Land Ho!

It made me laugh, it made me cringe.

But I KNOW people like the characters in this movie, warts and all and that's why I found the film so appealing--in real life, not everyone speaks in complete sentences, or has a clever retort; sometimes, people are clumsy and there are awkward pauses--and there's plenty of that in this film. That might drive some people nuts, but I found it to be a feature, not a bug.

The scenes of Iceland were breathtaking, it was like a travelogue in some respects, but (I keep coming back to this) I liked the dialogue; it seemed very unscripted, the way that real people talk. The conversations between the American and Australian ex-brothers in law were hilarious at times and annoying at other times, and poignant, still, at others, and the work just seemed more like a goofy reality-type documentary than a film.

It will most assuredly NOT be to everyone's taste--it is a weird film, one feels almost like a voyeur watching it, but I found it a good use of my time.

If your tastes are a bit oddball, you will get a kick out of this film--let it unroll at its own pace, ya can't force it...!

Was lucky enough to have seen the premier at Sundance. Since it does not feel like the kind of flick that will find mass distribution, there is no telling where or when you might get the opportunity to see this movie, but if indeed you get that chance - do not miss it! A straightforward theme with a nominal plot made up of a number of nearly free-standing scenes and only a couple where chronology is all that important. The cast, sound, cinematography, direction, writing and featuring the magnificent scenery of Iceland were all wonderful and Earl Lynn Nelson is a treasure. The scene in the museum (ad libbed according to members of the cast) alone is worth the price of admission. Four of us 50-somethings saw it together and it was a long time after we left the theater before any of us could stop smiling. That's entertainment!

Greetings again from the darkness. Extra credit goes to the writer/director team of Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz for their indie spirit and unique character-driven adventure - a rare Iceland based comedy. The former Film School classmates bring color of personality and color of terrain to the forefront.

Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson) and Colin (Paul Eenhoorn) are former brothers-in-law, once married to sisters. The polar opposites are each battling loneliness and aging, and Mitch (the gregarious one) basically forces Colin (the reserved one) into a spontaneous vacation with him to Iceland. After this, we watch what amounts to a an AARP Road Trip Buddy film.

Mitch's bravura masks his loss of purpose and fear of mortality, while Colin mostly just shakes his head at each vulgar thought spoken without filter by Mitch. Despite the obvious differences in personality, the two come across as real guys soaking up the adventure. While Colin enjoys his solo hike that ends with a dip in the hot springs, Mitch sips his scotch while pestering a honeymooning couple (one of which is played by well known cinematographer Ben Kasulke) with questions about their private time in the room. He means no harm, he just thrives on fun ... whether it's his or someone else's.

Mitch and Colin have a definite on screen connection, and what makes this fascinating is that while Paul Eenhoorn is an established Australian actor, Earl Lynn Nelson is a real life retired surgeon who has only recently begun acting. Mr. Nelson's comfort in front of the camera is obvious whether he is telling his much younger cousin she has a "hot ass", or toking on weed at the hotel. Many long time actors would have struggled in this role, but Nelson ... while not always likable, leaves no doubt about his search for fun.

Other than the two lead actors, the landscape of Iceland is a key to the look and feel of the film. The panoramas are beautifully filmed, and if somehow a few people actually see the film, it would not be surprising is Iceland tourism spikes. Though the film offers no life lessons, and offers little in defense of "getting old sucks", this little senior citizen character study is a worthy entry into the "gray cinema" genre.

I took the title of this review from the 1976 Jethro Tull album, which is an appropriate time period for this movie because Mitch and Collin, the two main characters in this movie, appear to be either pushing 70 or in their 70s like many boomers. Mitch was a doctor. Collin was a bank manager. Neither is working any longer. Both are now divorced. And alone. The two were married to a pair of sisters, which makes them ex-brothers-in-law but more important, old friends. It's giving nothing away to tell you that the movie spends five minutes in Kentucky and the rest of the time in Iceland.

This is a road trip movie that follows a set pattern. It starts sort of rocky, gets into a swing, there's a trumped up moment that drives the characters apart, then there's resolution. It seems like every road trip movie is written this way. Only the surprises differ. In this movie, there's a third main character that never speaks. It's the incredible geography of Iceland, which Mitch and Collin explore throughout the movie.

This is an enjoyable film, which looks lightly at some of the issues associated with growing older that many baby boomers just like Mitch and Collin face today. See the world through Mitch's and Collin's eyes and you'll feel a bit better about the journey. Better yet, buy two first-class tickets to Iceland like they did.

Land Ho! is an endearing comedy-drama, marketed to the pensioners/AARP crowd, which normally gets left out of the Hollywood/mainstream buzz. It emerges following a very similar film, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which, in a way, proved to American audiences that you can make a film involving elderly people that isn't so fixated or concerned with imminent death. That film gave life to the senior citizens crowd, invigorating audiences with the idea that just because you're a senior citizen doesn't mean, in turn, you must stop living life. As common sense of a statement as that seems to be, I feel many people have forgotten that and feel something of an obligation, or perhaps a lack of desire, to refuse to live their elder years past three meals a day, the newspaper, and excessive quiet-time.

The film revolves around ex-brother-in-laws Colin (Paul Eenhoorn) and Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson), who reunite after years of lost contact to spend some time reclaiming their youth by visiting Reykjavík nightclubs and taverns. The two geezers are polar opposites, as you'd expect, with Colin being very mild-mannered and reserved and Mitch being quick to tell you what body part of a woman he'd make use of the most. The two spend much of their travels inciting aimless conversations about women and sex, eventually picking up two women and going drinking with them one night, along with trying to leave the ills of the past as someone else's responsibility. They weren't necessarily responsible for the demise of the marriage, and they simply want to enjoy some element of adventure and companionship before their inevitable fate.

This kind of life-affirming cinema for elderly people is a beautiful and honest way to paint the picture for people that glory days aren't always the days of your youth. Colin and Mitch engage in some activities I'm sure no one expected them to, and while they weren't the youngest at the nightclubs, or the souls with the quickest wit on the street, they still no less had a pleasant time with one another and found more happiness in that moment than if they would've spent it alone.

Land Ho! is a relatively low-stakes film and it operates on a very safe playing field. Much of it is predicated off of these aforementioned conversations that feel like talk of momentarily horny old men who haven't had sex since the last solar eclipse. It's meditative and humble style of filmmaking, in addition to the frequently beautiful photography of the Iceland region, is reminiscent of David Gordon Green, which makes it no surprise that he appears as one of the film's producers. In addition, the way cinematographer Andrew Reed decides to capture Iceland, through beautiful, wide-angle shots sets to melodic tunes of yesteryear, makes Land Ho! is a decidedly peaceful movie-going experience, even with all the camaraderie occurring.

With that, the writing/directing team of Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz craft a film that works because of how real it feels, although it misses the opportunity to have the two characters engage in more heartfelt discussions about topics of a little more sustenance. However, its evasion of that is also part of its charm. This is a film about embracing one's willingness to continue celebrating life even when society says that you should simply sit down and live your life in solitude. By going out, drinking, smoking, and engaging in their own adventures, the characters of Colin and Mitch beautifully rebel against societal conventions and their own eccentric personalities make for a slight, well-made little doodle of a film.

Starring: Paul Eenhoorn and Earl Lynn Nelson. Directed by: Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz.