Queen Bees - Im Herzen jung

This is not a "great film" in the filmic sense, but I loved it all the same.

First, it is great to see films like this getting made at all! The last time I saw something comparable with a mature cast was "The Leisure Seeker" and that was a few years ago. This gets extra marks because it is so good to see!

Second, what a cast! Seeing Burstyn performing at such an incredible level at almost 90 is so inspiring. The cast is uniformly excellent, imbuing the characters with so much more than what is merely delivered thru dialogue. There is a great scene of conflict between Burstyn and Curtin that doesn't even include any dialogue - it is all in their body language and expressions, so wonderfully unstated.

It's fairly light fare compared to Burstyn and Caan's body of work, but it is very well crafted, and is a joy to watch as a result. So nice to see a character driven film featuring older characters, reminding us that character development doesn't end!

I would recommend this to all but the most cynical.

On the one hand, it's interesting to see a movie where the protagonists are elderly women. That's the last thing that you expect to see amid Hollywood's rampant sexism and ageism, least of all in an era when they want to churn out nothing but superhero movies. On the other hand, Michael Lembeck's "Queen Bees" is too treacly in some parts to be a completely enjoyable movie. Maybe it couldn't be anything else; would we take seriously a movie in which elderly women go around kicking ass?

If nothing else, it's tolerable for its short run. With a cast that includes Ellen Burstyn, James Caan (in his final role during his lifetime), Ann-Margret, Jane Curtin and Christopher Lloyd, we can say that the movie stars the possessed girl's mom, Sonny Corleone, Tommy's mom, Prymaat Conehead and Doc Brown/Judge Doom/Uncle Fester.

With a powerhouse cast, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It fills all the criteria for a light romantic comedy. It's a heartwarming ride. Favourite leads Ellen Burstyn, Ann Margaret, Jane Curtin, James Caan and Loretta Devine all have their moments. While reality for many seniors homes may not be portrayed, this is a movie about the possibilities of life in those senior years. The supporting cast is fabulous! Christopher Lloyd, Alex Mapa and French Stewart offer much of the comedy and fun. If you want a light romp with strong performances and a group of seniors that range from independent to frisky to nasty, then Queen Bees will fill that need.

This film takes you into the realm of senior living. It's a feel-good film and it's a lot of fun. We all hope to grow old comfortably, in pleasant surroundings, with great food. We also hope that if we're afflicted with cervical cancer, Alzheimers, or a stroke, that they're just minor inconveniences as portrayed in this film. In other words, this film is a light way to spend a couple of pleasant hours watching our futures as we hope they'll unfold.

Queen Bees is a new one starring Ellen Burstyn (pushing 90) as a woman who's forced to move into a snazzy retirement facility after she burns down her kitchen. She does not want to go but she has no options. Once there, she runs into a clique of "mean girls" as though no one ever left high school. There's also a tepid romance that's not what it seems.

Enjoyable but rather pale. Story takes place in a world where no one worries about money and although health issues are mentioned, they don't stop anyone from doing anything. Maybe minus the romance this might have been more effective and more humorous. Burstyn is good (as always) as the no-nonsense ex-teacher who succumbs to romance. James Caan is startlingly decrepit looking as the swain. The mean girls are played by Ann-Marget, Loretta Devine, and Jane Curtin. There's also Eric Mapa as a physical therapist and French Stewart as the snarky administrator. Curtin comes off best among the co-stars as the ultra-mean "leader of the pack." Everyone has issues but they're all easily cleared up (or forgotten) by the end of the show.