OUR SOULS AT NIGHT (2017) - Movie Review

Director: Ritesh Batra
Starring: Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Matthias Schoenaerts, Iain Armitage, Judy Greer, Phyllis Somerville, Bruce Dern
Genre: Drama, Romance
Writer: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
Runtime: 103 min
Rated: TV-14
Buy This Movie: Netflix

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Synopsis:

Addie Moore and Louis Waters, a widow and widower, have lived next door to each other for years. When Addie tries to make a connection with her neighbor, the two begin sleeping in bed together platonically, with the innocent goal of alleviating their shared loneliness. As their relationship deepens, however, they each deal with grief and loss, and a real romance begins to blossom.

Review:

The romantic drama "Our Souls at Night" is an adaptation of the 2015 novel of the same name written by Kent Haruf, and it marks the fourth screen collaboration for Jane Fonda and Robert Redford, following the 1966 drama "The Chase", the 1967 comedy "Barefoot in the Park" and the 1979 western dramedy "The Electric Horseman".

At its core, the story is simple, following Louis (Redford) and Addie (Fonda), an ordinary man and woman who find an unusual cure for the loneliness that plagues their everyday existence in a fictional small Colorado town. The two begin to spend the night together, but not in a sexual way, and as their relationship evolves we begin to learn more about these characters. Redford and Fonda are so good together on screen, exuding a natural charisma that is so hard to come by in movies these days. Their intimate conversations slowly reveal who they really are, confessing secrets, longings and regrets, pieces of their lives they have kept hidden even from those closest to them.

The movie flows at a slow, calm pace, but never overstays its welcome. The romance is unforced and uncliched, and the story digs deep into these characters as Louis and Addie confront some long-buried issues and discover new ways to move forward. Matthias Schoenaerts delivers a good supporting turn as Addie's son Gene, while fans of "Young Sheldon" will immediately spot Iain Armitage as Gene's son. Bruce Dern, Phyllis Somerville and Judy Greer round out the great cast with brief, but fun apperances. I also enjoyed the fantastic Colorado scenery beautifully photographed by Oscar-nominated cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt ("Lethal Weapon", "The Prince of Tides", "Batman Forever").

It's not a complicated movie, but that's a good thing. It's a quiet character study that succeeds on the strength of its leads and Ritesh Batra's assured direction. It's a movie I can easily recommend to anyone looking for a good drama.

SCORE: 8/10