Jules

An older man living in a rural Pennsylvania town is stubbornly set in his ways. His day-to-day life is turned upside down when a UFO crash lands in his backyard. The man welcomes the alien into his home, and they learn from one another. Things get complicated when a couple of the man's nosy neighbors discover the extraterrestrial. Together, they must figure out what the alien needs to get home, and with the alien's help, they can confront their internal turmoil and anguish.

A unique take on aging and how it affects the people around us. The movie is light-hearted and easy to watch. The runtime is short; the film quickly gets to the point and does not bother giving many backstories. There is a good mix of comedy and drama. There is more to this movie than three senior citizens and an alien. The underlying messages are plentiful if some thought and reflection is put in. This is a good watch for anyone interested in aliens, aging, human interaction, or looking for something different.

This was a surprisingly pleasant little gem that was put together by relatively newb filmmakers. The pacing was a little slow for my liking, but the excellent performances by the cast, especially Kingsley, made me want to keep watching. There were even some entertaining wtf moments and lots of unexpected laughter, especially when you hear the first unexpected f-bomb. The story is a little laid back, so don't expect any action or Alien-film's type creature scares, but instead, a simple, sweet, heartwarming and (fun)ny story combining sci-fi, comedy, with character study about family, friendship and aging with dementia, and the beautiful metaphor that even the elderly simply just want someone to listen to them. It's a fun and entertaining 87 minute one-time watch that I'm sure everyone will enjoy.

Greetings again from the darkness. Senior citizens sometimes nearly cease to exist for the outside world, or at best, are humored in a 'there-there' manner. So, what do you think happens when an elderly gentleman in a small western Pennsylvania town repeats the same suggestions at multiple City Council meetings, and then, in a nonchalant way, mentions that a spaceship crash-landed in his backyard, damaging his azaleas and birdbath? Right, others just shrug and move on, assuming the ol' geezer is just imagining things.

But what if the old man is not imagining? What if that spaceship/UFO did crush his azaleas and he's now being quite hospitable and nursing the injured alien back to health? Well, that's the story here in the first feature film screenplay from Gavin Steckler ("Review") in a film directed by Marc Turtletaub, best known as a Producer on such fine films as THE FAREWELL (2019), LOVING (2016), and LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2006).

Oscar winner Ben Kingsley plays Milton Robinson, a gentle soul and widower whose veterinarian daughter Denise (Zoe Winters, "Succession") helps him out with finances, while also encouraging him to see a doctor in hopes that he'll agree to move into an assisted living home. We see her concerns as Milton is forgetful and repetitive and lonely ... yet we also see his insistence on maintaining independence. Obviously, this is a situation many families deal with on a daily basis.

Things get really interesting when a couple of the other town elders become involved. Sandy (Harriet Sanson Harris) is the chipper do-gooder who is always trying to better the community, while Joyce (Jane Curtin) is the nosy one who wants to know everyone's business. Watching these three deal with the quiet and calm alien they name Jules is almost a therapeutic experience in bonding over a secret.

Mostly a charming, feel-good movie, Ms. Curtin does deliver a dose of comedy with her rendition of "Free Bird", and having Milton admit to three jaywalking tickets while addressing the City Council is a nice touch. This little film is full of kindness - unless you are a cat - and most will recognize that sliced apples take the place of Reese's Pieces. It's likely the most pleasant and easy-going science fiction movie we've seen ... at least until the few moments when the government is involved. Let's hope we would all treat outsiders the way Milton treats Jules.

Opens in theaters on August 11, 2023.

The science fiction part of this movie is strictly background to a story about three elderly, single people in a small US town. The story was particularly relevant in that I just turned 70 and am starting to be faced with similar challenges to Ben Kingsley´s character. As we are all are as we age.

The crash of an alien space ship in his garden leaves the 78 year old confused more than frightened, 911 are not interested and when he mentions the event at a local council meeting they ignore him.

The alien is a friendly little guy who watches TV with protagonist and eats apples. Of course, the government is looking to locate the space ship but that again is background. The story is about an aging man and couple of aging ladies who find develop a friendship through the need to protect and care for the alien.

A very enjoyable little movie with convincing acting.

First let me say that it takes a pretty strong reaction from a movie, either good or bad, to get me to write a review. Also my wife and I see just about every movie released, good and bad. Well, of all the movies we have seen this year, this has been one of my favorites. Sweet, thought-provoking, and just fun story telling. It wasn't perfect, but a really fun way to spend an hour and a half. I could have done without the swearing, references to sexual orientation, and Jayne Curtain singing, but they were not over the top issues. Ben Kingsley is just a master of his craft, regardless of the part he plays. And cat lovers beware - you might not like this movie. Sadly, this movie will never make the money that Barbie has, but this movie was far more enjoyable than Barbie.