Quartet (2013)

Quite delightful, actually. A terrific cast makes the movie that much more enjoyable, especially Billy Connolly and Maggie Smith. What a fantastic blend of comedy and drama. It was simply charming and I loved the ending!

"Quartet" is a good British comedy with a cast of some of the great British actors of the last half of the 20th century. The film is based on a play and was the first credited directing job for Dustin Hoffman. The story has wonderful potential, but somehow the movie seems to miss the second gear that would give it some oomph. Among the cast are some wonderful British actors that movie buffs have enjoyed for decades. They've played in comedy, drama, mysteries and romantic histories and biographies. Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, Michael Gambon and Andrew Sachs head the cast. The plot isn't original – a retirement home for actors, artists and musicians. The ensemble comes together to stage a production when one of the last reigning stars from a big hit joins the community. Smith's Jean Horton comments, when she sees how the people get along, "It's not a retirement home. It's a mad house."It's an enjoyable film, mostly for those who appreciate some of the performers and films of the past. The language is a little crass and off color at times. Modern audiences may not find it slow and not very funny.

Dustin Hoffman's directorial duties was uncredited for 1978s Straight Time. Therefore Quartet is his proper directing debut and given his reputation as the infant terrible of the method acting school in the 1970s and 80s, Quartet is an unlikely story for Hoffman to direct.Hoffman has gathered Maggie Smith, Tom Courtney, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly and Pauline Collins as patients in a retirement home putting on a show in this case an operatic and musical one to raise funds for the home for retired performers.It is a genteel, slight film and a kind of thing you feel you have seen it all before. The acting is fine not only from the main stars but also many of the supporting and smaller roles all veteran performers of stage and screen.Smith plays a retired star who is adjusting to life in the home, she is a new arrival and she has history with Courtney's character as they were once married. The trouble is we saw Smith play a new arrival in the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel as well although she was less posh in and more embittered in that one.Connolly plays his part with relish as the randy retiree, Collins character is suffering from dementia as she has frequent lapses. Its enjoyable but very unrealistic. They all seem to be too energetic to live in a retirement home as well as the home being very luxurious. I have stayed at 5 star hotels that is less luxurious than this retirement home.

This had all the makings of a lovely film, especially the retirement home...when I can I book a place there?...It was great. And it housed a wealth of British acting talent anchored by the directing debut of Dustin Hoffman. All well and good.The trouble with Quartet was its plot was too thin,not allowing for much character development and inter action among the ensemble cast. This would have been more adept at being a made for TV movie. But it was too short and shallow for the cinema.As for the cast, I somehow couldn't picture Maggie Smith as an opera diva. And having Pauline Collins' deeply senile character as part of an operatic quartet to be performed at the home was really stretching it a bit.Yet the film was entertaining,while also being disappointing.