Late Bloomers movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Late Bloomers

This quirky and charming film is now available on Amazon Prime.

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour 29 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B+

SPONSOR of Today’s movie review:

Because one of the main characters is Polish, I found this candy that’s also featured in the movie!

https://amzn.to/4cce81s

IN A NUTSHELL:

Louise, an aimless, 28-year-old Brooklynite, recently single, sort of a musician, depressed without admitting to it, drunkenly falls while doing something stupid and breaks her hip. This lands her in a physical therapy ward full of people twice her age. There, she meets Antonina – a cranky elderly Polish woman, who speaks no English. Louise reluctantly gets a job caring for her. Neither woman loves the arrangement but it’s time to face the truth about aging. We all have to grow up sometime.

The film was directed by Lisa Steen. Writing credits go to Anna Greenfield. Already, the film has been nominated for and won awards at several film festivals.

THINGS I LIKED:

I’ve been a fan of Karen Gillan ever since we all discovered her in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie franchise. She’s really fantastic in this and we even get to hear her sing. Her voice is very sweet.
I hadn’t seen Margaret Sophie Stein in anything before but she gave a very believable performance that allows the viewer to slowly learn to love her, just like Karen Gillan’s character does.
It was nice to see Kevin Nealon in something again. I always loved him in Saturday Night Live.
The movie features a Polish neighborhood in New York City.
There’s a cute group of water aerobics ladies who support one another. I used to teach water aerobics for 10 years and loved it!
One of the characters has early onset Alzheimer’s, which is super sad. Talia Balsam did a great job capturing the blank stare that is often seen in those with Alzheimer’s. My mother struggled with Alzheimer’s for about 10 years before she passed. I’m grateful she had a long, happy life before the disease started. In the movie, Karen Gillan’s character sings to her mother and it reminded me how powerful music was for my mother. She was a beautiful nightclub singer as a young woman. She sang to me all of my life. In the end, when she didn’t recognize any of us, there was always a spark in her eyes when my sisters and I sang to her.
The film does a lovely job showing that we all grow on our own timeline. Life is not a race. As long as we’re learning and improving each day, even in small ways, that’s success.
I liked the illustration of two women who were struggling physically after breaking their hips, but the biggest part of healing was their emotional journey.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Even though it’s a fictional story, I felt bad for all of the characters in the movie who were struggling so much with their lives.
It’s a bit slow-moving.
I would love to have had subtitles to know what the people were saying in Polish. The good news is that not knowing puts you in Karen Gillan’s shoes because she learns to communicate with them in other ways and still build a relationship with them through service and love.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be bored
Profanity, including F-bombs
Crude conversations and words
Lots of alcohol, drunkedness
Two unmarried singles try to have an intimate moment while talking about.

THEMES:

Recovering from a breakup
Friendship
Service to others
Forgiveness
Healing (physically and emotionally)
Family

FUNNY LINES:

“We’re being run by Big Brother companies. We should use them if they’re using us.” – Louise (Karen Gillan)
“I have never inspired anyone ever except to change their phone number. – Louise (Karen Gillan)

INTERESTING LINES:

“Everyone S.U.C.K.S. in the beginning. The only difference is some people keep trying.” – Dorothy
“Do you want to live an unexamined life all your life?” – Brick (Jermaine Fowler)
“Having crutches makes you seem like you have a good story; a cane just seems like a tragedy you shouldn’t ask about.” – Louise (Karen Gillan)
“Sometimes, the most hurtful things are the most truthful.” – Brick (Jermaine Fowler)
“A home is just a place to live. The life in it is what is counted.” – Louise (Karen Gillan)
“I thought I knew things.” – Louise (Karen Gillan)