User reviews

This movie is a long way from Barefoot in the Park, made in 1967, when Robert Redford and Jane Fonda were both 30. Now 80 they play two regular folk, Addie and Louis, who live alone in a small town and decide to spend their nights together to ease their loneliness. As Fonda put it, nights are the worst. The two had only known each other as acquaintances. So, when Addie knocks on his door with the proposal that the two sleep together, without sex, Louis is totally confounded but not scandalized. What I found interesting is how these 1960's sex symbols seemed to fit into these roles so naturally. The movie is slow and it takes a while for the two to get into the groove of being sleeping partners; however, it does pick up when Fonda's grandson comes into their lives. These 80 year olds take on all the energy and dedication of first time parents. The townsfolk were standoffish when they first found out about them but Addie was not bothered about gossip. Louis also adjusted to it. So what happens to spoil this bliss? Without giving it away, both Addie and Louis have acquired some baggage with their own grown children. They are able to face their own lives with a certain wisdom and honesty. The fact that these two actors, Fonda and Redford, can come together and star in a movie that breaks stereotypes is a positive note. It is refreshing to see a movie that treats older people as a loving, energetic couple. Thumbs up!

I watched this movie in MAMI, year round program film screening. I had also got opportunity to interact with director of the film - Ritesh Batra. He is called as cinematic tinder of common man, because he brings romance into lives of characters that have faced struggle and challenges in life.

It is a beautiful story of old aged woman and man who were living alone for years after their spouses have died. They break silence and start sleeping over same bed only to escape loneliness. Both of them continue talking and gossiping about their past lives, happy moments as well as regrets. Their children have grown up and are living their own independent life. Film is an emotional drama, warmth in relationships, and shows sense of human life in dialogues. It explores psyche of old age through their responses to life circumstances. Film end up teaching many life lessons through these characters. Addie regrets that she has spent years thinking what people would be talking about her.

Film is adapted from the novel of same name by Kent Haruf, who died just few weeks after publishing his last novel.

Robert Redford and Jane Fonda are perfect for their lonely and flawed characters. What a sweet unfolding of two complex lives that crave connection and love. It begins simply with wanting to simply sleep through the night and then we get to know all the good and the hard parts of their lives and in the end it is about talking to each other.

There is a bit of all of us in these characters.

It was a good film for sure. Simple and touching story. Easy to watch and very heartwarming. It also tries to avoid as many clichés as possible which was a nice refreshing surprise, as the story was nothing extraordinarily new. Robert Redford was very good and this performance is possibly his best of the past years. Really beautiful performance and a very natural and appealing character. Jane Fonda had the more challenging role and mastered it wonderfully. She had a lot of different facets that were captured in her performances. A lot of secrets are involved in that character and she handled that excellently. Matthias Schoenaerts was also memorable. The film however did have some little lengths. Also some characters like the one of Judy Greer or Phyllis Somerville appear and in the next second disappear again without any significant to the story. It is always nice to see Bruce Dern but also he was rather wasted. The score was fitting the mood of the film but a bit overused. The direction was very calm and concentrated on the two lead protagonists but sometimes failed to give the story some drive. Still very worth to see on a rainy Sunday.

This is one of my favourite genre, the tales about aging people. A rare kind. The lives, the struggle they go through, really melts my heart. So I won't miss such films. I have a long list of such films which are my favourites. And this is another fine one to add to it.

Superb casting. I could not miss Redford films of the recent. At this age, he's phenomenal. And Jane Fonda was equally great. Another Netflix's wonderful product directed by an Indian filmmaker. This was about two old guys, been single for a long time. Now trying to connect, with some effort, they develop an understanding relationship. But not everybody around is happy with it. They have to face them and keep it going. Afterall at this age what they have set to lose!

More like a real life event. There's no any twist, not like a surprising incident. Just beautiful, a kind of love tale. Obviously a little slow, but totally worth it. If you like drama films, this will be a treat to watch. Based on the book of the same name. My only issue was, the end was ordinary, though an acceptable one. Surely, the families, the middle aged members and above would enjoy it. One of the best films of the year.

7/10

Early Netflix has been responsible for generating true recall value and memories galore for this cinephile. Along with Dee Rees' MUDBOUND, this one is a top pick.

There are so many facets of charm to be savoured here: the iconic lead duo reuniting after decades since the quirky dramedy BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, Iain Armitage as the initially aloof post 2000s born kid who eventually warms up to human interaction apart from his obsession with mobile games, the fraught mother-son dynamic, the lovely supporting arc in few minutes' runtime by the certifiably reliable Judy Greer, Bruce Dern as a gossip monger and the musical score, especially the use of fiddles, keeping up with the country vibes of the Colorado setting.

The biggest source of pride is that India's very own Ritesh Batra has maintained his subtle touch and sense of empathy that he initiated on a global scale with THE LUNCHBOX and has diffused further in the Bombay set PHOTOGRAPH. He has a keen eye on unconventional situations under which two people meet. This is his bright star.

