Hadn't heard of this movie but had the pleasure of working on a committee with the oh-so-lovely in-soul-as-well-as-flesh Mariette Hartley for the American Suicide Research Foundation. Anyone who has read Ms. Hartley's book on Silence of the Heart or her autobiography has an idea of how profoundly here relationship with he cold father who committed suicide affected her life as well as the premature death of her second husband Louis Malle. I actually didn't know she had a 4th marriage, this one with costar Jerry Sroka, since 2005. So, I was delighted to have a chance to watch this on Prime.
I was expecting a cute throw-away like the ones we've gotten often on Prime with Shirley MacLaine. Instead, from what I've come to know of Mariette, this is a painfully personal autobiography. THe first 2/3 - 3/4 are laced with ironic humor from aging, life experiences, quirks, etc. The last quarter really takes you deeply and darkly into the realities of getting into your eighties (even though Ms. Hartley certainly does not look it).
Speaking of personal, all sorts of friends and people they've worked with in the past are in the support cast of the film, many like Bernie Koeppel, Sam McMurray, Tess Harper, Morgan Fairchild and the daughters of both Mariette and Jerry are playing themselves.
I was a bit surprised to see Sroka in Hollywood film. In his early days from Godspell on, he seemed like a very dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker. It's hard to reconcile him here. I still remember a 70's Christmas musical special he did for WCBS with another gal from the Godspell cast that was absolutely adorable. I've searched for it on YouTube to no avail.
The last time I saw something with "Almost Completely True" or words to that effect used to promote a movie, it was Soderheim's delightful "The Informant" starring Matt Damon as THE most unreliable narrator in film history. So I was expecting silliness in that vein. Nope, this was painfully honest and all the details I know of both lives and their children and friends were reflected rather accurately. The one question I have is whether 90-year old Bernie Koeppel can actually still play tennis like that!?!
Peter Onafario and Peter McNichol, two actors I love, are both hilarious playing Mr. Wrong on Hartley's dates. The actress from Austin Powers who created Mini Me also has two very funny scenes.
After watching the type of light romance I was expecting, the film takes two jarringly serious turns that are painfully real for Mariette. The love story also goes from quirky comedy to dark distancing. This is probably more than enough of a reveal.
I loved watching it and it tugged at my heartstrings immensely. If you are old, love movies and plays and are willing to spend 90 minutes with people in the twilights of their lives who fall in love despite themselves, please tune in. If you do not currently spend much time with people over 60 and never watched Ride the High Country or Goodnight Beantown, you should probably skip it.
I was expecting a cute throw-away like the ones we've gotten often on Prime with Shirley MacLaine. Instead, from what I've come to know of Mariette, this is a painfully personal autobiography. THe first 2/3 - 3/4 are laced with ironic humor from aging, life experiences, quirks, etc. The last quarter really takes you deeply and darkly into the realities of getting into your eighties (even though Ms. Hartley certainly does not look it).
Speaking of personal, all sorts of friends and people they've worked with in the past are in the support cast of the film, many like Bernie Koeppel, Sam McMurray, Tess Harper, Morgan Fairchild and the daughters of both Mariette and Jerry are playing themselves.
I was a bit surprised to see Sroka in Hollywood film. In his early days from Godspell on, he seemed like a very dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker. It's hard to reconcile him here. I still remember a 70's Christmas musical special he did for WCBS with another gal from the Godspell cast that was absolutely adorable. I've searched for it on YouTube to no avail.
The last time I saw something with "Almost Completely True" or words to that effect used to promote a movie, it was Soderheim's delightful "The Informant" starring Matt Damon as THE most unreliable narrator in film history. So I was expecting silliness in that vein. Nope, this was painfully honest and all the details I know of both lives and their children and friends were reflected rather accurately. The one question I have is whether 90-year old Bernie Koeppel can actually still play tennis like that!?!
Peter Onafario and Peter McNichol, two actors I love, are both hilarious playing Mr. Wrong on Hartley's dates. The actress from Austin Powers who created Mini Me also has two very funny scenes.
After watching the type of light romance I was expecting, the film takes two jarringly serious turns that are painfully real for Mariette. The love story also goes from quirky comedy to dark distancing. This is probably more than enough of a reveal.
I loved watching it and it tugged at my heartstrings immensely. If you are old, love movies and plays and are willing to spend 90 minutes with people in the twilights of their lives who fall in love despite themselves, please tune in. If you do not currently spend much time with people over 60 and never watched Ride the High Country or Goodnight Beantown, you should probably skip it.