Greetings again from the darkness. Director Susan Seidelman ("Desperately Seeking Susan" and "Sex and the City") has collaborated with her mother's real life experiences to create a surface look at life in an Active Adult Community.
The Boynton Beach Bereavment Club exists in theory to assist with grieving and handling the loss of a loved one. In reality, it is more of a social club for elderly lonely hearts still looking for some action.
I can't place my finger on exactly what is missing here, but despite the touching and humorous situations, the film has no real heart and soul. It plays out almost as a series of vignettes. Of course there is no plot as it is much more an observation on the lifestyle.
The film is pretty well cast although I challenge you to not be a tad freaked out by the plastic surgery results of Dyan Cannon, Sally Kellerman and a couple of others. The best performances are from Len Cariou and especially Brenda Vaccaro. Joseph Bologna plays the same role he always plays and Michael Nouri (everyone remembers him from "Flashdance") plays Cannon's love interest with a ridiculous secret.
There are some dark moments and some pretty funny ones as well. Vaccaro's performance is excellent and the film is definitely worth seeing despite it's overall lack of ambition at making any real statement. One last thing, excepting Eartha Kitt's classic vocals on "Santa Baby", this film may very well have the worst soundtrack in Hollywoood history.
The Boynton Beach Bereavment Club exists in theory to assist with grieving and handling the loss of a loved one. In reality, it is more of a social club for elderly lonely hearts still looking for some action.
I can't place my finger on exactly what is missing here, but despite the touching and humorous situations, the film has no real heart and soul. It plays out almost as a series of vignettes. Of course there is no plot as it is much more an observation on the lifestyle.
The film is pretty well cast although I challenge you to not be a tad freaked out by the plastic surgery results of Dyan Cannon, Sally Kellerman and a couple of others. The best performances are from Len Cariou and especially Brenda Vaccaro. Joseph Bologna plays the same role he always plays and Michael Nouri (everyone remembers him from "Flashdance") plays Cannon's love interest with a ridiculous secret.
There are some dark moments and some pretty funny ones as well. Vaccaro's performance is excellent and the film is definitely worth seeing despite it's overall lack of ambition at making any real statement. One last thing, excepting Eartha Kitt's classic vocals on "Santa Baby", this film may very well have the worst soundtrack in Hollywoood history.