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Elsa & Fred

Elsa & Fred (2014)

March. 07,2014
|
6.5
|
PG-13
| Drama Comedy Romance

After his daughter persuades him to move into a new apartment, aged widower Fred strikes up a friendship with his eccentric 74-year-old neighbour Elsa, who convinces him it's never too late to keep enjoying life. Although he seemed resigned to a miserable bedridden existence, Fred embraces Elsa's youthful enthusiasm as she introduces him to the path of life and entertains him with outlandish stories about her past life. But when he discovers Elsa's terminally ill, Fred decides to accompany her on the trip of her dreams to the eternal city of Rome to help her fulfil a lifelong ambition.

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Reviews

Karry
2014/03/07

Best movie of this year hands down!

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AniInterview
2014/03/08

Sorry, this movie sucks

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Platicsco
2014/03/09

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

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Philippa
2014/03/10

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

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dancinqueen47
2014/03/11

I've seen several movies about older people falling in love & have enjoyed most of them. I suppose that's why Netflix recommended this one, guessing that I'd LOVE it! Boy were they off this time! I had a huge problem with the Elsa character who was, IMO, a contemptible, pushy, pathological liar and overall whack-job! And poor Shirley looked just awful! I realize she's elderly, but good grief, there are things they could have done with camera angles, focus, lighting and wardrobe that would have improved her appearance. It looked like they applied her foundation with a trowel! And rarely, if ever, is long hair flattering to women from about age 60 and up - and hers looked like a cheap wig, to make it even worse! If I was Shirley, I'd sue them for making me look so horrible. I found the whole thing implausible because to start with, among the folks in this age group, decent looking widowers who are financially secure and mentally sound - as the Fred character was - are in very short supply. In reality, a Fred would not be so lonely or so desperate that he'd settle for someone who acts and looks like an Elsa.It saddens me that two great old pros, like Plummer and MacLaine have apparently been reduced to starring in this kind of inane garbage.I honestly wish I hadn't watched this and I recommend that nobody else watch it.

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TxMike
2014/03/12

This is a remake of a 2005 Argentinian movie of the same name in Spanish. I found it on Netflix streaming movies.Shirley MacLaine is Elsa Hayes, a mid-70s widow living in a condo at 2801 St Charles Avenue in New Orleans. This is a single 3-story building with several condos about 700 to 800 square feet each. A freshly widowed 80-isn man, Christopher Plummer as Fred Barcroft, is moving into the adjacent condo. He seems to just be waiting for life to end, he spends lots of time just lying in his bed, with no interest in getting out of his living space.Elsa, on the other hand, seems full of life and right away she greets Fred and tries to get him to do things. When his caregiver is absent and his kitchen faucet starts to spray water everywhere, in desperation he gets Elsa to help him and she does. It becomes the catalyst for her to take a greater interest in him.This is a very nice movie, character studies of two people in the twilight time of their lives. They have issues with adult children, and she has to go to the dialysis clinic weekly. She doesn't seem to have much time left, but they begin to fall in love with each other. It isn't the kind of movie that can attract decent audiences at theaters against mega-buck blockbusters, but it is a very nice smaller movie with some of the best actors of their times.

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goodone49
2014/03/13

This movie wanted to set a mood and lure us in to the depression of old age while extracting us with the allure of romance. However, the movie just falls short. The mood is never quite right. The writing is sub par, and the acting (other than Shirley Mclain) is equally substandard. Not even Shirley can raise up such a bad movie. The plot was overly predictable, and in general, this one should be skipped. The reason you probably never heard about is that is just isn't good, which is unfortunate, because it had so much potential. Instead watch "Wrestling Earnest Hemmingway" for a much better version of spicing up life among older individuals.

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gradyharp
2014/03/14

This is one of those films you want to love – strong lead actors and a solid supporting cast showing another homage to aging gracefully. But the cake was left in the oven a bit too long and the resultant 'romantic comedy' becomes so Hallmarky that the script drowns the fine intentions of the actors. Written by Anna Pavignano and Michael Radford (who also directs), the story is given its best shot by Shirley MacLaine (age 80) and Christopher Plummer (age 85) but the saccharine ending is a bit too heavy to hold up the good moments.Set in New Orleans, the story introduces two people who at the end of the road, discover that it's never too late to love and make dreams come true. Elsa (Shirley MacLaine) has lived for the past 60 years dreaming of a moment that Fellini had already envisaged: the scene in 'La Dolce Vita' at the Fontana di Trevi. The same scene without Anita Ekberg in it, but with Elsa instead. Without Marcello Mastroiani but with that love that took so long to arrive. Fred (Christopher Plummer) has always been a good man who did everything he was supposed to do. After losing his wife, he feels disturbed and confused and his daughter (Marcia Gay Harden) decides that it would be best if he moves into a smaller apartment where he ends meeting Elsa. From that moment on, everything changes. Elsa bursts into his life like a whirlwind, determined to teach him that the time he has left to live -- be it more or less -- is precious and that he should enjoy it as he pleases. Fred surrenders to Elsa's frenzy, to her youth, to her boldness, to her beautiful madness. And this is how Fred learns how to live. When he learns about Elsa's terminal illness, he decides to make her dream come true and takes Elsa to Rome to reenact with her the famous scene at the Fontana di Trevi.The supporting cast includes Scott Bakula, George Segal, James Brolin, Chris Noth, Wendell Pierce, and Erika Alexandra (in the most entertaining role as the 'housekeeper' for Fred). It has its moments and it always is a pleasure to see MacLaine and Plummer no matter how lame the script's ending. Not exactly the reincarnation of Fellini's La Dolce Vita, but an entertaining movie.

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