Jump, Darling

It's amazing that at her golden Prime still, the late legendary Cloris Leachman still has her lucid spangs all wrapped around this warm nostalgic family melodrama. God bless her precious soul and her transition to other higher realms. Movie is fair without much fanfare or the usual exaggerated drag in drag movies. Cloris's presence elevated the reflection of one's life direction to moot. Very good music throughout.

Jump, Darling tackles familiar contemporary issues such as LGBTQ topics and the trials and tribulations of aging, but makes the two correlate in way that makes sense. The plot's stakes are never set too high, but this movie does an excellent job at unlocking the deep, sentimental feelings you locked up awhile ago... and then some! I also thought it was beautifully shot and grounded in reality.

The chemistry that new-time director Phil Connell was able to achieve from this cast was astounding, and he certainly awards the legend Chloris Leachman a proper exit! I definitely recommend this little gem.

Cloris Leachman's final film casts her as the grandmother of a drag queen. Phil Connell's "Jump, Darling" probably won't be the easiest movie to find - I rented it from a local video store (yes, they still exist) - but I recommend trying to find it. This understated but complex movie focuses both on the young man's life as a drag queen, but also on the grandmother's old age, and how these two relate to each other.

I understand that this is Connell's directorial debut. Well, I certainly hope that he keeps making movies. Films like this one are far more interesting than the latest movie whose plot is Tom Cruise narrowly avoiding all danger. By contrast, this movie creates a cerebral story without CGI or car chases or any of that crap. Just the plain stuff. Definitely try to see it.

So well done. Apparently parts of this film are based on conversations the producer had with his grandmother before she passed away. Terrific acting by all. Filmed in Toronto Ontario.

..... but surprisingly the movie delivered at the finish. The beginning was a mish-mash of scenes and flashbacks, but the storyline eventually found its footing. The plot would suddenly veer away from expected paths of a few plotlines which kept the watcher's interet.

The last 30 minutes you kept wondering "how will this wrap up?" and the ending didn't disappoint. I agree - Cloris Leachman was the binder for the other main actors. Without her the movie may have faltered. But it does deliver. Intriguing ending......