Queen Bees

Super cute movie, while not realistic when it comes to senior care homes, wish it was but, (that's what movies are supposed to do, give us hope). All the main characters both men and women were Hilarious and I love Burstyn's attitude toward life and people (cause I'm the same way, I don't own a Welcome Mat, but I have a sign on my door that says, "Be Nice or LEAVE!!") I refuse to suffer FOOLS and love that about Burstyn's character. Jane Curtin is a wonderful kind of NASTY GIRL, and Loretta Devine and Ann Margaret were just Lovely. Caan and Lloyd were both just Charming. Fun movie, worth a watch. We should be so lucky to be in that good of shape in our mid and late 80's. ;o.

My Review - Queen Bees

My Rating 7/10

You wouldn't expect an Academy Award winning 6 time nominated actress like Ellen Burstyn who also has a Tony and two Primetime Emmys making her one of the few performers to achieve the "Triple Crown of Acting " to accept a dud film script and Queen Bees is certainly no dud .

It's a funny sensitive story about 4 mature age women negotiating the trials and tribulations of the many changes of longevity that if we're lucky enough to get there we may all experience.

Todays Cinema rom com movies are mostly aimed at younger audiences so it's great to see a quality mature age romance comedy.

Set mostly at The Pinegrove Retirement Complex Ellen Burstyn as Helen Wilson a very independent widow is experiencing some problems living alone.

Helen and her daughter Laura have a strained relationship but eventually Helen and her family decide through upsetting circumstances that their spirited and strong willed mother and much loved Grandmother to Peter played delightfully by Matthew Barnes can no longer live alone .

Helen reluctantly agrees move temporarily into Pinegrove until her precious home is repaired.

Ellen Burstyn steals this film she is such an accomplished and authentic actress you believe her experiences and emotions.

Of course there are some hokey perhaps corny gags in Queen Bees this movie has heart and certainly is entertaining and worth seeing.

There's some wonderful Hollywood veterans in Queen Bees Ann Margaret as Margo still on the hunt for romance, James Caan gives a lovely performance as Dan Simpson the would be suitor of Helen. The three other Queen Bees Jane Curtain as Janet Poindexter the bitchy cranky self proclaimed leader of the bridge club , Loretta Devine as Helen's friendly Bridge partner and Marianne Muellererie as Anne make a great team.

Donald Martin has written a good script based on a story by Harrison Powell and the film is well directed by Michael Lembeck.

I thoroughly enjoyed Queen Bees and definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys good acting with no gimmicks or thrills that reflects the everyday issues that confront our precious elder generation.

This film takes you into the realm of senior living. It's a feel-good film and it's a lot of fun. We all hope to grow old comfortably, in pleasant surroundings, with great food. We also hope that if we're afflicted with cervical cancer, Alzheimers, or a stroke, that they're just minor inconveniences as portrayed in this film. In other words, this film is a light way to spend a couple of pleasant hours watching our futures as we hope they'll unfold.

In this day when you can rarely find a movie not full of the F*bomb, GD, nudity, etc..., this was a lighthearted, fun time. The actors in the movie are all part of the all-time greats! Burstyn, Margaret, Curtain, Caan (RIP), Lloyd and the quirky, Loretta Devine (The Preacher's Wife), round this out for a sweet and fun good time.

We're all going to get old eventually and we might as well accept that. The parallel to high school drama was spot on. Those same cliques, cliches, "queen B's" are present throughout our lives. We first find this out when we finish school and join the workforce. And everyone deserves to find love regardless of his/her age.

So, if you are in the mood for a short respite from the daily grind with a cast of acting legends, this will check the box.

On the one hand, it's interesting to see a movie where the protagonists are elderly women. That's the last thing that you expect to see amid Hollywood's rampant sexism and ageism, least of all in an era when they want to churn out nothing but superhero movies. On the other hand, Michael Lembeck's "Queen Bees" is too treacly in some parts to be a completely enjoyable movie. Maybe it couldn't be anything else; would we take seriously a movie in which elderly women go around kicking ass?

If nothing else, it's tolerable for its short run. With a cast that includes Ellen Burstyn, James Caan (in his final role during his lifetime), Ann-Margret, Jane Curtin and Christopher Lloyd, we can say that the movie stars the possessed girl's mom, Sonny Corleone, Tommy's mom, Prymaat Conehead and Doc Brown/Judge Doom/Uncle Fester.