Review: Elsa & Fred

Some might call Elsa & Fred schmaltzy, sentimental and sitcomish. Yes, it is all of those things but this remake of the 2005 Spanish-Argentinian romance is also touching, affectionate and full of charm.

Fred (Christopher Plummer) is a grouchy widower who is happy to spend his days alone and in bed despite the efforts of his nagging daughter Lydia (Marcia Gay Harden), his loving grandson Michael (Jared Gilman) and sassy caretaker Laverne (Erika Alexander). His next door neighbour Elsa (Shirley MacLaine), on the other hand, is a vivacious and whimsical soul who has two sons, the dependable Raymond (Scott Bakula) and struggling artist Alec (Reg Rogers), the latter of which is perfectly content to be mooching off his mother.

A dented car and a burst pipe bring Elsa and Fred together. She chides him for always lying in bed, he wonders why she's always on her feet. She talks passionately of her favourite film La Dolce Vita; her dream in life would be to go to Rome and recreate the iconic scene wherein the buxom Anita Ekberg wades into the Trevi Fountain and is adored by Marcello Mastroianni. Fred, with 40 years at a telecommunications jobs and an unhappy marriage under his belt, has laughed little in his 80 years. He doesn't quite believe her tales of being a music teacher, a dietician, a restaurant owner, or Picasso painting her portrait. Yet he can't help but be drawn to her unflappable optimism.

Elsa & Fred benefits enormously from the star wattage of its two leads, who seem to enjoy the pleasure of each other's company. It's a joy to bask in the glow of their cinematic romance. During a dinner, he questions the true nature of their relationship, prompting Elsa to plainly state her feelings for him. His feelings for her are the same and she delights in his smile, his laugh and the blush that suffuses his face. It's a lovely scene and there's something about it and the film in general that earns the sentiment rather than manipulates it.

By no means a great love story, the film does suffer from the surrounding stock characters, competent direction from Michael Radford, and plot points that make little sense. Still, MacLaine and Plummer are superb partners in their characters' last dance with love.

Elsa & Fred

Directed by: Michael Radford

Written by: Anna Pavignano, Michael Radford

Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Christopher Plummer, Marcia Gay Harden, Chris Noth, Scott Bakula, Erika Alexander, Wendell Pierce, George Segal, James Brolin, Reg Rogers