When I'm Sixty-Four (2004 TV Movie) User Reviews

Once more round the block, mate!

[fnorful · 8/10 · 7 April 2006]

The introduction and initial development of the two main characters is very well done.

We first see Ray with his mates at the local pub when they all rush out in order to rumble with a visiting rival soccer club's fans. Although Ray and one of his older friends are winded even getting to the fight, they manage to pummel well enough and add one more row to reminisce about from their good old days of brawling. We find that Ray owns and drives a cab, is widowed, has two grown children and keeps his old home. Despite being widowed for 8 years he can't bear to change anything that relates to his departed wife.

We next see Jim at the school he attended as a boy and from where he is now retiring as a master. The story of "Beaky" (so nicknamed because of his prominent nose) unrolls as the cab called to take him to the airport (driven by Ray) is instead directed to a clinic where the nose is made less prominent. Jim's forgotten safari jacket and personal notebook left in the car provide the start of the relationship as Ray returns the items and is also where we find that Jim wants to: 1. Fall in love, and 2. See the world.

The relationship and the story develop so very well, so comfortably, so believably, so tastefully. The acting here is superb and the screenplay solid. Supporting characters are realistic, consistent and help move the solid plot along. Motivations are shown, difficulties are encountered, decisions are made.

An elegant and lovely story of two older men finding new lives for themselves make this a rare movie and a highly enjoyable one.

Awakening in autumn

[juho69 · 9/10 · 23 December 2004]

I watched 'When I'm 64' out of curiosity. I was attracted by the preview of this drama about the friendship of two older men. As I was not certain if I would be in that evening, I recorded it. I am so glad that I did!

London taxi driver Ray (Paul Freeman) is in his middle sixties and a widower. He has two grown-up children and grandchildren but grieves deeply still for his wife. One day, he is called out to a private school to collect newly-retired bachelor school master Jim Bryant (Alun Armstrong). The two men's lives are destined to change for ever.

At first sight, they seem to have little in common. Ray is a former football hooligan, tattooed, with a London accent who spends his free time down the pub with his mates. Jim is a well-spoken, well-educated public school teacher who collects stamps. Gradually, however, as their friendship grows, they find life opening up windows of opportunity for them in ways they never could have imagined.

The story is structured well as it charts the development of Ray and Jim's relationship from professional to something closer. The rounded characterisations of the two leads, coupled with the appearance of their families and friends, reveal to the watcher what has made the two men how they are, who and what has brought them to this stage in their lives. Good use of settings helps convey the contrasting lifestyles of the characters.

Paul Freeman and Alun Armstrong are excellent as the two leads. It is difficult not to think of Paul Freeman as the villainous French archaeologist in 'Raiders Of The Lost Ark' - but, it is credit to his skills as an actor that he is as believable (and much more likable) as the very different London cabbie Ray. Alun Armstrong, often in authoritative roles, is convincing and sympathetic as Jim, the somewhat stereotypical English public school master who is yet so desirous of breaking away from the life he has known after he retires. Thanks to the chance meeting with Ray, he is able to fulfil his ambitions to "see the world and fall in love".

Strong performances are given also by the supporting actors and actresses. Special mention should be made of Ray's friend Billy (Karl Johnson) who adds a touch of black humour to the story. (Trivia point: Karl Johnson was one of the musicians on 'Rainbow' in its very early days).

Perhaps I should mention that, although fairly conservative by nature, I did not think the scene upstairs was offensive; rather, I found it innocent and touching. Whatever may have happened, however, the most important aspect of the relationship is their friendship. Jim and Ray were two lonely men who would have probably remained so had they not found each other. At the end, I was on the edge of my seat, willing the story to end the way it did and I was so pleased with the outcome.

'When I'm 64' is an unconventional but touching story with its theme of 'it's never too late'. All the threads of the story are brought together effectively and carefully whilst its potentially controversial scenes are handled with sensitivity. I find it hard not to like Jim and Ray nor to wish them the best of luck. It deserves to be called a classic.

"We've never been a mug household."

[CIMC · 8/10 · 18 October 2005]

It's never too late for love. That's the theme behind essentially every senior romance film. The same questions tend to come up in most of them. Will s/he be able to move on from the loss of the previous partner? Will the adult children accept dad/mom's new love? Will a grandchild do something adorable? All these questions are answered in the winning comedy When I'm 64. Though a formula film if there ever was one, it's formula terrifically executed.

