Quartet Reviews

A trifling mediocrity. "Quartet," Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut, has all the depth and complexity of a Hallmark greeting card. Sickeningly sentimental but charming at times. It's completely baffling why Hoffman would lower himself to the level of ordinary schmaltz.

When a prima donna past her due date arrives at a home for retired musicians, three of her old colleagues try to put the past behind them and recruit her to reform the old quartet for a benefit performance. It's manna for the lace doily set, and likable performers make it pleasant enough, if lightly dusty, for the rest of us. It's hard to hate these sweet old folks, but I commend your hard-heartedness if you can manage it.

This is the live action, very British, retirement home version of "The Muppets", with a "we have to get the band back together in order to save the community center" premise. Directed by Rain Man himself, Dustin Hoffman, in his curiously bland first attempt at a feature film, "Quartet" isn't an insightful tale about getting old or as witty of a British comedy as it wants to be, or thinks that it is.

The Plot: So while it's not about saving a community center per se, the plot of "Quartet" centers around a retirement home (mansion really) filled with a slew of curmudgeon opera singers, that is about to be shut down. Now all the old timers must leave their differences in the past to come together for one last performance in order to raise enough money to save the old folks home. If that sounds routine and predictable, that is only because it is. But that's not the biggest problem with this film.

The ensemble cast here is pretty notable, with the likes of Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly and Pauline Collins. But that doesn't mean that they are any good here. Yes, most of the acting is all standard, with each actor taking on a very generic role (the dirty old man, the straight man, the uptight blue-hair and the ditsy comic relief) but as far as performances go, the only standout of the lot comes from Smith, who pretty much takes a defibrillator to "Quartet" with her overly distinguished, overly disgusted comic sense of humor. But still, the acting isn't the biggest problem with this film.

While I haven't yet seen "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" (on purpose) I have heard the accusations of how similar these two films are...aside from both containing Maggie Smith performances. In saying that, the only reason I went to see this movie was because of its director; obviously. So, when just talking about the direction of this movie, I have to say that there are moments that are tonal misfires (mostly orchestral pieces, which will come across as simply old people playing instruments and singing, rather than emotional sequences meant to resonate with audiences) and it doesn't help that the only real laugh out loud moment in this buddy comedy of sorts, seems to be unintentional. But that is not to say that most of "Quartet" isn't directed well enough. It is just too bad that the content chosen by Hoffman is essentially what will make this film almost instantaneously forgettable.

This leads me to the biggest problem with this film. Now, I won't even address the cop-out ending, which I didn't have as much of a problem with (considering the lead actors probably can't actually sing) as others did, when the biggest problem with this film is that as routine as it is, there is no bad guy. The plot goes that their retirement home is going to be shut down, yet there is no evil bank president rubbing his hands together menacingly. This is to say that there is hardly any conflict in "Quartet". All I'm saying is that if you are going to give audiences a story that they've already seen before, why remove the most compelling aspect of this genre type? The person the audience roots against.

Final Thought: Sure, "Quartet" may be a minor hit with the AARP crowd, but overall this film, while harmless, will be as dull and dry as one would think from watching the trailers. Simply stated, if this and "Hope Springs" are what passes as entertaining vehicles for award winning aging actors and actresses, then it may be true that there really aren't any good roles for actors over 60.

Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland

Follow me on Twitter @moviesmarkus

Yes, it's sweet. Yes the performances are wonderful. And yes, I feel like I've seen this before...

Like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, this all-star cast of older working actors playing retirees provides a charming study of life following middle age. As the closing credits disclose, most of the cast members are veterans of the theater or concert halls. Sheridan Smith plays the lovely doctor of the retirement home. There are some naughty jokes mainly from Connolly's character. The quartet of "opera stars" consisting of Smith, Courtenay, Connelly, and Collins never actually singing together felt like an anti-climax though.

A marvelous cast headlines this film, but it is the supporting cast that makes this the gem that it is! Beecham House is a retirement home for professional musicians and Reggie (Tom Courtnay) is nursing old wounds, while Wilfred (Billy Connolly) is an incorrigible womanizing rascal, and Cecily (Pauline Collins) is slowly becoming more and more forgetful. But the three of them, who once sang The Rigoletto together with the fourth main character, Jean (Maggie Smith) who moves into the Home and shakes things up, are a delight to watch together. It was wonderful to watch these characters deal with the ravages of old age without giving it any quarter, but, as I said at the top, the hidden gold was the marvelous retired professional musicians who made up most of the remaining cast of residents. These were real musicians who often were seen actually playing and singing the various bits of music seen throughout the film. A terrific story of loss and missed opportunities and of eventual forgiveness and healing. And, ah, the divine music!

Three members of a once renowned operatic vocal quartet (Connolly, Courtenay and Collins) now reside in a retirement home for musicians. When the fourth member (Smith) joins them, the others try to convince her to take part in the institution's annual music gala but she is very much opposed to the idea. There's also the small matter of Smith and Courtenay having once been married to one another, albeit for one mere day.
Hoffman does an adequate job on his belated directorial debut but his screenwriter, Ronald Harwood, lets him down. In adapting his stage play, Harwood fails to give the material a satisfying screen revision. There are too many loose strands which lead to unsatisfying resolutions, most notably the culture snob played by Gambon. Harwood sets him up as a villain, someone who thinks opera should be elitist. Courtenay believes the opposite, insisting that opera should be available to people of all backgrounds. "Rich people took the soul out of opera" he tells a room of students. We're primed for a showdown between the two but it never materializes, Gambon disappearing from the film in the third act.

