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Romantic-comedy director Rob Reiner (modern classic When Harry Met Sally and suckfest Alex and Emma to name only two) applies his skills at portraying relationships to his latest, The Bucket List. Medical privatizer and millionaire Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson, husky and hearty even when he's barfing) shares a room in his own hospital with mechanic Carter Chambers (the stately yet emotionally open Morgan Freeman). Although the two men have little in common besides terminal cancer, they embark on a global mission to cross off as many activities-sky dive, laugh until you cry, etc.-from a joint "bucket list" before they, you know, kick the bucket. The two men become fast friends, while always keeping a prickly distance, and trade many a quip. Freeman's Carter repeatedly gazes adoringly at Cole, but if you think it's because he's just a loving guy, look to his strained marriage to Virginia (Beverly Todd) for evidence to the contrary. It seems that Freeman is just an intensely intimate guy (watch him on Letterman). Will and Grace's Sean Hayes plays Cole's assistant and provides the straight lines in this old-guy comedic fantasy of spending tons of money before you die. Perhaps checking off their own lists, this is the first time veterans Nicholson and Freeman share the screen, and they obviously loved it.

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