Just Like The One's I Used To Know

“Lovely,Still” was another movie I earmarked for watching during Christmas week. Two great talents star in this movie. Ellen Burstyn, born in 1932, plays Mary; and Martin Landau, born in 1931, plays Robert; two seniors who live across the street from one another. Mary befriends Robert a week before Christmas and during the days that follow they go on a dinner date, attend a neighbourhood Christmas party and finally end up spending Christmas Day together. Robert seems oft confused and bewildered as if layers of fog are obscuring his vision at times. Mary is joyful and warm and so much fun for Robert to be around. He glows when he is in her company as he discovers love for the first time. “I've never spent Christmas with anyone before!”

Roberts car is stuck in his driveway, having banged into the garage door and lodged there. When Mary asks him what caused that wee accident he answers that he was in a big rush because he 'had to go'! This is a movie about getting old; about lines in the face and grey hairs; about being tired, being alone and feeling lonely; and about love. Sometimes the movie is like the perfect world in a snow globe and at other moments stark realities come to the fore; “WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY HEAD?”. The acting is wonderful and the movie is amorous and charming, sad and whistful. “I'm tired and I don't want to be alone anymore”.”Let's just care about right now”. I think those of us over fifty may find this fable easier to relate to than the younger generation, but there is something here for all of us. We all have parents and grandparents and have all experienced joy in the discovery of love, and suffered the pain of loss. This a fine movie to watch during the frantic build-up to the Noel holiday and to help us remember the importance of friends and family in our life. Enjoy....and you may want to have a few tissues handy.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the one's I used to know.