Opening with a soccer brawl we are introduced to Ray (Paul Freeman), a working class "geriatric hooligan." His semiretirement is spent whiling away the hours at the pub and driving his taxi. The routine is punctuated by the occasional very public soccer brawl, much to the chagrin of his adult children. At 64, his children think he might have better things to do with his time. Ray tends to agree but as a widower, he's reluctant to try to find a new love now that the love of his life is gone. Jim (Alun Armstrong) has spent his entire life at one school. First as a student, Jim stayed on at various faculty positions eventually becoming the headmaster. A lifetime bachelor he's now reached the UK's retirement age and is set to leave the school, essentially for the first time. After spending his entire life in a regimented institution, he's ready for a change. His plan is now "to not have a plan". Without a plan his two remaining goals in life might seem a little lofty but perhaps a plan is not needed to; 1. See the world and, 2. Fall in love. First things first though, Jim has to fix the reason he's been called "Beaky" for more than a half-century.

Coincidences keep Jim and Ray bumping into each other. Jim's plans for travel are upset when his elderly father falls ill. Knowing that his son is 65, the hospitalized father suggest that perhaps, "we should ask for a double room." With Ray offering support for Jim their friendship grows and begins to test the boundaries of Ray's lifetime heterosexuality. Funny and touching events ensue leading to a somewhat corny, though totally satisfactory punch line.

The path followed by Ray brings up some interesting family issues that often appear in gay cinema. The main one is, how great is the need for family support? Ray is faced with the fact that one of his children is abhorred by the idea of homosexuality. In many films there's a struggle of some sort that ends up with one of the parties hurt or both sides happily rid of previous prejudices. It's refreshing to see a film where the protagonist doesn't have to justify himself to others in order to justify himself to himself.

Simply the best

[wood_bee · 10/10 · 8 August 2004]

This is quite simply the best single drama the BBC have delivered in years. Just when you thought they were dumbing-down and wasting the licence fee on makeover shows, they hit you with this beautifully observed and painstakingly constructed story of love in later life which gives clichés a wide berth and delivers honest and believable characters coping with the kind of situation that, frankly, just does not get enough exposure in the media.

Downtrodden Jim, reaching the end of his usefulness in the teaching profession, wants to experience 'life' before he dies. Unfortunately he's saddled with looking after his elderly father and it begins to look as if he's going to be exchanging one form of stultifying prison existence for another. Then into his life comes Ray, taxi driver and ex-football hooligan, who is serving his own life sentence, enslaved by a family who neither appreciate him nor have any sympathy with his ongoing grief for his dead wife.

The two men are opposites in almost every respect, but as they each begin to resolve their personal dilemmas and come to terms with homosexual longings they have suppressed for decades the viewer is on the edge of his or her seat willing them to succeed. By the time they reach the bedroom their tender clumsiness together has been so well established that no graphic details are necessary; we know they'll muddle through somehow.

Alun Armstrong is an actor of great depth and integrity and any project bearing his name is always going to be worth watching, but he's a revelation here; his sensitive and understated performance never once strays in the direction of camp parody. Paul Freeman, on the other hand, was a real surprise; not being familiar with his other work I had no idea what to expect but he made Ray a whole person, a man who at last found himself open to the adventure of falling in love. Nor was there a single member of the supporting cast who hit a wrong note anywhere, and the direction and production design were disciplined and - for want of a better word - sane. The whole tone of the play was matter-of-fact and sympathetic; "Hey, guess what, men *do* sometimes fall in love with each other." It may not always be tidy or convenient, but then nor is any *other* aspect of life.

Thank you, cast, crew, writer, commissioning editor and everyone else who had the foresight to be involved in this - but most of all, Mr Armstrong and Mr Freeman, thank you for making me believe.

Start to live your' life, whatever your' age!

