Yet another fabulous Netflix feature, Our Souls at Night is one of the quietest and sweetest movies of the year. It concerns a widow and a widower, neighbors, who begin sleeping together to combat their loneliness. As their affections grow, they grow from platonic partners to romantic partners, creating a family of their own when their children and grandchildren come into the picture. As age and personal commitments begin to separate them, their love is tested, and the end result is an enlightening, empowering testament to what can happen when we love without restraint.
The film has its familiar rhythms and tropes, but it never once feels tired or vague. Its wit is as sharp as its sense of purpose, and hardly a moment is wasted. So many of the scenes have nothing but stars Robert Redford and Jane Fonda together, talking, and these make up the meat of the movie. There's nothing better than watching two amazing performers acting the crap out of a solid screenplay, and their chemistry is endlessly watchable. Toss in a cute little boy (Iain Armitage), a sweet dog, and support in the forms of Matthias Schoenaerts, Phyllis Somerville, and Judy Greer, and you have an absolute delight.
Plus, for a romance and drama about aging, the film is remarkably slim on sentiment. There's not an ounce of melodrama, nothing nostalgic or weepy. These are very real characters -- some of the most complex I've ever seen in a romance -- and they confront their problems with frankness, intelligence, and gumption. A total lack of irony makes this film a breath of fresh air, one that reminds us of how ridiculous so many in the genre can be.
IMDb: Our Souls at Night
No comments:
Post a Comment