Prolific septuagenarian playwright Israel Horovitz makes his feature film directing debut with this adaptation of his own 2002 play about a thrice-divorced, almost-60-year-old, New York recovering alcoholic who inherits an apartment in Paris from his late estranged father. When Mathias Gold (Kevin Kline) arrives in France, however, he discovers that the dilapidated, two-story abode with its own walled garden is occupied by Madame Mathilde Girard (Maggie Smith), a tart, 92-year-old Englishwoman, who has lived there for decades, along with her caustic, protective daughter (Kristin Scott Thomas). Because of a bizarre French real estate custom called “viager,” Mathilde can legally stay there as long as she lives, collecting monthly payments from the rightful owner (like a reverse mortgage). Penniless Mathias was planning to support himself by selling the place, provoking quite the dilemma for all concerned, particularly when long-buried family secrets are unearthed. Complicating matters, a sleazy French real-estate developer wants to transform the entire complex into a luxury hotel. Combining droll humor with dialogue-heavy melodrama, My Old Lady is an engaging, cross-cultural comedic drama. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “92nd Street Y” interview moderated by film scholar Annette Insdorf with costar Kevin Kline and director Israel Horovitz (58 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning film.] (S. Granger)
My Old Lady
Universal, 108 min., PG-13, DVD: $19.98, Blu-ray: $26.98, Jan. 27 Volume 30, Issue 1
My Old Lady
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