[stewednose · 10/10 · 21 October 2005]

This is one of the better programmes that the BBC have been responsible for over the last ten years. This show was both brave and groundbreaking. Not only did it show that people over sixty weren't going to be content with sitting by the fire and drinking cups of cocoa, but it shows us that your life is not set in stone. There is always the possibility that one day something will happen to make you re-evaluate your' life. Focusing on the relationship between Ray the Cabbie and Jim the retired school-teacher, this drama made me both laugh and cry. At first there was real tension, showing that these two were complete opposites in the other's world. But the friendship develops into something beautiful. I enjoyed watching how they went from being friendly to realising that they had a much more physical attraction to each other.(It was beautiful the way they had their first kiss, both sensual and nervous) You also cheer when Ray's children realise that he is going to start living his life, not just be around for them.

The ending will have you both jumping for joy and crying with tears of happiness, but also shouting with frustration that it is only a one-off show. Well done, Auntie. You've set the precedent, now it's time to give us plenty more worthwhile programmes!

intelligent drama with a twist

[didi-5 · 8 August 2004]

Ageing footie thug and Cockney cabbie Ray (Paul Freeman), a widower with grasping kids, meets refined retired teacher Jim (Alun Armstrong) and strikes up an unusual friendship which forces him to reassess his priorities, his feelings and his prejudices.

The BBC drama took what is still a thorny subject and treated it with class and sensitivity, helped enormously by the playing of Armstrong in particular. As Ray's kids, Jason Flemyng and Tamsin Outhwaite have little to do but do it well. As the terminally-ill friend and fellow ex-thug Billy, Karl Johnson is also very good.

A well-written, well-directed piece of drama which only lets itself down by the enforced contrast between the backgrounds of the two lead characters, and with the (almost) cop-out ending.

Why?

[pinchton-32695 · 10/10 · 10 March 2017]

I saw this drama a couple of years ago now on YouTube... alas it has disappeared. What a wonderful story of the growing friendship and later love between two gentleman in the later years of their life. With all the rubbish that is put out on DVD though the question has to be asked why this excellent drama has never been released on DVD.

Loved it.

[nikkilindsey183 · 9/10 · 23 August 2021]

I watched this by chance while channel hopping and I'm so glad I did. I had no idea it was about gay rights but knew by the spark between the 2 men that's where it was going. Its funny, a little bit sad and terribly heartwarming. I cried happy tears.

Underwhelming

[philipfoxe · 6/10 · 26 August 2021]

Actually quite annoyed with this film. Underscripted, unlikely and difficult to suspend credulity. A terribly dull man, for some reason attracts the friendship and attention of another man for no discernible reason. The film plods on predictably with zero chemistry between them. The interpersonal relations between them and the potential for family tensions is given two dimensional treatment. Painfully amateurish.

Retired from what?

[fabiog-26-358885 · 8/10 · 9 July 2020]

Nice film about love, affection, sexuality, need for company, in people who, due to different circumstances, reach retirement age alone. For many people it is a taboo, inconvenient topic, sometimes close to weakness and shame (for example, the older person being "economically exploited" by a younger one). The generations that are now reaching that point are experiencing a paradigm shift. They were born into a world, with very rigid rules. Those rules were broken, they fell, they were knocked down. Some of them were part of that change, others just saw it, locked in a closet, sometimes with family and children, and others alone, often with no stories to tell ... And there they are, with the cultural clock (and sometimes the biological one) that tells them that death is near ... It is now or never. Fortunately.

"Short little life, really." "Such a short life"

[rjmmcelroy · 9/10 · 25 February 2022]

Bittersweet moments of change bring a couple together at low tide. Uncomfortable and moving, this view of English culture tags toxic masculinity with humanity.

"Such a short little life," means so much more when breaking barriers. You gotta love when a film has meaning beyond entertainment.

This is art.

New awakenings

[qui_j · 5/10 · 7 October 2021]

This was an interesting film that dealt with a sensitive topic of coming out late in life. It was well acted and quite believable.

Truly terrific

[mysafetyemonline · 10/10 · 22 January 2022]

Two of my favorite actors from New Tricks. Surprising twists, gutsy and fun. I find that increasingly, I orefer British TV to American. More real, less violent, less woke/value signaling/political.

nicely done

[mymeister · 8/10 · 13 March 2022]

After seeing New Tricks, I wanted to see more of Alun Armstrong. This was very well done. To be honest I thought it was a tv series so was disappointed when it was a movie. I also wanted to see more of the guys trying more things and travelling lol.

The sh$tty kids were, well, sh#tty. Not sure if they were realistic or not but their stranglehold and emotional blackmail over their dad was nicely done.