Veterans Robert Redford and Jane Fonda hook up for the fourth time in their long and illustrious movie careers, more than fifty years after they first played lovers onscreen in The Chase. Since then, they have gone from being representatives for a new generation of young, beautiful and brainy Hollywood stars, to being among the few Hollywood actors from their generation to really age gracefully. And this is why Redford and Fonda are the perfect choice to lead a movie about newfound love and sex for 70-somethings; they both look like they have lived a normal, healthy life, but they are still very much movie star material: Redford still has that boyish smile and Fonda that twinkle in her eye (and a remarkably perky body).

Writing duo Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber adapted Kent Haruf's novel of the same name, and although the script has its contrivances (most notably in the segments concerning Fonda's grandson who is coming to stay with her), it is mostly a dignified, humorous and perceptive story which is told here, about how two ageing widowers find each other and express their love in uncharted territory. Redford and Fonda show their class individually and, not least, in tandem. Their best little scene together is one without words: when they're driving back from a trip to Denver. That scene says a lot about both the characters of Louis and Addie, and about two old Hollywood friends.

Our Souls at Night has become a pleasant little film, and it has many similarities with Henry Fonda's swansong On Golden Pond from 1981. That film garnered Henry an Oscar and Jane a nomination (playing his daughter). Let's see how it turns out this time.

It is great to see the two actors I most connected with in my youth once again on the screen. Neither are at their peak here, though then neither am I, but they are both delightful to watch in this quiet older adult friendly drama of two long time widowed neighbors coming to the realization that they don't want to spend the rest of their lives alone. It's actually her brazen idea to approach him for a non-sexual romantic relationship. This is a simple, tasteful film that is not for the masses, but I do hope it is/has been seen by many. There are a few other fine actors in this (Bruce Dern, Matthias Schoenaerts, Judy Greer), but it is the stars' show and it was a trip down memory lane for me.

Sweet movie about two elderly neighbors who connect after the death of their spouses. Redford is the reserved Louis and Fonda the more outgoing Addie, who one night knocks at his door and proposes they spend some nights together, just for chatting and company.

With nothing to loose, Louis accepts the proposal and after an awkward start, they connect. Then, Gene, Addie's son (a miscast Schoenaerts) pops up to drop his son with grandma, because he is in the middle of a divorce, not to mention his business going bust.

Grandson Jamie pushes the couple even closer and just when everybody is cozily settling in, with a lovely rescue dog to complete the picture, Gene is back with his baggage of complaints and jealousy. Will Addie and Louis manage to be happy ever after?

It was good to see Fonda and Redford back together. I used to love "Barefoot in the park" as a child, they were such a hot couple and the movie was so much fun. They still look good for their age and their acting is superbly understated, although it made me feel a bit melancholic about the passing of time.

I'm definitely not within the target audience, but the movie made for a nice watch at a quiet evening at my parents' house. It was sweet watching their relationship progress throughout the movie, and the leads were completely believable in their rolls.

My biggest complaint was in the casting of Addie's son. I'm sure the man is a perfectly fine actor, but his American accent needs a lot of work. It was instantly noticeable that it wasn't his natural accent, and was a distraction in all his scenes.

Not one for the fast-paced. But this meandering movie is a warm and touching look at elder life and the complications of family. Jane Fonda leaves most of the glamour behind, but is beautiful and makes us feel that Addie is real. All of the actors seem believable and real telling this story.

Well, I've been battling to sleep lately, but I think after watching this film, that might change tonight. At first, the film was so slow-paced, I almost abandoned it. I'm glad I persisted though, because this film has a lot of heart and the leader characters warmed on me a lot as the film progressed.

At times, it can fill like a series of monologues sewn together from a seniors drama class at the local aged care home. However, the leisurely pace and ease of the film becomes hypnotic after a while and I found myself really enjoying it. Redford and Fonda have great chemistry, with Fonda showing an elegance and beauty I wouldn't normally associate with 80 year-olds.

Definitely recommended to watch with a cup of tea, or when trying to unwind from a busy day. One of those films that touches the heart.

First let me say that I am not sure if I would have kept watching this movie after the first 10 minutes if not for the two stars. The premise was good but the way Jane Fonda's character broached the subject seemed unbelievable to me given that she barely talked to or knew her neighbor. There were a few times when the dialogue felt stilted too. The movie got better but the ending was disappointing. It just kind of left the audience hanging like the filmmakers are anticipating making a sequel. It probably would have made a better TV series than a movie, say 10 episodes on Netflicks. Good to see Fonda an Redford together.

Two actors that it was fun to see them in a film again. Very easy to watch - a good movie of two widowed people with one seeking to have more of a friendship with the other. There are some hiccups for them - the coffee klatch of men gossiping about the goings on, the son of one who drops off the grandson for an extended stay, the issues of dealing with a youngster in the home again, the getaway weekend, and then of course an unexpected event. This is a quiet movie with two iconic actors and it was fun to watch.