Despite the shoddy storytelling, the movie is engaging, thanks to it's four leads. Smith and Courtenay are outstanding as one-time lovers, too proud now to inform each other of their true feelings. It's in the film's dialogue free moments that Smith really shows what a great screen actress she is, conveying more with her eyes than any screenwriter could ever hope to. Connolly has always irked me in his acting roles as it usually just feels like you're watching Connolly rather than the character he's supposed to be playing. Here though he's fantastic, almost unrecognizable with a short back and sides.
'Quartet' is enjoyable enough though all too often it opts for cheap laughs of the "old people swearing" variety and the leads, despite being terrific, never really convince you of the need for them to belong in a retirement home.

Hollywood throws a bone to the "older crowd" a few times a year which is a shame since these films are usually extraordinary with "Quartet" no exception. Dustin Hoffman has assembled a wonderful cast and has entrusted them to tell a very good story about a retirement place for musicians and the like. Billy Connolly steals the show as the frisky senior while Tom Courtenay and Maggie Smith (playing a 2013 version of the Dowager Countess)rediscover love. Brava! (1-22-13)

A genuine surprise. Made with great skill and care with superb performances and a delicate touch.

Funny, light and straight. Something different. It is a reminder that life does not stop by getting old as long as creativity is not repressed by you.

This is a romantic comedy that is very light on the humor. It is slow uneventful, and uneven. For a movie about a music conservatory that is also a retirement home, the music plays a very small role. The love of music and opera should have been the spine of the movie, but somehow it just tiptoes around it. Instead, the main focus is the romance side of the story, which continuously makes the movie drag. The best scene of the movie involves a retired opera master sharing his joy of opera to high schoolers by relating to them through hip-hop's similarities to opera. This short-lived moment is the only part of the movie that seemed to hit the mark. It seems completely unlikely that the main character could be so bitter, considering the time that has past since his failed engagement. If he still harbors a grudge against his former fiancé, the fact that he gets over it so abruptly is hard to take seriously. It is cute how their relationship is happy rebuilt, but there are "Leave It To Beaver" episodes with more emotion and conflict, before arriving to a resolution. This is a dry brand of comedy that offers a chuckle or two, but the funny moments are too few and far between.

A master class in how to direct an ensemble cast gives every character; lead, supporting, and even extras a share of screen time with great dialog. Beautifully shot in a local that's as much a character as the four leads. Characters develop in their own time, yet not a bit of scene-chewing to slow the pace. An entirely satisfying film and a great credit to Dustin Hoffman as both Producer and Director.

You see the gem that is Quartet and you wonder what the hell took Dustin Hoffman, 75, so long to get behind the camera as a director. He's a natural as a filmmaker, no Hollywood bullshit. Hoffman takes everything he's learned from his extraordinary career as an actor, creating amazing characters that ring true and applies it to this incredible debut filled with warm tenderness and real feeling, and terrific performances. Quartet is touching and funny, and nothing anyone expects. Taken from a play by Ronald Harwood, the film concerns retired opera musicians living a quiet life in the British countryside. Illness abounds, but these folks don't wallow in self-despair. Enter prima donna Jean Horton (the always amazing Maggie Smith). Tenor Reggie Paget (a wonderful Tom Courtenay) is aghast. He and Jean were married. Very briefly. The bitterness between the two is lasting longer. The home is also facing a financial crisis unless Jean and Reggie can make nice and team up for a benefit concert with contralto Cissy (a superb Pauline Collins) and baritone Wilf Bond (Billy Connelly, hilarious). No worries about contrivance, these actors are all at the top of their games, especially Dame Maggie, magnificent as the ultimate diva. Her wit is as sharp as it is on Downton Abbey. Hoffman wisely allows cinematographer John de Borman light her as she's just standing still, exuding timeless beauty and an unbeatable spirit. Hoffman too is celebrating that human resilience, making his Quartet sweet, beautiful music.

A bit slow yet there's soooooo much great humor by this seasoned ensemble cast. The storyline is about ageless opera singers living together. In theatres now.

An entertaining geriatric love story and communal drama, and a nice tribute to the many British operatic performers and classical musicians included. Maggie Smith shines as usual, and Tom Courtenay plays the wounded gentleman to a tee, but it's Dumbledore (Gambon) who's most in-character here.

I laughed until I cried. I didn't want it to end! In this crowded season of "Must See" films, DO NOT MISS THIS! Remarkable performances, great music, touching story with many surprises and plenty of humor. It's one of my favorite movies of the year. And be sure to stick around for the delightful credits at the end!

very charming and fabulous movie.

Quite sweet sentimental dramedy about a group of musicians now residents in the retirement home, and disappointments and joys of their life, which is accompanied with wonderful classical music scores.