I'll See You in My Dreams

This chick flick for seniors follows 70-ish widowed Carol (Blythe Danner), whose husband died in an airplane crash 20 years ago. Determined to retain her Southern California home—even though many of her friends are urging her to buy a condo in their retirement community--Carol enjoys the company of her aged dog Hazel, as well as gardening, playing bridge, and an occasional visit with her daughter (Malin Åkerman). But when Hazel dies, Carol realizes how lonely she really is. When Carol strikes up a conversation with an amiable young pool-cleaner (Martin Starr), one drink leads to another, and soon the pair are warbling in a karaoke bar. Afterwards, Carol reluctantly agrees to attend a senior citizen “speed dating” event and gives her phone number to Bill (Sam Elliott), a courtly newcomer to the community who has just bought a boat. When her chums (Mary Kay Place, Rhea Perlman, June Squibb) sample some medical marijuana, Carol joins them, breaking into goofy giggles as they're stopped by a local cop while walking back from a munchie run to the village market. A bittersweet, naturalistic dramedy from director Brett Haley, the film's primary asset is radiantly elegant Danner, who creates a mature, nuanced character. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include “A Look Inside” behind-the-scenes segment (4 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for a winning character study.] (S. Granger)