Golden Years (2016)

Really Surprised!

The first must-see film of the year.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I'd never heard of or knew about this film. I came across it on Netflix as I was looking for British films to watch. If you like gentle British comedies/dramas similar to the Margery and Gladys film with June Brown and Penelope Keith, you'll love this. I'm not going to pull the film to pieces on improbabilities like some critics do, just watch it for the fun it is. There are many older British stalwarts of film and television in this and it's great to see them together here. I loved this film, though it will probably appeal to an older audience more than a younger one.

It seems inevitable that the careers of well known, well respected actors finish with them having to accept "end of the pier" scripts such as this. Another reviewer has already pointed out many of the huge plot holes in this movie. The actors just about kept me watching but really it was no better than the awfully scripted comic spots in TV shows such as Rogue Traders and Martin Lewis' Money show etc., which I can no longer bear to watch. These actors deserve much better written scripts worthy of their proven acting abilities.

Nick Knowles is best known in the UK as the presenter on the various National Lottery quiz shows and as a staple ingredient of the BBC's daytime TV schedule fronting various lifestyle shows. Apparently he also fancies himself as a writer, and somehow or other, one of his scripts has managed to get the green-light and released as 'Golden Years' with the extra tag-line 'Grand Theft OAP'. It came and went from UK cinema screens without any fanfare, and isn't likely to get any larger exposure now it is available on home video.Bernard Hill is hardly a headline actor (I recognised him only as Captain Smith of the Titanic in James Cameron's 1997 film of the same name) - his most famous work was probably 'Boys From the Blackstuff'. Una Stubbs starred with Cliff Richard in the film 'Summer Holiday' and was Aunt Sally in 'Worzel Gummidge'. Simon Callow was in 'Four Weddings & A Funeral'. In 1966 Virginia McKenna starred in 'Born Free', and like most of the cast, her career has seen better days. I guess there aren't many good acting roles for pensioners these days. 'Golden Years' tries to be a comedy but never really succeeds.Sloppy editing - or writing - I'm not sure which, means there are plot holes you could drive a tank through. What happens to Alun Armstrong's character at the end of the movie I have no idea as he just seems to disappear, and the timing of the funeral before the big heist makes no sense at all. Unless I missed something, a character dies and is buried within two days, and that just isn't realistic. We're led to believe the characters get away Scot-free with their heist, but how can that be so when Brad Moore's character clearly had them bang-to-rights just before the final climax? Suddenly nothing seemed to make sense and it is full of unanswered questions. Besides anything else, are we to believe he went out to a caravan dealer with several wads of sealed £50 notes and paid for a top-of-the-range model in hard cash? Wouldn't something like that arouse suspicion? Wouldn't the brand-new notes be traceable by their security numbers? The police would be knocking at his door in a heartbeat. I think Nick Knowles should stick to presenting, as he clearly isn't much good at writing.My advice is to wait for this one to hit Freeview and air on Film4. You're not missing anything by buying it on DVD. I can't believe they even got 'Bargain Hunt's real-life auctioneer Philip Serell to basically play himself in a cameo. Nothing about this film was even remotely credible. Even the 'Care Home from Hell' at the beginning was laughable, and not in a good way, and that's before I get to talking about the idea of an 'NHS Postcode Lottery'. It's the sort of right-wing nonsense you read in the 'Daily Mail' that is inevitably not true. I really didn't rate this film much at all. 5/10 is being kind.

Golden Years is a well crafted treat that will more than likely strike a chord with the older generation. It's certainly not a laugh a minute film,but a careful mix of drama and old fashioned fun. A film that has a great cast from the past and present. It one of those little gems that come along in British film once in a while. Credit to the writing team for producing something fresh that is built on great story telling, rather than non-stop special effects and action.Brad Moore is a scene stealer,an absolute joy to watch. His character (DC Stringer)thinks of himself as a media sensation, determined to upstage the older detective investigating the bank robberies at every given chance. Bernard Hill is fantastic as always and plays his character for real.John Miller who has very little to show in regards to previous film credits, directs with a natural tone and energy. He certainly knows how to stage the tender moments, and the outright slapstick in a near perfect fashion.The result is a very enjoyable film indeed.