The Mayor

Just had a chance to catch this documentary at the Lone Star International Film Festival and was completely blown away! Whereas many documentaries might exploit real people in order to create an intriguing story, this film lets the characters' authenticity drive the story to hilarious, eye-opening, and heart-breaking conclusions. The Mayor's title character, Sam Berger, proves that living in a nursing home can be everything but boring, and that living your life to the fullest will keep you young. The whole cast of characters that live in this nursing home are engaging and entertaining.

I never thought that a nursing home could be so interesting of a subject, and this documentary demonstrates otherwise.

Easily one of the best docs I have seen in recent years, and I believe it will go on to bigger and better things. Highly recommended. 10/10

Simple, concise, and beautiful, one of the strengths of Scheib's The Mayor is that it does not need some sort of over-arcing narrator attempting to explain the significance of the film. Rather, there is such strength in the emotional resonance of each of the people whom Scheib follows in this Dallas retirement home that the viewer remains captivated from the first minute of the film to the last. Scheib moves beyond the typical archetypes of love between our nation's senior citizens, revealing that love, companionship, and commitment can be as complex and intricate among those nearing 90 as it can be for someone just beginning adolescence. These people are not reduced to characters. They remain real throughout, experiencing real happiness, real humor, and real loss, and it is this honesty that the viewer must most appreciate.

I must admit that, given the subject matter of 'The Mayor,' I was quite hesitant to see it. I just couldn't imagine that a documentary about the life of elderly people in a convalescent home would be entertaining. I couldn't have been more wrong. 'The Mayor' is an artful and captivating work exploring the lives of the elderly. The film maker gets up close and intimate with the subjects, all the while maintaining the tact, respect and reverence they so deserve. This film will change your perception of the elderly and on life in general, while reassuring you that you too could be living it up well into your 80s and 90s. Jared Scheib has launched his film career with nothing less than excellence and I look forward to his future projects.

From the moment Sam fired out the opening lines of this doc, I knew I was going to love it. It truly was one of the most genuine, funny, endearing, raw, unapologetic portrayals of a retirement home I've ever seen. The characters are surprisingly candid on screen, often engaging in extremely personal conversations as if the camera isn't in the room. The story zips between hilarious one-liners that Woody Allen would have been proud to pen, and intimate personal reflections that will make the coldest of cynics re-evaluate their current relationships and role in the world. As a 30-year-old viewer, I couldn't help wondering what kind of person I will be in 50 years, what memories I'll be holding onto, what relationships I'll be most thankful for. If you get the opportunity, sit down and watch this movie. It seeps into your skin and leaves you pondering well beyond the credit roll.

The Mayor" presents, in a funny way, the life of the elders as I have never imagined- gossip, sex talks, flirting, dating, drama and hedonism. It is noticeable, throughout the movie, how the elders try to have a "one last sweet bite of of life" before it ends, thus allowing themselves be a little bit of teenagers again. The main character- Berger, illustrates this with his mischievous, arrogant and playful personality. It is interesting to see his daily adventures (that mostly surround women), asides his difficult physical condition and the deaths of other elders. "The Mayor" also makes you wonder about the challenges of a documentary movie- how the camera changes the way people act, and what they choose to present...

Highly recommended!!