The film opens with an elderly couple, Norman Thayer (Henry Fonda) and Ethel Thayer (Katharine Hepburn), walking in to their cottage in…I dunno some place with a big lake and a nice forest. The movie closes with them leaving the cottage. What's different between the time they arrived and the time they left? Not much. 'On Golden Pond' seems content to be more of a true to life piece, focusing on the lives of Hepburn and Fonda, who each respond with brilliant performances (especially Fonda). Not to go unmentioned is Jane Fonda (I'm real FONDA her! Haha!) as Thayer's daughter. And yes, Jane is Peter's real life daughter. The film altogether paints an amazing portrait of life, but that's not enough to sustain interest throughout. The lack of central plot theme hurts, but the performances of Hepburn and Fonda are enough to carry the film.