When you've got Dyan Cannon and Sally Kellerman in your Senior Center grief counseling program, there's a lot of whispering envy going on, as well as some very interested men. But this isn't a story about some 60-somethings near Ft. Lauderdale "gone wild", it's a very respectful story about the different ways people deal with grief after many years in a relationship. The story focuses on several different seniors, but the heart of that story belongs to Brenda Vaccaro, whose very virile husband is suddenly killed by a self-centered elderly woman talking on her cell phone. Vaccaro is approached by grief center member Dyan Cannon who encourages her to attend the program, where Vaccaro unleashes her seething anger on her very first meeting. Cannon takes Vaccaro under her wing, while another recent widower (the delightful Len Cariou) finds himself the subject of the admiration of the sultry beauty Sally Kellerman who encourages him to talk. Joe Bologna is the seemingly oversexed pal who encourages Cariou to pursue the beautiful Kellerman, while Michael Nouri is the not-yet retired man Cannon takes up with. She thinks he's a real estate developer, but things are not always what they seem to be.
Each of these individuals makes their own self discoveries thanks to widowhood, and Vaccaro confronts the woman ("The Nanny's" Renee Taylor) who killed her husband. Don't expect Sylvia Fine in Taylor's cameo as the self-centered woman who may feel bad but doesn't feel she deserves Vaccaro's anger. They may look alike and have similar personal attributes, but Taylor's clueless woman is as far from "The Nanny's" mom as you can get. Vaccaro, in the type of role usually played by Kathy Bates, is very real; In fact, she is probably the truest character in the script. While it is nice to see that she begins to come back to life thanks to Cannon's compassion, it's also realistic to see that she wouldn't really change all that much. Underneath her sour persona is a woman of heart equally scared and angry about the sudden changes to her life. It's nice to see her stand up to her family about not having to move closer to them, but that is not as well developed as the similar story of Cariou's daughter and granddaughter. They are each shocked and thrilled by revelations about their mother and grandmother who had quite a different identity than the one they perceived her to be.
Don't expect the senior citizens of "Driving Miss Daisy" and "On Golden Pond" in this story. These are characters who grew up in the 50's and 60's and were rebels then and refuse to go out in wheelchairs or with a walker unless they have to. There may be some moments that some may find a bit far-fetched or unnecessary (like the conversation which occurs over Cannon and her pals discussing their anatomy while watching a porno), but overall, this is a delightful funny film with some still very sexy women showing that it's not always about being 20-something.
Each of these individuals makes their own self discoveries thanks to widowhood, and Vaccaro confronts the woman ("The Nanny's" Renee Taylor) who killed her husband. Don't expect Sylvia Fine in Taylor's cameo as the self-centered woman who may feel bad but doesn't feel she deserves Vaccaro's anger. They may look alike and have similar personal attributes, but Taylor's clueless woman is as far from "The Nanny's" mom as you can get. Vaccaro, in the type of role usually played by Kathy Bates, is very real; In fact, she is probably the truest character in the script. While it is nice to see that she begins to come back to life thanks to Cannon's compassion, it's also realistic to see that she wouldn't really change all that much. Underneath her sour persona is a woman of heart equally scared and angry about the sudden changes to her life. It's nice to see her stand up to her family about not having to move closer to them, but that is not as well developed as the similar story of Cariou's daughter and granddaughter. They are each shocked and thrilled by revelations about their mother and grandmother who had quite a different identity than the one they perceived her to be.
Don't expect the senior citizens of "Driving Miss Daisy" and "On Golden Pond" in this story. These are characters who grew up in the 50's and 60's and were rebels then and refuse to go out in wheelchairs or with a walker unless they have to. There may be some moments that some may find a bit far-fetched or unnecessary (like the conversation which occurs over Cannon and her pals discussing their anatomy while watching a porno), but overall, this is a delightful funny film with some still very sexy women showing that it's not always about being 20-something.