The Hero

You know how some movies have roles that were written specifically for their actors? Sometimes it's after regular collaborations, other times it's who the writer aspire to see in that role. Most of the time the intended actors don't accept the role but there are those few exceptions.

It doesn't take much to see Brett Haley's The Hero has one of those exceptions. Going by some of the dialogue, the character of Lee Hayden was most definitely written for Sam Elliott and him alone. Between the allusions to his golden and distinct mustache to his background in westerns, it gets kind of blatant after a while. (They even cast real-life wife Katherine Ross as his ex.)

But what is The Hero about? It follows out-of-work Lee as he interacts with family and friends, tries to get a gig, and comes to terms with a cancer diagnosis. Admittedly it has many tropes we've seen countless times before (Lee's estranged from his daughter, has a fling with a younger woman) though Elliott more than makes up for them.

Much like what he did with Blythe Danner with his previous film I'll See You in My Dreams (where Elliott has a supporting role), Haley provides a solid role for Elliott to sink his teeth into. After decades as a character actor, it's nice to see his name first and foremost on the poster.

The Hero follows the usual conventions found in similar works but maintains solid material for its lead. As he did with his previous film, Haley has an actor of a certain age get their due as a performer. And as this and his previous film have proven, he'll be around for some time.

My Rating: ****

I'll See You in My Dreams

Hollywood has garnered a notoriety for its ageism towards actresses. The minute an actress starts showing the faintest hint of aging, studios lose interest in hiring them. (Yet if the actress hails from the United Kingdom, no hindrance of their career whatsoever.) Thankfully in recent years, there have been several women-led films starring actresses over fifty and not named Meryl Streep.

One such film is Brett Haley's I'll See You in My Dreams. It's a quiet film, certainly, but it's also a nice change of pace from the other options at the cineplex. (You can only stand so much CGI.)

Starring in I'll See You in My Dreams is Blythe Danner, who's more known nowadays for being the mother of Gwyneth Paltrow than for her own career. Thankfully this film proves that Danner is just as good of an actress (if not better) than her daughter. She's in a role that's been given to many actors in their later years but not to actresses. (Is it honestly that hard to write a role for a woman?)

But what is I'll See You in My Dreams about? To put it simply, it's about reclaiming youth in old age, experiencing romance after so many years, and gaining a new lease on life. Or to put it in another way, it's a film about life.

Though not without its flaws, I'll See You in My Dreams is a very charming film. It proves that there are roles available for women of an older age. All it takes is a good writer to provide them.

My Rating: ****