Strangers in Good Company

If you're looking for flashy, special effects, don't touch this one at the video store. If you're looking for a film to move you, touch you, and leave you forever changed, grab this one and run home to put it in the VCR (couldn't find it on DVD). This movie totally blew me away. The "actresses" are unbelievably real and true to their persons. I love film making like this.

The "realness" and the natural beauty of this film will stay with you long after the final scene. Superb casting of these fine women. Beautiful scenery. Wonderful interaction. I can't say enough great things about this wonderful film! I loved it! Rent it when you want to feel good about life...........

I have always found the lives of women to be more interesting than that of men. They are emotionally stronger, have more depth. And this film confirms my belief. I wish I each of the women were my personal friend. It's hard to believe they are all first time actors. They are all so natural. Constance conveyed more with her silence than any actor I have seen on screen with a million words. A beautifully made film. Terrific photography of the Canadian countryside, haunting music, superb acting. The film's more like a documentary. I wish there were more personal information on the Net on each of the actors, including their addresses so I could write and tell them how much they have touched my life through this film. Thank you everyone who was involved in the making of "Strangers In Good Company".

I saw this originally in 1990 on PBS American Playhouse. That series (American Playhouse) often aired these little "gem" films and it's a great shame that the series is no longer on PBS. But times were different then.

Anyway, this film is one of those gems. No plot needed here, one can quickly become involved with each of these ladies and their lives...their performances are so poignant and delicate as our real lives are and their tales could be anyone's. There are some funny sequences, and the lady named Cissy is just precious--she has a great laugh and her face is so bright and cheery. She could be the great lady next door who becomes a wonderful neighbour to invite in for afternoon tea.

For me, the real treasure of this film's effect is the feelings tinged with sadness, especially for the lady/character named Constance. What a superb lady. She could be my own grandmother! I have now watched this film several times, and each time I see Constance with her face full of pain and remorse for something past, it pains me to watch. When she is standing there all alone looking out onto the lake listening to the birds or trying to hear them and she drops her medicine pills into the lake, as if she wants to die....it causes me such pain to watch. Later in the film, when she tells Mary she can't hear the bird singing, but she would give anything to hear the bird again, I cried like a baby.

I am rather suspicious that much of the ad-hoc performances from all the ladies were left on the cutting room floor and that is too bad. I would have wanted more from each one of them, but most especially about Constance. Her eyes often look so full of tears, it makes me want to reach out and hold her!!! I am teary-eyed just typing this about her. Constance, wherever you are now, thank you for allowing us into your life, however briefly.

All the ladies are brilliant and I highly recommend this to anyone who have great-grandmothers, grand-mothers and yes moms too, because they could have been in this film.

This film will ring true to those of us who spent childhood afternoons with batty maiden aunts. Though batty maiden aunts vary in personality, temperament, and social skills you're sure to find one that is familiar because you have a whole busload to choose from. This beautifully shot and laconically paced film is sort of a rambling walk through the pasts of a group of older women from various backgrounds who get temporarily stranded in an isolated spot in Canada. Though the personalities of the characters are a little as-to-be-expected, the acting is guileless and the dialogue completely natural. Prepare to have your curiosity peaked about medicinal herbs, pornographic boot jacks, and the hunting habits of Cissy's cat. The only device I found a little annoying was the stopping of the action to show off old photos from the women's lives. It bothered me at the time, but looking back I understand what they were trying to do and even feel a little nostalgic about it; which, of course, is utterly appropriate. It's definitely off the beaten track, not either as flamboyant or banal as art films are want to be. But, In Good Company is definitely a well made piece worthy of a larger audience.

You know, improv in a movie can either work beautifully, or fall spectacularly. I am truly astounded at a movie such as "Company Of Strangers" with a company of seniors that have very little or no acting experience just NAILING their marks in this wonderfully simple story about a group of old people (or, as the director has stated, a group of people that happen to be old) whose bus breaks down on their way to the meeting, and take refuge in a on their way to the meeting, and take refuge in a run down country house. While they are waiting for their bus to get fixed, they sit down and talk with each other about each other, their lives , loves and tribulations. AND THAT'S THE WHOLE MOVIE!! Does it work? You bet it does. Each of these characters are just so interesting and so human like. Well, they must be, as the director, Cynthia Roberts just essentially took stories from their lives and weaved it into the story, thus you have the wonderful lesbian story, the tragic story of one of the women losing their son, and how one's calling as a nun affected her later life. These are all wonderful stories, and the ladies reactions to each other's tales just is amazing. This is really a remarkable movie, you probably haven't seen anything like this, so do yourself a favor and do.