Young @ Heart – A

What’s that you say? Welcome to Twentieth Century Fox’s private screening room at the MPAA!! (Motion Picture Association of America). My friend Rich and I hit the streets during our spring break and saw a great new documentary by director Stephen Walker. I missed this one at Sundance but thanks to my friend at Allied Entertainment, got the royal treatment for a film aficionado.

Young @ Heart is a chorus of octogenarians (average age of 83) that sing songs you wouldn’t dream a senior citizen can handle. I’m talkin’ James Brown, Sonic Youth, and The Clash! It’s a sight to behold, and they actually sing pretty well. Walker follows the progress of the chorus from rehearsal to performance without pulling a Michael Moore and putting himself in the film.

The result is a charming look at the lives of motivated seniors. They assemble an unlikely motley crue I laughed and cried with over the course of the film. Walker is present via voice, asking some probing, and some delightfully funny questions of the old timers who really are young at heart.

As far as good hearts go, there aren’t many better than the chorus’ director Bob Cilman. Bob has the patience of a saint, coaching the chorus through the improbable and sometimes the impossible. When the chorus of 27 gets a new project it’s a crapshoot on if it will eventually be performed.

Cilman’s practice as the director of the music is to take 2-3 singers and have them lead the chorus. This can work wonderfully, or be painstaking. The unsaid juxtaposition of seniors to kindergarten kids is pretty prudent considering Cilman has to sometimes heard the chorus to get what he wants. Walker works with Cilman to create music videos of a few of the chorus’ songs that turn out to be utterly hilarious. My favorite was probably The Ramones, “I wanna be sedated”. Walker cleverly ads a layer of meaning by actually putting a senior in a wheel chair. ( “Just put me in a wheelchair, get me on a plane”) The result is a new commentary on an old song. Sedated serves as a vehicle about getting old, being needy, and medicated, rather than being youthful and out of control. Speaking of getting old, a lot of the attention of the film is put towards the medical maladies (and subsequent questionable participation) of the chorus. Performing is everything to the seniors, and they literally live for it.

Charm doesn’t nearly capture the level of sincerity shown by the elderly chorus. Walker’s film is a winner. He shows the lively youthful spirit of people whose lives are coming to a close. Each person will make you chortle and warm your heart. My two favorite old folks were Fred and Joe. Easily two of the best performers, they both constantly told jokes and smiled ear to ear. Joe, a former WWII pilot was the ham/star memorizer of the chorus. Fred, a jolly/heavy elderly man is forced to live on a breathing machine as his lungs are basically useless. His voice and charisma were inspirational. As a finale Fred sings an emotionally charged and beautiful solo version of Coldplay’s Fix You. I was in tears.

Please watch this movie. I ask nicely, but the story demands it. I felt much the same way as I did with The Diving Bell and the Butterfly walking out of the theater. It is my privilidge and honor to announce that I will be interviewing Stephen Walker (the director) on March 31st. I will have a special “Directing Young @ Heart” post for all of you loyal viewers to start of April with a bang.