don Johnston (with a "t" as he has to keep explaining), a one-time Don Juan, now in middle age and a bachelor. He still seems to be able to get women for a night or two, but has lost a few steps in his game. He receives a piece of mail, saying he has a 18-year-old son out there, from an affair many years ago, but the letter gives him no more information or clues.

With the help of a amateur detective, Murray goes on the road to find the women he had affairs with prior to the kid's birth. And the movie gets really fun from there. The women are played by some great actresses: Sharon Stone, Jessica Lange, Frances Conroy and Tilda Swinton. And each woman is so different, from each other and from Don. Some are angry, some want to rekindle the relationship.

Each meeting has humor, pathos and a strong nostalgia. And Murray plays the role much less snarky than his usual characters. For once he plays it relatively straight.
But as much as Don Johnston does not want a son, Murray now sees every 18 year old boy as a potential son, always wondering if THAT one is his. And this lends an even deeper emotional level to the film.

Broken Flowers is a really good movie, and I was impressed by Murray. It has loads of humor, and yet is warm and kind and sad at the same time. Who woulda thought Murray could pull that off?