Review: Just Getting Started

It's been 14 years since writer-director Ron Shelton released his last film, the solid if unmemorable Hollywood Homicide. Prior to that, Shelton was known for his smart, engaging, adult comedy dramas that were often set in the sports world like Cobb, Tin Cup, White Men Can't Jump, and, primarily, Bull Durham, for which he earned a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination. With that resume, it's particularly disappointing that he should return to the screen with the endlessly inept and juvenile Just Getting Started, which is a treasure trove of embarrassment, not only for Shelton but for its A-league cast.

Morgan Freeman stars as Duke Diver, first glimpsed in a TV promo for the Villa Capri luxury retirement resort in Palm Springs by lady crime boss Delilah (Jane Seymour). Turns out Duke is an ex-mob lawyer that has been hiding in a witness protection program, revelling in his life as the uber-popular manager of Villa Capri. He's the man, basking in the attention of both his close circle of pals (including Joe Pantoliano and George Wallace) and the frisky female retirees played by Glenne Headley, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Elizabeth Ashley (all criminally wasted), all of whom vie for his...ahem...services. It's no wonder that the swaggering arrival of Leo (Tommy Lee Jones) ruffles his feathers, especially when Leo nonchalantly challenges him in all areas of his expertise, namely golf, poker and chasing after the ladies.

As if the rivalry with Leo and evading the attempts on his life by Delilah's son aren't enough for Duke, there's the sudden presence of Suzie (Rene Russo), the auditor who threatens Duke's freewheeling ways as manager of Villa Capri. Naturally, Duke and Leo compete for her attention. Whilst all three leads are charismatic and effortless performers, any potential at a crackling love triangle is undercut by Shelton's infantile screenplay. It's genuinely frustrating because Shelton has proven himself to be far better than this in his previous films, which means that either he has lost his talent for crafting rich characters and witty and intelligent dialogue or he was just plain lazy. The former is forgivable but, unfortunately, Just Getting Started completely smacks of the latter and that is simply not acceptable.

Just Getting Started

Directed by: Ron Shelton

Written by: Ron Shelton

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones, Rene Russo, Glenne Headley, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Elizabeth Ashley, Joe Pantoliano, George Wallace, Jane Seymour