Bleecker Street
I have said many times that movies are for anyone that can experience them. This naturally includes the “senior” set, despite what some studios seemingly believe. More and more, we see movies not only targeted to older audiences, but sometimes even starring older actors and actresses. Now, we may not get a version of Taken with a lady that often, but Helen Mirren has done it a few times of late. Instead, there’s the classic “slice of life” style of movie that merely tells the story of a time in someone’s life. Simple enough, when it works.
I’ll See You in My Dreams is a character movie starring Blythe Danner as Carol, a older widow who’s found herself in an odd place after the death of her dog. She spends time joking and playing cards with her friends (June Squibb, Rhea Perlman, and Mary Kay Place), and even a bit of time flirting with Bill (Sam Elliott), an intriguing potential love interest. The first since her husband passed away. Much of this is sparked by a very odd new friendship with her pool cleaner Lloyd (Martin Starr), as they form a fast rapport despite the age differences. It’s not exactly unlike other types of “old/young” relationships that are usually seen more with older men, but there you are.
Blythe Danner is pitch perfect here. tweet
The truth is, there isn’t really a “plot” in the action sense of things, but like I said, this is a movie about a time in Carol’s life, a time of importance, but not necessarily with a crazy and dramatic ending. Blythe Danner is pitch perfect here, a lovely presence anchoring the movie as she connects with her long time friends, family, and even new interests. In a lot of ways, it’s meant to be a lightish movie, with jokes and cuts to emphasize humor, although I personally didn’t find it that funny. I did, though, find it quite charming.
Sam Elliott is great, using one of the best voices in the business. tweet
Sam Elliott is great, using one of the best voices in the business to great effect as he woos Carol, and Martin Starr gets to showcase his “awkward but amiable” archetype he introduced in Freaks and Geeks. I liked the movie, even if I didn’t particularly find it that much of a standout. A pleasant way to spend your time, and if you’re of the right age, I’d expect a lot of resonance with the characters. The main theme of “Don’t give up on your life” isn’t exactly original, but it’s always welcome.
So the positives are very good acting and a nice feeling throughout, but the negatives are that it has a few slow parts, despite its relatively short length. Sometimes I did feel like checking my watch to see if the scene would be over soon, and I know that makes no sense.
In a sentence: A nice movie with great acting if not quite as well paced as it could’ve been.
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