A Grand Romantic Gesture movie review

MOVIE TITLE: A Grand Romantic Gesture

This romantic comedy by Gravitas Ventures opens on digital platforms on February 8, 2022

RATING: Although the film will not be rated by the MPAA, I would give it a rating of R for language and content.

LENGTH: 108 minutes

IN A NUTSHELL:

The tagline for this rom-com is “It’s never too late to screw up your life!” The story is about Ava who is forced into early retirement when she loses her job. She loses herself and is bored with her life. Her husband and daughter encourage her to learn gourmet cooking and prepare to be a grandmother. Instead, she signs up for a drama class where she is cast as Juliet – and falls in love with her Romeo. The film was written and directed by Joan Carr-Wiggin.

On a personal note, I have loved ones who experienced infidelity, which led to divorce and broken families. To me, having an affair is not cute or funny.

THINGS I LIKED:

Before the movie begins, you see these words on the screen from Romeo and Juliet: “Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like a thorn.” Several lines from Shakespeare’s famous play are shown during the entire movie in between key scenes as the story progresses.
You’ll immediately notice that blue is the prominent color used throughout the entire film, from the color of clothes the characters wear to the painted walls and props. Color has long been associated with the main characters in Romeo and Juliet. I wondered what additional connections the director wanted us to make by the choice of blue. Did he want to emphasize that love makes us feel blue? What do YOU think?
I thought it was funny that two different characters mentioned actor Jon Hamm.
A GRAND ROMANTIC GESTURE stars BAFTA Winner Gina McKee (My Policeman, Notting Hill), Tony Winner Douglas Hodge (The Great, The Undoing), Rose Reynolds (I’m With Me), and Dylan Llewellyn (Derry Girls, Pistol “Sex Pistols”). The cast does a really great job with some stellar acting moments. A few times, however, I wished for more.
The film does a great job illustrating the excitement, guilt, joy, longing, and pain associated with infidelity.
There is a side story about puppets that left me wondering if the writer/director wanted to say that we are all just puppets when it comes to the emotion of love. Do you think I’m reading too much into that?
There is a telling conversation between one of the couples about why they fell in love with each other. People who have affairs are usually searching to feel something again. I’ve heard marriage therapists say that it is rarely about sex.
The ending leaves you guessing what will happen next.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

I know stubble looks sexy on some men, but I really wanted Douglas Hodge to just shave.
It would have been fun to see more similarities between the characters in this movie to those in Shakespeare’s play.
The movie takes a very sad, cynical look at marriage, as it only portrays bad, unhealthy relationships.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

A woman flips the bird
Profanity and F-bombs
Kids will be completely bored.
Alcohol and drunken behavior
People having an affair are shown in bed together.

THEMES:

Infidelity
Honesty
Marriage
Parenting
Suicide
Aching hearts

FUNNY LINES:

* “They all snore, even the Romeos.” – Ros (Linda Kash)

INTERESTING LINES:

“Lover. My lover. It’s kind of a delicious, indiscreet word, isn’t it?” – Ava (Gina McKee)
“Love is a dream. Sex is real.” – Ava (Gina McKee)
“Well, they are close, aren’t they? Dementia and love.” – Ava (Gina McKee)
“People fall in love and then they fall out of love. It’s just a matter of waiting.” – Ava (Gina McKee)