Morgan Freeman is a crotchety old cowboy in the trailer for The Magic of Belle Isle

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Morgan Freeman could read the ingredients off of a box of Kix and I would listen. The man has one of the greatest voices in Hollywood. And, he is a pretty good actor, too.

The latest from Mr. Freeman is THE MAGIC OF BELLE ISLE, which reunites him with THE BUCKET LIST director Rob Reiner. Now, it hurts me to list THE BUCKET LIST next to Reiner’s name instead of STAND BY ME, MISERY, or WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, but there it is.

Reiner and Freeman seem to be following the same saccharine format as THE BUCKET LIST, but without the sheer stupidity of old people performing CGI-augmented skydiving, this film instead relies on good old acting.

Synopsis: Morgan Freeman plays Monte Wildhorn, a famous Western novelist whose struggle with alcoholism has sapped his passion for writing. He takes a lakeside cabin for the summer in picturesque Belle Isle, and befriends the family next door—an attractive single mom (Virginia Madsen) and her young daughters—who help him find inspiration again.

While the trailer does venture into cheezy Hallmark TV movie mode a few time, I do like the cast including Virginia Madsen, Fred Willard and Kevin Pollack. As usual, Morgan Freeman shines in a role that is slighty against type for him.

THE MAGIC OF BELLE ISLE opens July 6th.