Quartet (B or 3/4 stars)
After his amazing career as a screen actor, Dustin Hoffman has now chosen to mark his debut as a film director with 'Quartet', an old-fashioned dramedy written by Ronald Harwood (The Dresser). The story takes place in beautiful Beecham House, a gossipy home for retired musicians. 3 residents, ex-opera singers - dignified Reggie (Tom Courtenay), dementia-stricken "Cissy" (Pauline Collins), & ladies man Wilfred (Billy Connolly) - are surprised/abuzz by the arrival of diva Jean Horton (Maggie Smith), who once collaborated with them until her ego exploded and she abandoned them for fame & fortune. There are some major unresolved issues btwn. Jean & Reggie, who were once married & split-up as a result of Jean's infidelity; he has a particularly hard time taking the news of her arrival.
This film contains 2 main plot strands: 1 focuses on Jean & Reggie's attempts to reconnect, and the 2nd explores a possible reunion of the quartet at a gala concert to celebrate Verdi's birthday; the concert is to be directed by fellow retired resident, Cedric Livingstone (a colorful Michael Gambon). And the gala is also meant to raise crucial $$ so that Beecham House can continue to house these wonderful retirees (many of whom are played by actual opera singers & musicians). Will Jean join the quartet for the concert? Can the concert save Beecham House? And can the passage of time heal old wounds? Melodrama ensues.
'Quartet' is as safe & conventional a film as you could imagine; even when the "F" word is uttered twice. Truth be told, some of the low-key British humor went over my head. But the script is elevated by the 4 principle actors, as well as the performances of the actual opera singers/musicians who live at Beecham House. There's very little drama in the main narrative, but the pleasant tone of the proceedings, the pastoral setting, the way the lines of dialogue are delivered, and the charisma of the 4 main actors lend oodles of charm, wit, sarcasm, & substance to the overall viewing experience.
What can I say about Maggie Smith? I just love her. She's quite fine, here; showing a woman in her twilight years who finds it difficult to face the present & future, yet also looks back with melancholy upon her illustrious, yet lonely past. Tom Courtenay is regal & wonderful. Billy Connolly is a devil; as he normally is (I'm reminded of his fun antics in 1997's Mrs. Brown with Judi Dench). And Pauline Collins (Oscar-nommed for 1989's Shirley Valentine) brings a real delicacy & tenderness to good-natured Cissy. Her hospital bed scene is just beautifully acted. The actors make-up for the fairly unambitious screenplay.
And so, 'Quartet' is a small, straightforward, but perfectly pleasant movie {nice job, Dustin}. In fact, it's so small, light, and short, that you wish it went on longer to, well, fill-out more -- I wanted to see where the story would take these lovely people. You know, I once read somewhere that: no matter how cliched a narrative may be, if the actors make the characters feel real, then the story won't feel stale. And that couldn't be truer, here. Quartet's storytelling goals are modest: fears & disappointments can overwhelm the elderly. But with an open heart & an open mind, perhaps they can - in this story, anyway - give their life meaning once more with good friends at their side & acknowledgement of the beautiful talents that reside within them.
This film contains 2 main plot strands: 1 focuses on Jean & Reggie's attempts to reconnect, and the 2nd explores a possible reunion of the quartet at a gala concert to celebrate Verdi's birthday; the concert is to be directed by fellow retired resident, Cedric Livingstone (a colorful Michael Gambon). And the gala is also meant to raise crucial $$ so that Beecham House can continue to house these wonderful retirees (many of whom are played by actual opera singers & musicians). Will Jean join the quartet for the concert? Can the concert save Beecham House? And can the passage of time heal old wounds? Melodrama ensues.
'Quartet' is as safe & conventional a film as you could imagine; even when the "F" word is uttered twice. Truth be told, some of the low-key British humor went over my head. But the script is elevated by the 4 principle actors, as well as the performances of the actual opera singers/musicians who live at Beecham House. There's very little drama in the main narrative, but the pleasant tone of the proceedings, the pastoral setting, the way the lines of dialogue are delivered, and the charisma of the 4 main actors lend oodles of charm, wit, sarcasm, & substance to the overall viewing experience.
What can I say about Maggie Smith? I just love her. She's quite fine, here; showing a woman in her twilight years who finds it difficult to face the present & future, yet also looks back with melancholy upon her illustrious, yet lonely past. Tom Courtenay is regal & wonderful. Billy Connolly is a devil; as he normally is (I'm reminded of his fun antics in 1997's Mrs. Brown with Judi Dench). And Pauline Collins (Oscar-nommed for 1989's Shirley Valentine) brings a real delicacy & tenderness to good-natured Cissy. Her hospital bed scene is just beautifully acted. The actors make-up for the fairly unambitious screenplay.
And so, 'Quartet' is a small, straightforward, but perfectly pleasant movie {nice job, Dustin}. In fact, it's so small, light, and short, that you wish it went on longer to, well, fill-out more -- I wanted to see where the story would take these lovely people. You know, I once read somewhere that: no matter how cliched a narrative may be, if the actors make the characters feel real, then the story won't feel stale. And that couldn't be truer, here. Quartet's storytelling goals are modest: fears & disappointments can overwhelm the elderly. But with an open heart & an open mind, perhaps they can - in this story, anyway - give their life meaning once more with good friends at their side & acknowledgement of the beautiful talents that reside within them.