Quartet (2012)

There are few movies that are centered around and made for an older generation of stars. Far too often, talented seasoned stars will make an appearance as someone's parent or grandparent rather starring in their own movie. Quartet is a film that peeks into the lives of a retirement home that has been made especially for elderly musicians.

The Premise

An annual benefit has been planned to celebrate Verdi's birthday and to raise money to help with expenses at a home for retired musicians. A group of long time friends are in the midst of rehearsals when the fourth member of their quartet arrives unexpectedly at the retirement home, shaking things up.

My Take

Cissy, Wilf and Reginald are long time friends and opera singers who live together at a home for retired musicians in England. Every year the home puts on a benefit concert on Verdi's birthday to help raise money for the expenses of their beloved home. The benefit is being led by the larger than life, Cedric Livingston, played by Sir Michael Gambon. Cedric is determined to have the event go off without a hitch and it will be his way or no way at all.

Cissy, Wilf and Reginald, once part of a famous quartet, are rehearsing their various parts. One day, a new resident arrives at the estate. It is the much esteemed Jean Horton, the final member of the famous quartet, played by the incomparable Dame Maggie Smith. Jean has come to the retirement home begrudgingly and continues her diva like ways with the staff and her former colleagues.

Reginald (the wonderful Sir Tom Courtenay) and Jean were once married causing friction in the one time group of friends. Cissy, the very talented Pauline Collins, and Wilf, the very funny Billy Connolly, try their best to mend the broken quartet but to no avail. Cedric comes up with the idea to have the group reunite and sing at the Verdi benefit concert. Jean, however refuses to sing. But what Cedric wants, Cedric gets. After all, the show must go on.

The Verdict

Quartet was a wonderful vehicle for director Dustin Hoffman to really show his talent behind the scenes. All of the casting was wonderful from the main characters to the singers to the musicians to the staff at the retirement home. There as not a bad person in the bunch. The cast may have been primarily a cast of, shall we say, seasoned actors, but the movie's themes were still relatable to people of all ages. Love, loss, anger, grief and fear are things that we go through at all stages of life. Quartet (written by Ronald Harwood) was surprisingly funny and touching, given the setting. I give Quartet 3/4 members.

That Awkward Moment (2014)

Sometimes you start a movie not really expecting much from it. We were watching one such film for filler one lazy Winter day while the kids were playing outside and my husband and I were tangled up on the couch with one ear listening for screams of pain coming from the yard and the other ear tuned in to the speakers of the television set. Then we had the pleasant surprise of getting involved with the characters and their lives in That Awkward Moment.

The Premise

Three best friends find themselves suddenly single and make a vow to stay that way. Things get complicated (and awkward) as each thinks they have met "the one". They try to pursue their relationships without letting the others find out.

My Take

According to the movie, that awkward moment in relationships always begins with the word, "So". "So where are we going?" "So what is this?" "So what are we?" It's that way of defining a relationship that makes it uncomfortable. I'll tell you what; I've never been so happy to be married.

That Awkward Moment centers around three best friends. Jason (Zac Efron) seems destined to be a perpetual bachelor. He has a girl for every day of the week, called his roster, and he is by all appearances quite happy to live this life. Daniel (Miles Teller) uses his best gal pal, Chelsea (Mackenzie Davis), as his wing man to help him score with the ladies. And Mikey (Michael B. Jordan) has recently been told by his wife that she wants a divorce.

Jason and Daniel treat recently single Mikey to a night out on the town. Daniel is using Chelsea to pick up chicks. Mikey is miserable. And Jason runs into Ellie, played by Imogen Poots. He and Ellie hit it off right away and go back to her place where he naturally comes to the conclusion that she is a hooker.

That Awkward Moment is full of appropriately awkward moments. Affairs, lots of sex, sex toys, mistaken identity, Facebook stalking, inappropriate costumes, car crashes, thievery, drunken nights and dirty jokes made for quite a few chuckles.

The Verdict

Miles Teller was hilarious as Daniel. As a trio, Zac Efron, Miachael B. Jordan and Teller worked together very well. The writing by Tom Gormican was clever and definitely entertaining. The supporting cast was spot on.

So.... What did I think of That Awkward Moment? I give it 3 guys and a girlfriend. It's silly, raunchy and worth an hour and a half of your time.