My Old Lady

When this movie came out, I was in France and when I came home, it was no longer showing.  True, it didn't have a large target audience.  Anything directed to people, particularly women above 45 years old often isn't.

So I waited about 6 months to see this movie and this month, it's out on DVD.

What's not to love? Kristin Scott Thomas of the English Patient and Sarah's Key, Kevin Kline of French Kiss and Sophie's Choice and the inimitable Maggie Smith of Downton Abbey and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and the Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.  These three actors are amongst my favorite.

The setting is a favorite too:  A huge, old Paris apartment.
The plot sounds like fun: a ne'er do well kinda guy, thrice married and divorced inherits said apartment and a gold watch from his rich father.  Only problem is, it comes with an old lady and her daughter and this, until the old lady's death.

So why did it kinda bomb?  Turns out, the movie isn't that comedic. Mathias Gold is a near 60s drunk who has never gotten over the absence and reservedness of his parent and it takes him most of this rather long movie to do so...

I love Kevin Kline but I don't love him in this movie.  Maggie is Maggie but with a little bit of a selfishness that makes her less lovable.

This movie's script does these fine actors a disservice.  It is too long and makes a storyline that should have elevated the spirit one that makes the viewer ask: "When will this be over?"

If you want to see a great little movie set in a Paris apartment, see Hunting and Gathering (2007).

I give this movie a sorry 3 stars out of 5. Still worth seeing for the setting.  The huge apartment in the middle of Paris' Marais district has a large yard and is worth 12 million...

Stella-the-movie-critic