Brady's Ladies

From the trailers, I was expecting this to be a very obnoxious, clunky movie. I'm happily surprised to have been mostly wrong about that.

Yes, it is often melodramatic. Yes, it has a plot as thin as rice paper. Yes, it's directed and edited in a way that looks like a cheap made-for-tv movie.

But I didn't care. Because what handily saves this movie is the chemistry between its four aged-yet-still-talented actresses. They embody their characters distinctly and charmingly, and from the first few scenes I was thoroughly convinced of the authenticity of their friendship.

Their dynamic carries this lighthearted experience and makes it an engaging, and often legitimately hilarious, one.

I don't know someone these reviews were expecting Oscar nominee performances in this movie- it was very clearly just going to be a fluffy cute movie. So with that being said, was it cute and fluffy? Yes. Did I giggle at some parts? Yes. Was it cheesy and unbelievable in many moments? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Would I watch it again? No. It was entertaining enough and definitely something you can put on while also doing chores around the house. Sally field and the lady with the short hairdo were my favorite. I'm definitely going to be the one with the short hairdo in my elder years lol anyway, if you don't go in with expectations of this being the funniest movie you've ever seen, you'll enjoy it.

When you put this movie on you can't expect to be getting some Tarentino style cinematic experience. It's not that and nor does it try to be. The only things that you can really grade it on are whether the jokes are decent and not overly obnoxious and whether there is somewhat of a story to follow.

In these two areas I would say it achieves its goal. It takes advantage of a good cast for these roles. They all feed off of the other quite well. As silly as it may be you start to root for the women to achieve their goal. Sure they stereotype the older female football fan a bit, but it's all in good fun. Not a perfect comparison but has a bit of The Hangover but with older people feel to it. Compared to most comedy films put out these days it at least made me laugh as I was rooting on the women. The ending isn't the greatest, but nor did it need to overextend its stay.

Overall, far more entertaining than I expected. Certainly a win for a free movie on the local public transit train.

And they are as follows: Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Sally Field. (Okay, if you like football, there will be a fifth: Tom Brady). This movie has the barest of plots (four ladies realize their dream to see the SuperBowl and their favorite player, Tom Brady). Some of the events that play out make no sense. (For example, when they dance their way into the SuperBowl. I'll be the first to say they dance better than I do but the crowd acts like they've just seen Cirque de Soleil not four old broads doing the frug.). But these four pros take thinly written characters and make them stand out. Sally Field is probably the funniest as the retired math professor who loves spouting statistics. Jane Fonda, who looks incredible, is sympathetic as the aging sexpot who really just wants to have a comfortable romance. Rita Moreno is great as a grieving widow with a penchant for gambling. And Lily Tomlin, as the de facto leader of the quartet, leaves the snark behind to play an ordinary woman with health issues that just wants to have one last fun trip with her friends. Check your brain at the door, accept that this is silly sentimental nonsense half the time and remember that this could be the last time we see any one of these great actresses.

If you've seen the trailer, don't bother seeing the movie. All the best moments in the movie are strung together in the trailer.

The four stars are great -- how could they not be? -- but the plot is just a series of loosely connected and poorly set-up situations that the various actresses stumble into. The repeated appearances of two amazingly unfunny disc jockeys slowed things down considerably.

If he puts his mind to it, Tom Brady can do anything, so I'm sure he'll be a great actor in about 10 or 20 years, if that's what he wants to dedicate himself to. But giving him an emotional soliloquy at the end of this movie, that would have been challenging even to an experienced actor, was beyond Brady's current acting limitations.

Very improbable plot, which I suppose I should have expected, except that they've repeatedly emphasized that this movie is "based on a true story." Yeah, maybe like the Wizard of Oz is based on my recent flight from Cleveland to San Antonio.

I'd welcome another movie by these four extremely talented and engaging actresses. But one that very talented writers, producers and directors have given some thought to.

Oh, and if you absolutely insist on going to see this movie, don't watch the trailer. It's worse when you've already seen the best jokes.