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Elsa & Fred

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Elsa & Fred (2014)

March. 07,2014
|
6.5
|
PG-13
| Drama Comedy Romance
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After his daughter persuades him to move into a new apartment, aged widower Fred strikes up a friendship with his eccentric 74-year-old neighbour Elsa, who convinces him it's never too late to keep enjoying life. Although he seemed resigned to a miserable bedridden existence, Fred embraces Elsa's youthful enthusiasm as she introduces him to the path of life and entertains him with outlandish stories about her past life. But when he discovers Elsa's terminally ill, Fred decides to accompany her on the trip of her dreams to the eternal city of Rome to help her fulfil a lifelong ambition.

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Reviews

Acensbart
2014/03/07

Excellent but underrated film

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Dynamixor
2014/03/08

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

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Philippa
2014/03/09

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

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Guillelmina
2014/03/10

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

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avocadess
2014/03/11

What a bizarre experience this movie was -- and not in a good way! It began kind of cute, sweet and innocent and showing many signs it would be a meaningful movie well worth watching.However, Elsa has a lying problem. That is, she lies. A lot. And the one person she lies the most to is Fred. Not a good sign. This movie portrays an old woman who is a pathological liar as if it were both cute and romantic. Being an older woman myself, I can tell you that the older I get the more I realize that lying is neither cute nor romantic, and this kind of message in a film really irks me big-time.Then when she tells Fred about her ex (who she had previously said died but who really didn't die, and she got caught in that lie) she told her "sob story" of how he cheated on her and so she went to another country to pay for a handsome young male prostitute, then came home and told her ex about it, saying that if he could cheat on her then she could cheat on him. The punch line was that he said it was okay for him because he was a man. I guess this is the point where we are supposed to say, "Oh good, she is just being a feminist." Ugh.I don't really care to cover anymore of the story except to say that I felt cheated myself -- of an hour or two of my time -- for having watched this ludicrous film which seems to give a moral to the story of it's okay to lie, and oh look, it's even kind of cute and romantic and whimsical and totally okay. Not!

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dancinqueen47
2014/03/12

I've seen several movies about older people falling in love & have enjoyed most of them. I suppose that's why Netflix recommended this one, guessing that I'd LOVE it! Boy were they off this time! I had a huge problem with the Elsa character who was, IMO, a contemptible, pushy, pathological liar and overall whack-job! And poor Shirley looked just awful! I realize she's elderly, but good grief, there are things they could have done with camera angles, focus, lighting and wardrobe that would have improved her appearance. It looked like they applied her foundation with a trowel! And rarely, if ever, is long hair flattering to women from about age 60 and up - and hers looked like a cheap wig, to make it even worse! If I was Shirley, I'd sue them for making me look so horrible. I found the whole thing implausible because to start with, among the folks in this age group, decent looking widowers who are financially secure and mentally sound - as the Fred character was - are in very short supply. In reality, a Fred would not be so lonely or so desperate that he'd settle for someone who acts and looks like an Elsa.It saddens me that two great old pros, like Plummer and MacLaine have apparently been reduced to starring in this kind of inane garbage.I honestly wish I hadn't watched this and I recommend that nobody else watch it.

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Bob-45
2014/03/13

I really like Shirley MacLaine and Christopher Plummer. So, I was pretty surprised to find them starring in "Elsa & Fred". After all, Netflix Streaming lists the two stars as (Gasp!) Marcia Gay Harden and James Brolin. Hello Netflix! James Brolin appears in only TWO scenes. I guess whoever listed "Elsa and Fred" are either Gen X or Gen Y. Otherwise, he or she would realized BOTH Shirley MacLaine AND Christopher Plummer have won Oscars! Well, yes, so has Marcia Gay Harden; but JAMES BROLIN? Anyway, the ignorance of those responsible for Netflix Streaming is the LEAST of the problems with "Elsa & Fred". I do not care if Michael Radford DID win an audience award. Radford's direction is listless; and nearly the entire first half of "Elsa & Fred" plays out almost as a series of unconnected scenes. Despite the great efforts of MacLaine and Plummer, there is simply NO chemistry between them during the first half. However, once Plummer's character "comes out of his shell," the chemistry between him and Shirley MacLaine is quite touching. Unfortunately, by then, it is too late. The narrative builds no tension, even with the cliché "character in jeopardy" subplot. More engaging music would certainly have helped.If you really want to see this type of movie done right, watch "Still Mine," with James Cromwell and Genevieve Bujold. Now, THAT is a "geriatric love story" worth seeing.Oh, I must point out, when MacClaine dresses as "Anita Ekberg," MacClaine proves she is STILL hot at 80. Sadly, I must ALSO point out that James Brolin, at 74, looks WAY too young to be convincing as MacLaine's estranged husband.I give "Elsa & Fred" a "4".

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goodone49
2014/03/14

This movie wanted to set a mood and lure us in to the depression of old age while extracting us with the allure of romance. However, the movie just falls short. The mood is never quite right. The writing is sub par, and the acting (other than Shirley Mclain) is equally substandard. Not even Shirley can raise up such a bad movie. The plot was overly predictable, and in general, this one should be skipped. The reason you probably never heard about is that is just isn't good, which is unfortunate, because it had so much potential. Instead watch "Wrestling Earnest Hemmingway" for a much better version of spicing up life among older individuals.

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