El viaje de sus vidas

Mirren and Sutherland are Ella and John, an ordinary, elderly American couple. Suffering from the inevitable ailments of the old, they are nevertheless full of life and embark on a RV journey to Key West, to visit Hemingway's house.

So far, it could be an ordinary feel-good story, but from the beginning we get (or should get) the point that things are not what they seem.

The couple's son is highly distressed by their disappearance. When he walks into their house, we see lots of medical equipment, a clear sign that one or both spouses are in bad health.

Following Ella and John in their journey, we discover that John probably suffers from mild dementia, or memory loss at the very least. John also seems a bit of a flirt, chatting up all young waitresses with his "elderly professor gentleman" charm. This should make some final revelations come as no surprise.

Ella is a chatterbox, determined to give John the time of his literary life, with the long programmed but never executed visit to Hemingway's house. Ella is oblivious to the fact that John is not in the condition to care or understand much about the visit. We also understand that Ella is probably very seriously sick. Her phone call to a crying daughter is another sign that things are not right.

In the evening, during their stopover on their way south, Ella and John watch old photos about their lives. John can hardly remember who most people in the photos are. These quiet moments of lack of remembrance are perhaps the most heartbreaking.

The inevitability of life's end is treated with delicacy and even some humour and the movie is never gloomy or depressing, despite the subject matter. Still, expect to reach for your Kleenex toward the end.

I saw this at an AARP pre-screening and found it to be funny and poignant. The entire audience, composed of young and old people, laughed aloud and applauded often throughout the film. Why? Because the topic, situations presented, and dialogue resonated with experiences common to the lives of everyone watching.

The film addresses topics not often seen in films: intimate loving relationships and romance in the elderly, Alzheimer's, end-of-life issues and family dynamics involved, dying with dignity, personal choice, euthanasia and suicide. There is no preachiness; the viewers are respectfully left with an emotional invitation to reflect upon these issues for themselves. Remarkably, this is done with humour and grace, without self pity or undue sentimentality. The film is not Hollywood glitzy, it may even seem a bit drab at times, but this is part of why it rings true and makes the film work. Everything from the couple's home and basement, the RV they run off in, the campgrounds they stay in, and the nursing home they visit - all of it, remarkably familiar to most Americans. We are being asked to think about extraordinary issues relating to ordinary lives, similar to those we all lead, and it seems that this less glossy calling card works. This approach is also supported by the beautifully nuanced performances given by Mirren and Southerland as they let us into their world of romance, aging, family, incurable illness, and end-of-life choices, all while travelling the landscape of US Route #1.

From start to closing credits, group laughter, applause, and cheering revealed a palpable comradery among the audience members, which told volumes about how well the film accomplished its goal of raising awareness of important emotional, personal, social issues while still offerring an enjoyable night at the movies. I hope you have an opportunity to see it.

Fugitive, 70-something grey nomads John (Sutherland) and Ella (Mirren) dust off their old Winnebago for one last trip, to visit the Florida Keys and the home of Ernest Hemingway. John is a retired literary professor and Ella has always wanted to take him there. Their disappearance scares the hell out of their grownup kids who, while pleading with them on the phone to come home, vacillate between respecting their wishes and calling the cops on their irresponsible parents.

THE LEISURE SEEKER is an at times funny, at times poignant, perhaps even confronting but also very real tale of what's waiting for us all as we near the end of our respective journeys. The film is a study of 'memento mori' and a pretty honest exploration of the gradually diminishing range of options as age and failing health catches up and overtakes even those not quite ready to call it a day.

Although it evoked a strong emotional response from the reviewing audience, it didn't feel either glib or particularly dark or depressing. Rather, it played as the celebration of a family's unembellished life and their enduring and at times conflicted love for one another.

Being 72, I identified with both characters, because down the line we all face these types of situations, and I will as well. So I was very sympathetic to both characters. The story is well-written and both characters are well-developed. There is something both fearful and comforting about arriving at the final stage of life. The acting and direction is superb. If one is fortunate enough to still be with the same partner at the final stages of life, then this film is a must-see for them.

I have been telling as many friends as possible about this movie. I am 85, a widow, and lots of my friends are my age or older. There were so many things that didn't quite ring true here....Mirren was wonderful but she isn't really able to sell a chatty woman with a Southern accent, less educated person than her husband. I've had several Alzheimers sufferers in my life and in many ways Sutherland didn't seem to fit the bill. For instance I wonder if he could really drive that house trailer. But, in spite of absolutely everything the total story rang true and had a strong effect on me.