Old but Still Dreamy

 As I was looking for pictures of novel covers for yesterday's post, I came across something interesting in the search for "Our Souls at Night."

 

First...there is a movie that is based on the book?  Ok...I want to watch that.

It's on Netflix?  Good deal!  We have Netflix. A search for that title will be on my agenda soon.

Second...who is that guy????  Robert Redford?????  Swoon.  He is my ALL TIME favorite actor and I will watch anything and everything that he is in.  

 

We have to watch this.  We must.

Gary is usually fairly indulgent when it comes to my requests to watch something.  A few times he has said he isn't interested in a particular program or series that I find intriguing, followed by a "Well, you can watch it...I'll just go downstairs (or upstairs) and watch NCIS (or whatever he is interested in at the time)."  Then I back off and say it really doesn't matter, that I don't really want to watch it, and hope that at some time maybe he will change his mind. I know that, for some reason, he doesn't like being in th family room for much of anything - watching tv, visiting with people, sitting with me if I am sewing in there.  And I know that if he goes upstairs he will be asleep in 3 minutes.

But this one?  He found it.  He thought it wasn't "out" yet because on the picture I found there was a note that said "September 29" so I was thinking that he was secretly hoping it wasn't something he would find now.

But it wasn't a 'things to come' movie.  It had been made and released in 2017...three years ago.

With any book that is made into a movie, there are changes, and this one was no exception.  It started out following the book well, but as time went on, several things were changed and some were condensed into a shorter time frame.  I understand why---hitting the highlights instead of drawing out the time that Jamie was staying with his grandmother.  But that time period where he warmed up to Louis and developed such a great relationship with both Lewis and his grandmother was really a special part of the book for me.  Also the ending was different --- more of a HER decision (which I understood a bit better) than the one where Gene made the decision for her and her injury was more serious that it was protrayed in the movie.  The fact that Gene had overruled her and taken it upon himself make decisions around her relationship with Lewis was maddening to me.

 

The actors and the characters?

First of all...the kid who plays Young Sheldon in that tv program is just annoying as heck and I refuse to watch that show.  When I saw that he was cast as Jamie, I was miffed, but he fit the character well, and I liked him better in this.  Of course he was a little younger than he is as Young Sheldon, and maybe he is truly acting because it was a different role for him.

Second...Bruce Dern.  He didn't have a major role, but it was fun to recognize his voice before we actually saw him close enough to recognize.  He was with the group of men who gathered each morning at the local cafe for coffee and gossip.  And I am glad we recognized his voice because I am not sure I would have recognized him with a hat pulled over his eyes. He is OLD!

Third ... Jane Fonda.  She was perfect as Addie.  I liked her voice.  Her movements.  Her thought processes. She is in her 80s also (as are Bruce Dern and Robert Redford) but she has aged better than they have. I suspect some help with that process.....   However, her strong lines in her face reminded me of Aunt Joretta.  An older woman who has cared well for herself, still uses make up daily, dresses fashionably....that type of woman.  She fit the character as I pictured her to be.

 

Fourth, and finally... (swoon) Robert Redford.  His voice was the same.  But oh my.  He looked old.  His hair was too bushy.  His movements were that of an old man. I checked his bio information and found that he is now 84 and was 81 when this film was released. He wore jeans and shirts like I remember my dad wearing.  Nice jeans with a belt.  A flannel shirt or button up or a t-shirt type shirt. Well, Dad didn't wear the t-shirts usually but the button up shirt and jeans and belt---yes.  But still...Robert fit the character so well. 

 

I liked it.  I wasn't sure---one never knows what will happen when a book is transformed into a movie.  Gary asked a few questions about what was happening or if Addie were going to die (and if she were he wasn't going to watch any more of it) then he said he didn't want to know about the differences.  But I did like it.  Actually I was glad the scenes with the baby mice were switched for finding the train set in the attic and putting it together again.  That was also a good link to the package sent to Jamie at the end when the cell phones were also added to the box. 

I might watch it again.  Now that the initial shock of seeing Robert Redford as an 80+ year old man has softened.

 

He is old.  But he is still dreamy.