Dustin Hoffman plays the silver haired shy American ex-pat Mr Hoppy who lives in an apartment building tending to his garden on his balcony.
Judi Dench is the flame haired Mrs Silver, the new neighbour who has moved into the apartment building. She may not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier and she has a pet tortoise who is growing just too slowly for her liking.
Mr Hoppy is lovestruck at first sight but he needs to pluck up the courage just to exchange a few words with the more outgoing Mrs Silver.
Mr Hoppy hatches an elaborate plan to fool Mrs Silver that her tortoise is growing fast which does not seem too romantic at first.
Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer adapted the book from Roald Dahl which is more whimsical and romantic than being a dark fairy tale for children which Dahl is better known for.
The film has narration from James Corden who frames the story of the two elderly romantics bouncing sparks off each other. The minor characters are painted broadly.
Hoffman gives a very subtle performance as Mr Hoppy, far from those intense characters he played when he was younger, full of various ticks, mannerisms and vocal abilities. He is simply just more relaxed. A softer version of the Method.
It is left to Dench to be more vivid, footloose and flirtatious with various costumes that she wears as she bumps into Mr Hoppy in the lift. Mrs Silver has passions of her own that she wants to unleash.
However the film does feel a little stage bound, the apartment setting looks too studio bound. The makers try to overcome this with Corden walking down the street or being on the bus but it just felt a little insular although enjoyable enough.
