Grandma (2015)

Tamplin's is just dialing this in , her acting was hammy at times. The script was light and missed the opportunity of an interesting premise.

Lily Tomlin is "Grandma" in this 2015 film, written and directed by Paul Weitz. Let's start with some trivia. For those who remember "Imitation of Life" from 1959, Paul Weitz is the son of Susan Kohner, who played the young woman who passed for white in the film. His grandfather was a famous theatrical agent, Paul Kohner, and his grandmother was actress Lupita Tovar.Tomlin plays Elle, a lesbian with a checkered past which includes a one-night stand that produced a daughter (Marcia Gay Harden), an ex- husband (Sam Elliott), a deceased lover who helped raise her daughter, and a young lover (Judy Greer) whom she's in the process of breaking up with when the film starts.Elle's granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner) visits her seeking $600 for an abortion. Elle doesn't have it. She's paid off all her debt and then cut up her credit cards. So the two go on a search for the money, hitting up the baby daddy, a friend (Laverne Cox), and another friend (Elizabeth Pena) with a cafe who offered to buy some first editions. In the end, Elle comes up short. Then it's time to hit up the ex- husband. This is where we find out Elle hasn't told her granddaughter everything about her life.The next stop is a confrontation with Sage's very busy mother who is on the outs with Elle.Entertaining and fun film, well written, well directed, and well acted. Lily Tomlin is delightful as a no-nonsense, dry-witted woman still grieving over the loss of someone so special in her life. Really a wonderful role for her.The rest of the cast is marvelous, with Marcia Gay Harden proving again that she's uber-talented. Weitz's quirky casting truly elevates this film.Highly recommended.

Sam Elliott was just amazing in this! I have loved the depth and the humility in the warmth and the humor that he brought through with his character. I really feel like it was an Oscar worthy performance and a movie that probably won't be seen by as many people as it could be. I hope we see this performance in another movie with Mr. Elliott because it would be super nice to see him win an Oscar for this caliber of performance. Overall this movie was a little bit hard for me to watch because I am pro-life and pro choice, politically. I think ideally we have to respect that it's a woman's choice and yet offer so many fabulous options that they would not feel like they ever had to do that.

Grandma is an Oscar bait movie for Lily Tomlin. She plays the acerbic even bitter grandma (Elle) of the title. A renowned writer, poet, lecturer and lesbian we see her cruelly breaking up with a much younger partner. Of course Elle has never got over the death of her long term partner.The film is divided up into six segments but is essentially a road movie set in a single day where Elle revisits her past and allows Tomlin to be grouchy and bad tempered. Yet the the reason for her journey is her granddaughter has turned up and announced she is pregnant and wants money (about $600) for an abortion.We later find out that her mother (Marcia Gay Harden) is a high powered businesswoman and has plenty of money but both her daughter and Elle have an uneasy relationship with her.Elle only has a few bucks in her name goes out with her granddaughter in her old, classic car to visit people from her past, a few who owe her money. First stop though is her granddaughter's douche bag boyfriend who Elle beats up.Of course further along the journey Elle becomes tender, her edginess becomes less jagged. The best scenes are with her ex played by Sam Elliott who is still bitter after forty years that she left him the way she did.Of course the abortion angle is not taken lightly. Elliott has become a patriarch with several grandchildren and is not happy to give money for an abortion. At the abortion clinic Elle gets into an argument with a protester.The film is billed as a comedy drama. There is less comedy but it is a no nonsense film about ageing, family and looking back over your life.