Younger and Younger

US-German co-production about the stylish owner of a ramshackle storage facility in Los Angeles and his eccentric staff and clientele. Director and co-writer Percy Adlon (who also served as associate producer) might have used some help: everything has been scaled so broadly (beginning with the overacting German woman in the first scene) that one immediately begins to seek some natural light relief or a conversation that holds a modicum of truth. As the devil-may-care owner in love with Los Angeles and the ladies, Donald Sutherland (dressed like an old-time silver fox) has a few nice bits but certainly not enough--it simply isn't there in the writing. There's nothing wrong with putting the emphasis on people over plot script-wise, but first the writers needed to come up with some fascinating individuals for their scenario. This one doesn't have them. * from ****

"Younger and Younger" is a Donald Sutherland film with a very low overall rating of 4.9. And, what's interesting is that several reviewers adored the film...and the rest absolutely hated it. Put me in the latter group.

Sutherland plays Jonathan Younger, the co-owner of a storage facility. However, while he plays and bounces about the place like a puppy, his wife is left to try to run the business. However, one day he's upstairs playing his Wurlitzer organ and boinking some other woman, she's downstairs dying from a heart attack...no doubt brought on by his loud, boisterous bahavior! Soon, his adult son (Brandon Fraser arrives to help him run the place...only for the young man to realize that his father is living in a dreamworld and is of no value in running a business.

The film tried harder to be quirky than any film I've seen in recent years. The problem is finding any reason or coherence for this is a chore, In other words, the weird, quirky parts thrown together don't make for a useful whole. Just a strange and unappealing film to me.

Found this sleeper on the video shelf a couple of years ago and loved it. Saw it again recently and still enjoyed it. An eccentric film, not for your average vegetable brained young movie viewer. There is no action, no sex (well, not really), just an absorbing story that rolls out in a leisurely fashion, gradually pulling the viewer into this unique locale. Sutherland, Davidovitch and even Kellerman are wonderful. Sutherland must have been delighted to find this role and he made the most of it. Again, not for everyone, but an intriguing trip into a world most of us will never know, but might like to.

Even though I saw this movie some 5-6 years back it will always stick in my mind as one of the most droll films I've ever watched ... I was watching this with someone and she nudged me ... "Let's go to the next Cine (we were in a cinema complex) ... I responded:"No, wait, maybe the movie will eventually get started ... " Yeah RIGHT!!! heheheheeee ... and the last scene really took the cake ... yes the motorbike scene ... PATHETIC!!! sometimes I wonder how these movies make it onto the big screen ... heheheheheheeee ... why Donald Sutherland took this role is beyond comprehension ...

The Sr. Mr. Younger is a basic dirty old man trapped in his own little world and I didn't like his otherwise charming character in that sense. His lovely little wife worked very hard and didn't deserve the treatment he dealt out.

But overall, the movie was good, with an interesting turn of events. I did like it.

The whole movie seems to have a yellowish cast to the film for some reason. In a few scenes the people's teeth were as yellow as mustard. That kind of bugged me.

But whoever said it was boring has no sense of whimsy. I feel sorry for them.