I'll See You In My Dreams (2015)

I’LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS (2015)

By Ralph Santini - ***½

                This film is something rare in the cinema of recent years; a film totally devoid of conflict, about a woman in her 70s who seems extremely lonely and widowed after 20 years; with no conflict, no formula writing, no clichéd scandals, not much familiar moments, superior screenwriting, wonderful acting and quiet direction - for 92 relaxing minutes. It sounds at first like one of those movies with strong senior leads that seem too mellow, or even over-the-top (such as the Red films with Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich) or all too familiar (films like more or less St. Vincent which seemed a little uneven but still quite satisfying if not decent) that could be way too croud-pleasing if even if they sell too much. “I’ll See You In My Dreams” is not like that. It doesn’t have all the exercises that are often recycled.

                It’s a more alive screenplay that knows how offer content, style and positivism, much more like the real life of, at least, my own community of nice people, loving relatives and friends, and smooth relationships we develop throughout our happy days. On top of that, this film shows that it can’t be possible to make such a satisfying romantic drama with creativity and wit.

                The widow is played by Blythe Danner. She portrays her role very well in this movie. Her role may or may not garner very easily some sort of award-nominating role, but it still doesn’t matter because it’s a wonderful performance. The film opens with Danner having fun with her Golden Retriever, Hazel. The bad news is that he is dying, and Danner requests the dog’s vet not to resuscitate and it makes her even lonelier since her husband passed away 20 years ago in a plane crash. She would eventually meet up with a black rat which seems to be an isolated case according to the exterminator. Before she reveals the reason of the Rat inside her house, she sleeps near the pool and is woken up by a young man named Lloyd (Martin Starr) whom in spite of coming to Blythe Danner’s merely to clean it, turns out to be a graduated poetry student and a beginning musician. The two are developing some sort of close friendship between the two, not that it’s intrinsically romantic or anything, but he does somehow manage to invite her into a karaoke bar and she later sings a song reminiscent of her former songwriting career.

                But that’s not all, aside from I what I mentioned in the last paragraph Danner has not only group of friends, more or less her same generation (ranging from June Squibb, Rhea Perlman and Mary Kay Place) but she also tries to develop a relationship of a senior gentleman (Sam Elliott) who has a deep crush on Danner. In this film, Elliot’s character never had any children because he thinks it too much work and responsibility. That’s why he intends dating Blythe Danner so that he could have some special moments before his time comes. After all life can be very short and we must not waste it.

                One of the miracles of “I’ll See You In My Dreams” is that we can relate to the characters of the film. The movie is not annoying, slow in a boring way, or graceless. It is about living, and Blythe Danner’s character seems to manage how to make her life anew. She also seems more like us. She can listen, she doesn’t displease her young friend, and she even dates Sam Elliott without fear. It’s screenplay is nearly perfect and Martin Starr’s Lloyd is someone very special much unlike any other young character we see nowadays on film. He is more intelligent and more moving.

                “I’ll See You in My Dreams“ is one of the finest independent films of our generation. It is not like any of those one-note Indies that turn out rapidly on Netflix, you know the one I’m talking about. This is far different and far more pleasant and if you see it you’ll be far more cringed when you see those inferior films I mentioned that appear on Netflix. It is not to be missed.