Senior Moment

At almost 90 when this movie was filmed William Shatner belies his age and gives a delightful performance, ably supported by Jean Smart who in spite of being almost 70, was still the sexiest woman in the film. Others have explained the plot, it's no classic that's true, but for an easy to watch, not too long, mildly amusing little trifle, it ticks all the boxes, just sit back and relax and watch some old masters at work, and the Palm Springs scenery doesn't hurt either. I found it a refreshing and relaxing change from most of the high octane garbage that's churned out these days!

Greetings again from the darkness. Making concessions to age is something all of us deal with ... even former test pilots - although some of them might be a bit less inclined to adapt. Such is the case with Victor Martin. He's in his 70's and still enjoys ogling beautiful younger women and zipping around Palm Springs in his vintage Porsche convertible. Some might call it cliché or even pathetic, but Victor and his lifelong pal Sal Spinelli are enjoying life.

Director Giorgio Serafini is working from a script by co-writers Kurt Brungardt and Christopher Momenee, and the first thing viewers must overcome is the casting. See, Victor is played by William Shatner and Sal by Christopher Lloyd. Yep, Captain Kirk from STAR TREK and Doc Brown from BACK TO THE FUTURE are the senior citizen buddies living it up. Both actors seem to be having a good time, and seeing the two men on screen together is quite pleasing.

All good things come to an end, and when the city's new DA cracks down on dangerous elderly drivers, Victor has his license revoked and his treasured car impounded. He's frustrated, but by happenstance meets Caroline Summers (a terrific Jean Smart). The two are polar opposites, yet there's a clear connection. She's a former National Geographic photographer who now owns and runs the local Cuckoo Café - so named despite the titular time piece not being in working order. Caroline is a free-spirited former hippie, and her organic diet contrasts with Victor's processed honey buns.

Victor admits he's "still trying to figure out what I'm going to do when I grow up", but he soon realizes his attraction to Caroline has impacted him more than he expected. It's an awkward romance made more challenging by the presence of artist Diego Lozana (Esai Morales) and Caroline's mystical belief in the story attached to the cuckoo clock. The film is loaded with lunacy and is not one that benefits from viewers who prefer thoughtful messages. This is designed to be mostly light-hearted fun with an element of late-in-life romance tossed in for good measure.

As a gift to its target audience, Ruta Lee (SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, 1954) makes a brief appearance, and of particular note is the final screen appearance by Kaye Ballard (she died at age 93). Also appearing in the supporting cast are Don McManus, Joe Estevez, and Jack Wallace. Maja Stojan plays Sonja, Caroline's daughter, Carlos Miranda plays Pablo Torres, and director Serafini's wife, LaDon Drummond makes an appearance as one of Victor's former flings.

The film has faced numerous delays since it wrapped, and lead William Shatner just recently turned 90 years of age. It's rare when a movie involves a broken cuckoo clock and a tortoise photo, but it's even less common for the focus to be on humor and a romance between senior citizens. This is one that plays to its intended audience, and doesn't much care about the rest.

In theaters and On Demand on March 26, 2021.

This was a most pleasant surprise. A romantic and funny comedy involving older people. So refreshing! Shatner and Smart deliver heartfelt and humorous performances. Supporting cast was also really great. If you want a feel good movie that doesn't take itself too serious...this is it. And Palm Springs backdrop is a bonus!

Old Man and ex-pilot about town has his wings clipped and ends up in the company of local lady baker.

Will he grow up and settle down? Will he cast aside the younger California candy for true love?

It's delightful fluff and shouldn't be examined too closely or too harshly.

Bill Shatner and the cast are a delight, the script works well, and the surroundings are comforting.

Not challenging, thankfully... just fun.

There are some negative reviews on here, and they're of course entitled to their opinion. This isn't a great movie, nor does it have a great script, nor does it have great acting or great production value. It IS a fun movie, and it isn't pretentious in trying to be anything but that.

I watched this with my 94 year old mom during the Covid lockdown, and we both enjoyed the story of a man realizing that he's getting (more like gotten) old. At his age, he still has fun, finds love, and it's (again) a simple message to enjoy life. You'll be disappointed if you have any other expectations.