I'll See You in My Dreams

Reading the synopsis for this movie I thought I'd be in for an hour of sentimental slush about senior citizens like myself, but it isn't like that at all. Sure, it's about the kind of problems we old folk can encounter, and therefore how it will register with other sections of the population I can't tell. Some won't have any patience with it because it doesn't affect them. Yet. A pity, as they're the ones who'd benefit most from seeing it.

It's an intelligent, well-written, tactfully directed, thoughtful and touching movie. It is luxuriously cast with a bunch of top-level character actors who fill the screen with their warmth. It's invidious to single anyone out but I'm going to mention Martin Starr, an actor I don't remember encountering before in spite of his many credits. His scenes with Blythe Danner are particularly good. Danner herself, the movie's linchpin, is vulnerable without being self-pitying or cloying in any way. A fine performance in a fine film.

This film certainly seemed like a saccharine affair from the posters and the summary, but it was actually a very nice surprise. There's a real sensitivity and emotional depth to it that I didn't expect, and it actually doesn't really hit as many of the clichéd plot points as you think. Just when it's about to seem likely to hit one of them, it turns course and opts to go for something more realistic. The performances are also exquisite. I don't think I've ever seen Blythe Danner in anything else before this, but she was a revelation. not opting to make anything too obvious, it's a quiet, restrained but emotionally meaningful performance. She's certainly up to the task of demonstrating the nuance that the script and direction suggest. Overall, this is a very good film and definitely recommended.

Carol Petersen (Blythe Danner) is a widow of 20 years and a retired singer in a band. She has a simple life and her circle of friends (June Squibb, Rhea Perlman, Mary Kay Place). They want her to move into the retirement community. Her dog dies of old age. She starts a friendship with the new pool guy Lloyd (Martin Starr). He's a poet graduate and living with his mother. Bill (Sam Elliott) is the new love in Carol's life. Her daughter Katherine (Malin Akerman) comes for a visit.

A high June Squibb is hilarious. This is a rather light easy story. Blythe Danner is incredible. She encompasses every part of this movie. Her internal struggles even before she has them are all very effective. It's a quietly powerful performance.

Good, simple, often funny movie concerned with the serious subject of just what is left of value in a life that is much closer to the end than to the beginning, and what we might do with that remaining value. Blythe Danner, June Squibb, Rhea Perlman, Mary Kay Place, Sam Elliott, and Martin Starr are the leads, with Danner the star as Carol, a widow living out her very comfortable but ordinary L.A. days at home, except for her bridge and golf games with her 3 funny buddies at the local retirement center. Then, first came a personal loss, then came an odd but valued friendship with her young pool cleaner, then a loss that truly moved her to change the way she saw and lived life.

The director kept things light and not too serious about the issues with aging until that loss that changed things forever for Carol, temporarily at first, but permanently later, as she then became more accepting of doing things with more meaning and friendly human relationships in her remaining years. Sad in spots, funny in most, but always meaningful, with sound advice for all of us as we age.

What I took away from this story was that we all need to spend serious time reviewing our lives when we get to Carol's age, and question if we are using our limited time wisely and in our own best interests, and then make the right changes. We owe that to ourselves, and to our friends and loved ones. Just like Carol. In that way, the story was like a good friend.

From the promos it sounds like an upbeat film, but the sad parts start right at the beginning. It's more about loss as you age, and trying to find a meaningful life in spite of it. Good acting but waaah. 😦