REVIEW: QUARTET
It is not exactly great to be a movie critic right now. Recent releases like "Olympus Has Fallen," "Admission" and "The Host" have all received to middling to brutally negative reviews, the latter falling more into that second category. I love Morgan Freeman, Tina Fey and aliens equally (I'm just kidding Tina, I love you) but I'm avoiding all of the above films like the plague. "Olympus" looks brainless, "Admission" looks lifeless and "Host" looks...awful. Sorry Twihards. So what's a critic to do when nothing's even passably decent in theaters? See it anyway, because they're professionals, but lo and behold I don't have that burden (yet.) What I do is go back to the 2012 movie season, and see a film that got a little awards love, but surprisingly strong box office appreciation. This, ladies and gentleman, is "Quartet."
"Quartet," directed by directing newbie Dustin Hoffman, requires a certain state of mind when you're walking into the theater. It's the same state of mind I went into while viewing similarly themed retirement movie "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," also featuring an ensemble of geriatricians and the superb diva Maggie Smith. Naturally I've loved Maggie Smith ever since she wore the graceful, pointed hat in "Sorcerer's Stone" over a decade ago, and seeing her mature into a seasoned veteran who gives sarcastic, even venomous speeches to her peers, only to be forgiven in the end by her 180 into good natured old woman territory.
"Quartet" is no exception. Smith plays a retired stage diva taking on her biggest performance yet: going into a retiree home for musicians. The ensemble is lively enough, but Smith isn't the best part of the movie. Billy Connolly steals most of the scenes as a charmingly devilish old-timer who flirts with every gal in the staff, who are more than willing to humor him back. The lovely Pauline Collins as the most nuanced performance however, as a woman periodically slipping in and out of regularity. The humor is there, as it was in "Marigold," and it's charming to see all these senior citizens have such spot-on comedic timing.
Don't go into this film with Oscar-worthy expectations, it's Sunday afternoon stuff with amusing elderly acting at its finest. I wouldn't even say it was better than "Marigold," which juggled multiple story lines much better than this film. However, if you take it as it is, it's an adorable tale of redeeming mistakes...even when you're in a home.
Rating: 3/4 stars
"Quartet," directed by directing newbie Dustin Hoffman, requires a certain state of mind when you're walking into the theater. It's the same state of mind I went into while viewing similarly themed retirement movie "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," also featuring an ensemble of geriatricians and the superb diva Maggie Smith. Naturally I've loved Maggie Smith ever since she wore the graceful, pointed hat in "Sorcerer's Stone" over a decade ago, and seeing her mature into a seasoned veteran who gives sarcastic, even venomous speeches to her peers, only to be forgiven in the end by her 180 into good natured old woman territory.
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| Connolly steals most of his scenes |
Don't go into this film with Oscar-worthy expectations, it's Sunday afternoon stuff with amusing elderly acting at its finest. I wouldn't even say it was better than "Marigold," which juggled multiple story lines much better than this film. However, if you take it as it is, it's an adorable tale of redeeming mistakes...even when you're in a home.
Rating: 3/4 stars
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