01 November 2023

A very enjoyable movie


BUT... if you trust me and agree with my previous movie reviews, I would recommend you do not watch the embedded trailer.

One problem with extended trailers like this one (two and a half minutes) is that they often give away the entire plot, rather than just offering a subject matter and a mood.  I found Jules in a list of library DVD new acquisitions, and reserved it based on the cast and a high Rotten Tomatoes score, but I had not seen this trailer.  So, when I watched the movie one evening this week, I was recurrently and pleasantly surprised by various developments that are unfortunately clearly revealed in the trailer.

This is a science-fiction/fantasy movie that requires a significant suspension of disbelief (undetected UFO crash in a backyard, and an alien sitting on your living room couch).  Once you accept those premises (perhaps reinforced by your favorite recreational beverage or substance), you can enjoy a delightful movie.  Ben Kingsley is absolutely superb in his portrayal of an elderly man who is worried about the possible development of senile dementia.  There are several laugh-out-loud scenes (especially his visit to a grocery store) that derive their humor from the absolutely deadpan presentation of a seemingly-impossible situation.

The movie is not currently streaming for free, but you should be able to borrow the DVD from your library (our library has about a hundred "holds" for 30 copies, so a wait of about three weeks).

5 comments:

  1. I checked out Jules thanks to this post and enjoyed it a lot! Thanks for the recommend. It was such an adorable and charming movie, and the performances were GREAT. Loved it

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  2. Oh dear. Since the warning not to watch the trailer came after the trailer, I clicked on the trailer before I read it. But I did stop watching after the first minute, since that was enough to convince me I wanted to see the move. I hope(?) that was early enough to avoid any spoilers.

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  3. Loved this film. Complete surprise!

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