MOVIE REVIEW: “I’LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS”

 

One of my favorite things about post-retirement life is being able to see a movie in the middle of the week.  There are many other great things about this lifestyle, which I’ve been enjoying for a few years now, but that pleasure is right up there near the top of the list.  Plus, not having to set the alarm clock.  On most days, anyway. 

So when I had the opportunity to see this movie today, I was thrilled.

The main character in I’ll See You In My Dreams, is Carol, portrayed by Blythe Danner.  She is a widow with a grown daughter, living alone, and has developed a routine of sorts.  Watching her go through the motions of her day could be like watching paint dry…except that there is a purpose to her actions.  Her routines keep her going on her lonely path, and perhaps keep her from thinking too much about what she has lost.

I especially noticed that she set her alarm every day.  Something many retirees would not do.  But I empathized with her need to feel as though her life has purpose.

A few things shake up her routine world in just a matter of days.  What will Carol do when her life is no longer under her control?  She is reminded, once again, of how one can be blindsided by life…and she has to come to grips with that fact, once again.

There are some laugh out loud moments between Carol and her friends, portrayed by Rhea Pearlman, Mary Kay Place, and June Squibb.  It was also fun to see Sam Elliott looking hunky, even at his age.

In a speed-dating scene, there were other familiar faces, like Max Gail, from Barney Miller days on TV.

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Younger people will probably not relate to the themes or the characters, but I could be wrong about that.  The story is one of those quiet ones that make you ponder life choices…and you get the opportunity to see how life can shake things up, just when you think everything is all settled.  And along the way, you get to laugh at those funny moments that help us get through the day.

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