Hard to believe it, but this week’s film to be reviewed for #MovieMondays is not a documentary. GASP. (I know, right?) Nope, I was in a sappy, romantic mood and thought maybe the film I picked might satisfy my craving for something to make me laugh, make me cry and make me go ‘awwww.’ Did it deliver? Continue with the blog for that answer, and as always, thanks for reading. ~ Chris K.
Drama, Comedy, Romance (2015)
Blythe Danner, Sam Elliott, Martin Starr, Rhea Pearlman, Max Gail
I remember when this film was released, critics raved about the nuances of the performance by lead Blythe Danner in this little charmer about a widow who has lived a quiet, predictable lonely life after the death of her husband 20 years earlier, only venturing out for card games and other entertainment with her “Golden Girls”replica of a posse. (Seriously, you can assign the character names for each of the ladies in her bridge group… they’re all there, I’m serious…the naive one, the sharp-tongued one, the horny one…) Danner decides to venture out to the speed dating circuit and afterward, runs into a new intriguing fella she has been bumping into lately, played by the charming and intriguing Sam Elliott. But only after finding a unique connection and friendship with her pool cleaner played equally charming in his own nerdy, likable way by Martin Starr (I’ve been a huge fan of him since his “Freaks and Geeks” days). Starr has to be at least 35-40 years younger than Danner and don’t think that one of Danner’s friends doesn’t notice…
The film is a nice blend of comedy and drama, with a little romance and a bit of maudlin soap opera mixed in, too. But overall, I enjoyed the bond between the friends which felt real, and especially Danner’s onscreen chemistry between her and Elliott as well as her and Starr. The plot and script aren’t spectacular but in the hands of a top-notch cast, the words feel true and sincere. I enjoyed the film for what it was and especially appreciated the always underappreciated Blythe Danner. Over the years, her daughter has been hailed for her work, many that honestly didn’t do anything for me, yet I’ve always been impressed with the believable and compelling performances by Danner who delivers another and wins over our heart from start to finish.
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