Por Fin Solos

I don't understand all the hate on most of the reviews I've read. There are no special effects, but there are some heavy hitter stars in this movie, and a pleasing storyline. Of course we all know how it's going to end. But the movie, especially for us Boomers, touches on a lot of subjects that we can relate to when it comes to the aging process. And how society can be in a hurry to move us along. Make room for the younger up and coming. The area where this was filmed, Utah and Telluride, are very familiar to me, and a joy to see. This isn't heavy drama, there is no nudity, the plot is not too involved. It's a great movie to take your 80 year old mother-in-law to on a Saturday afternoon. That's what we did, and she loved it. So take Grandma to the movies this week. You'll enjoy the movie, and Grandma will appreciate you taking the time to do it. See you at the movies. :)

Here's The Lowedown on "Darling Companion" (A Drama DVD review)...Liked It!

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Genre: 6 Movie: 6

What's it about?

Beth (Diane Keaton) saves a bedraggled lost dog from the side of the freeway on a wintry day in Denver. Struggling with her distracted, self-involved husband Joseph (Kevin Kline) and an empty nest at home, Beth forms a special bond with the rescued animal.

What did I think?

Not the fastest moving film ever made, but it was a nice touching story. It seems to be all about this stray dog, when in fact it was about a family healing itself through an outside source. This movie is worth the rental, if you are in the mood for a quiet film with a good family element.

Lawrence Kasdan is a renowned A-list Hollywood director who scored immediately with major hits like "Body Heat" and "The Big Chill" while writing monster hits for George Lucas. This quirky movie about a lovable stray dog is clearly a pet project of his, pun intended.

I infer that writing so many blockbusters may have proved frustrating for him, so he and his wife Meg scripted this sentimental ensemble piece that's strictly cute and folksy. None of the thrills or audience manipulation of a "Star Wars" sequel of Indiana Jones.

I enjoyed some of the foibles of the vast cast of quirky people, but other than the dog gimmick there's nothing compelling to watch, just actors pretending to be "little", ordinary people with ordinary problems.

Alright, Kasdan, you're sick of genre movies. But relationship movies, let's start with "Annie Hall" since Diane Keaton is the lead here, have so much more than you're willing to provide here. It must have been obvious when you got Sony Pictures to bankroll this baby.

Beth Winter (Diane Keaton) rescues a lost dog from the side of a road. Her husband Joseph (Kevin Kline) is a self-important surgeon. Beth brings the dog Freeway home and her daughter Grace (Elisabeth Moss) falls for the vet. At Grace's wedding in the mountains, their nephew Bryan (Mark Duplass) develops a crush on Carmen (Ayelet Zurer) who runs the place. Joseph's sister Penny (Dianne Wiest) has a new boyfriend Russell (Richard Jenkins) who is using her money to start a pub. Joseph carelessly loses the dog in the woods. It sets off a big search for Freeway.

I'm not sure if the stakes are high enough here. It's a bunch of family members with minor issues looking for a dog. It's not like the audience grows to love the dog. It's more of an excuse for each family member to work out their issues. Lawrence Kasdan and his wife have created the lightest and mildest of family drama. The great cast of actor showed up to play but the writing is not up to the task.

I know what you're thinking, do we really need another must-love-dogs romantic comedy? Thankfully, contrary to marketing attempts, "Darling Companion" is not a romantic comedy. It's more like an outdoor adventure, relationship dramedy, mystery. Unfortunately, it did start as if it was a romantic comedy. Mother and daughter were annoyingly commiserating on the problems of finding a good man. Then they found a dog and met a cute doctor.

I was squirming in my seat faster than they could say "I do." But then something funny happened on the way to the wedding. The boring romantic comedy angle was already wrapped up and they dropped the beleaguered jokes comparing man to dog. And then the film became a fairly simple but enjoyable treatise on the relationships and world views of a handful of family members and close friends.

To me, the movie starts when Beth (Diane Keaton)'s dog goes missing. Her husband, Joseph (Kevin Kline), lost it, but he doesn't care. He only likes his money and telling people that he's a doctor. But his practice is just going to have to wait because she's not going home until they find Freeway (the beautiful Collie-mix Kasey). She is helped by Carmen, an exotic sex-goddess who freely admits that she's a psychic gypsy blessed with receiving images of the lost dog. Nephew Brian (Mark Duplass) likes Carmen; he does not like his future step-father Russell (Richard Jenkins). Russell pretty much likes everyone and everything. Joseph doesn't like the dog and he especially doesn't like alleged gypsy psychics leading his family on wild goose chases.

The older members of the audience were laughing first, but eventually a little bit of humour in the form of funny lines came through. Kevin Kline was hilarious as the irritable elitist insulting hippie ideals and alleged gypsy psychics. The dialogue was quick, astute and savvy in navigating all the characters towards happiness in their relationships.

If you can equate the search for the missing dog as a mystery, then it would be worth comparing this film to Woody Allen's "Manhattan Murder Mystery" (1993). A delightful discussion on relationships set to a mystery plot. It doesn't hurt that the cast includes a couple of Allen regulars (Keaton and Dianne Wiest).

It takes awhile to realize that this is not a dull romantic comedy, but if you're looking for a mature, heart-warming relationship dramedy, "Darling Companion" eventually finds its way.