Jules

Jules has a rather quirky yet simple plot, and it doesn't overstay its welcome in any way. The protagonist trio (played by Ben Kingsley, Harriet Harris, and Jane Curtin) share good chemistry and are fun to watch, as septuagenarians dealing with an unexpected guest. As old people, they're dealing with different kinds of things - ailments, emotional disconnect from their kids, and lacking a purpose.

The arrival of the alien proves to be a game-changer for each of them, especially Milton (Kingsley), who's suffering from increased instances of memory loss. As someone, who sits at home watching CSI re-runs all day, he suddenly feels like he has something remarkable to do. The ladies, Sandy and Joyce, enter the picture as allies, and the alien (named the titular Jules) turns out to be a friendly listener for all their troubles. They also want to help him out in his quest to repair his broken spaceship. This leads to interesting exchanges and wacky situations, all the while retaining the film's heartwarming emotional core.

The government surveillance angle was tackled poorly, and the CGI was really off in places, but the performances and the plot's irresisistible sweetness overcome most of it. The ending (and the change of mind for Milton) is somewhat sudden, and doesn't feel as impactful, but the scenes where the trio interact with the alien in the film's mid section made me smile a lot. I liked Marc Turtletaub's Puzzle with Irrfan Khan & Kelly Macdonald, and I guess I enjoyed this one a wee bit more.

It had subtle humor and I loved it. For some reason it was just me and a bunch of seemingly 40+ year old men in the theatre and were all just commentating which made me enjoy the movie a little more. It was a minimalist movie, especially as far as sci-fi movies go. I called Prospect a minimalist sci-fi but this made me feel like I mischaracterized it. It felt like a mature little version of the 2011 movie, Paul, which I haven't seen in years now.

It also feels a little lovely to see elderly people get their own movie in the genre(if there was one or more made already, I haven't seen them). Also Harriet Sansom Harris kept reminding me of Aunt Lydia from Handmaid's Tale and I couldn't unsee it. I also loved the irony of Milton stressing over his flowers and not the alien visitor, added a little charm to a character that was already a gem.

It, of course, still is a fiction movie but it was very realistic in regard to the story; capturing believable human behavior and reactions to the events that unfolded. It's paced pretty slow but I was still pretty fun, it's an unexpected gem of a movie. One thing that surprised me is it didn't feel like a sci-fi movie as well, you don't have to like the genre to enjoy this.

Jules looked like your typical alien being, bald, short with a big head and weird eyes, although not so green. Jules raising his hands in toddler-like gesture was soo cute and adorable too. It's a more touching film that I expected. It didn't end the way I expected, or atleast initially, there were probably two points at which the movie could've ended, but it didn't feel like a drag. It's not a movie for everyone, it's pretty simple and minimalistic. Opting for a more toned down vibe without grand climaxes, but despite that, I genuinely enjoyed its unassuming charm.

That is, it is calming, gently soothing, and leaves no bitter aftertaste. Only counted one swear word, zero fist fights, and a kind of 10mph car chase. Any violence is reserved for a deserved burglar. Yes it cooky, and the plot meanders along at a slow pace, helped by the capable actors not attempting to milk their performances. There are a few chuckles, and the occassional laugh out loud moment, along with the unexpected plot twists that require belief suspension to be engaged.

No Saturday night blockbuster this. Rather more suited to a Sunday evening viewing with a cup of cocoa, then off to bed.

No mind blowing special effects, no earth shattering explosions, no car chases, just a slow burn quirky small town film with a lot of heart.

As someone with a lifelong love of Sci-Fi who is fast approaching retirement age I could identify with the characters in this film. Ben Kingsley's portrayal of Milton is spot on and the inclusion of. Jane Curtin, who was known for her role in the Conehead sketches as Prymaat, is a nice little Easter egg that may go unnoticed by some. Plus there are subtle references to E. T. Alf, Men In Black, and even tangentially, Flight of the Navigator, there may even be others I missed.

Many sci-fi fans are fast approaching the autumn of their lives, and far too many science fiction movies overlook this segment of their audience. Good intelligent science fiction featuring older actors and mature story lines are few and far between.

Though the plots are significantly different, this film somewhat reminded me of Robot & Frank (2012), staring Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon. If you like Jules I would recommend that you check out Robot & Frank.

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.