Max Rose

Back in 2013, Jerry Lewis did something many people never expected… he made a film. Think about it…87 years old and making yet another movie after a long absence from the big screen. Millions of fans about the world were eager to see this film and apparently it made a big splash at Cannes. However, oddly, the movie sat on the shelf for three more years—with no release and folks wondering what happened to the picture. Then, inexplicably, in late 2016 the film was released….but only to a tiny number of theaters! Why?! Why the long delay and then why the incredibly limited release?! Here where I live in Florida, I couldn't find any place to see this film and I was really anxious to see "Max Rose". Thank goodness we can all finally see the film, as "Max Rose" finally, finally, finally is out on Netflix and you can stream this excellent film in the comfort of your own home.

The most important thing you need to know about Max Rose is that it's not like any of Lewis' other films. It's definitely not a comedy and it stars Lewis but was written and directed by Daniel Noah. So folks hoping to see a Nutty Professor style film will be terribly disappointed. As for me, I didn't mind at all, as I've always thought that Lewis' dramatic roles have been among his best— such as in "The King of Comedy" and the amazingly good made for TV movie, "Fight for Life".

The other thing you really need to know about "Max Rose" is that it's very slow and deliberately paced. It clearly is not for everybody and plays much more like an indie film than anything from Hollywood. So if you are looking for pratfalls, laughs and excitement, then you might want to pick another movie. I actually enjoyed the movie very much but must admit there were a few slower and even painful patches.

The story is about a man who, naturally, is named Max Rose (Lewis). The film begins with the death of his wife of 65 years and Max is beside himself with grief as well as not knowing what to do with himself. He also soon becomes very confused and angry when he finds something which would seem to indicate that early in their marriage, she'd been unfaithful to him. So now, on top of his loneliness and major upheaval of his life, Max is forced to come to terms with who his wife might have really been---all coinciding with his being moved to a retirement community.

I enjoyed this movie for many reasons. Foremost is that movies tend to ignore the elderly and their problems…as if, somehow, by not thinking or talking about this we might somehow be able to avoid old age ourselves. I love that "Max Rose" confronts aging and death head on and never flinches…and I really respect that. Additionally, Lewis was great in a very underplayed and introspective sort of performance. In a word, he was believable. And finally, it's just so nice to see Jerry Lewis back on the screen and makes you wish more of our aging stars were not only in our hearts but doing what they love most…working and entertaining us all.

Memory is a funny thing, it ebbs and flows with one's mood and circumstances and so does perspective. In Max Rose, we meet a recent widower (played by Jerry Lewis), who finds reason to believe that his wife of 65 years, Eva (Claire Bloom) was in love with another man. He declares at her funeral that the marriage "was a lie." Max, who is already a cantankerous old man, becomes even more recalcitrant after his loss and engaging in a revisionist journey wherein he lets his own demons pollute his mind. Lewis, in his first feature role in more than 20 years, does well in presenting the depression and anger that Max suffers, and it is perhaps the most redeeming quality of the film because something else is still missing. Read more of my review here: https://indieethos.com/2016/09/23/max- rose/

Mort Sahl is the only reason to see this. It's obvious he writes his material - he did this in the 50's and every other decade, usually his stand-up routine.

As for Jerry Lewis, I don't feel anything for him. At least he's not playing the silly role, but there isn't much here. Took 3 years to even distribute. The movie was considered so bad that the French wouldn't show it!

This movie surprised me positively. I always check the rating before watching any movie. The 6.4 rate did not turn me like watching it. But I did anyway because of Jerry Lewis and just loved it. Its current rating isn't fair. This movie is a piece of art with a great message. No clichés and good surprises unfold. I highly recommend watching it! Sometimes we don't treasure our lives and just can't seem to realize what we are letting go through our fingers. A movie like this helps us see what a great gift our lives are. Jerry Lewis acting is close to perfection. Sometimes some horrible movies get good ratings. Why is that? I guess I can't trust ratings anymore.

Greetings again from the darkness. It's pretty rare that an actor goes twenty plus years between lead roles, but such is the case for the legendary comedian and Muscular Dystrophy telethon host Jerry Lewis. Writer/director Daniel Noah's film was shown at Cannes Film Festival in 2013 as part of the tribute to Lewis, but it's taken about three years for it to gain any type of United States distribution.

The film begins with a grief-stricken Max Rose (Lewis) dealing with the death of Eva, his wife of 65 years (played by the great Claire Bloom). We see Eva in flashbacks to little life moments, and also as an apparition and conversation partner as Max tries to solve the mystery of a 1959 make-up case … it's a mystery that could destroy Max's memories and the accepted version of his life.

Max is being looked after on a regular basis by his doting granddaughter (Kerry Bishe) and periodically by his son (Kevin Pollack), who has more than enough stress in his own life. Max, a retired jazz pianist, has clearly never been the warmest or most open of gents, and the eulogy he delivers at Eva's funeral can best be described as self-centered.

Soon enough, Max has moved into an assisted-living facility and the best scenes of the film find him re-discovering life with the likes of Rance Howard, Lee Weaver and Mort Sahl. Unfortunately this sequence is short-lived and Max is back on the trail of the mystery make-up case … which leads him to the mansion of a movie producer named Ben (or BS, if you're looking for a punchline). Dean Stockwell and Jerry Lewis are two screen veterans who know how to work off of one another, but just aren't given much to work within their time together.

And that's probably the film's greatest weakness … it leans heavily on nostalgia. Seeing Jerry Lewis (age 90 today) back on screen generates a warm feeling – as do Ms. Bloom and the other old-timers, but the story is just too simple to provide any real insight or commentary on aging, loss, or family stress or secrets. The combination of nostalgia and sentimentality can work provided there is more depth – something that's simply lacking with our story and characters.

Mr. Lewis gamely plays an unsympathetic character, and does capture the cantankerous nature that we've all witnessed in some elderly folks. There is even a laugh out loud moment featuring knitted pot holders, and we do get Lewis in a red clown nose – fortunately without his "Hey Lady!" voice. What's missing is the depth required if one plans to tackle a theme like making peace with the past … especially when the past isn't there to defend herself.