Marion whose poor health has already left her debilitated is now told that the cancer has returned and that she should focus on enjoying the rest of the time she has left. To her that means singing in the community choir with all the other local retired Seniors. It also means relying more on Arthur her husband of some 50 years, who unlike her, is a grumpy old sod who never gets any joy out of life at all. Except he is devoted to his wife and this latest news has left him feeling both helpless and angry.
The Choir … called ‘The OAPz’ … have been entered into a Competition by Elizabeth their perky 30 something old leader, but first they must pass an audition to see if they are indeed up to scratch. One of the pieces they perform is a solo rendition by Marion of Cindy Lauper’s True Colors and not only does it insure that they are selected, but it also has everyone (including you the viewer) reaching for the Kleenex.
Marion dies, and an increasingly isolated Arthur who has always been an awkward father, tells his only son to stay away for good. Arthur takes to hanging outside the Community Hall where the choir practices and mopes around just smoking and generally feels sorry for himself. One night after Elizabeth gives him a lift home he reveals he can sing too.
OK …. you don’t have to be much of a genius to work out the rest of the plot from there ….. I’m just kind of surprised that the screenwriters didnt also throw in a romance between the lovelorn Elizabeth and Arthur’s single son just to insure that everyone in this story lived happily ever after.
The only reason that I saw this cloying saccharine movie is because someone had the good sense to cast Vanessa Redgrave and Terrence Stamp as the two leads and rescued this from being just another ‘Lifetime for Women TV Movie’. In fact they raised it so much more than that, and Ms Redgrave imbued her part with such sensitivity and dignity rather than play up the to heavy sentimentality attached to Marion’s passing. Likewise Mr Stamp subtly insured that instead of being angry at his obstinacy and his grumpiness, we were willing him to let the warmth he had suppressed for years finally break through.
They both were such a joy to watch as they put some real substance into this lightweight story …. but then again, one wouldn’t expect anything less from these two who have been acting their hearts out for at least half a century each. I must confess that I still cannot get my head around that this grumpy working class man was once the dashing (very young) Sergeant Troy in ‘Far From The Madding Crowd’ back in 1967.
The other fact that I am having trouble taking on board is that this movie was written and directed by Paul William Anderson whose previous three movies have all been Horror Flicks. Hmmmm.
The fact that the music Elizabeth chooses for these old people to sing is Hip Hop and Rock with rather raunchy lyrics, will draw obvious comparisons with the 2007 Award Winning stunning Documentary
‘Young@Heart’ about a real choir of Seniors in Massachusetts that sang pop music to great acclaim. If you liked the earlier movie, then you will like this one, even though it is hardly in the same league.
In Movie theaters in the US now
★★★★★★
