SENIOR MOMENT (2021)
Starring William Shatner, Jean Smart, Christopher Lloyd, Carlos Miranda, Don McManus, Katrina Bowden, Esai Morales, Maya Stojan, Beth Littleford, Melissa Greenspan, Valarie Pettiford, Joe Estevez, Jack Wallace, Kim Estes, Ron Gilbert, Luke Massy, LaDon Drummond, Kal Smith, Ruta Lee, David Shatraw, Ephraim Lopez, Denise DuBarry and Kaye Ballard.
Screenplay by Kurt Brungardt & Christopher Momenee.
Directed by Giorgio Serafini.
Distributed by Screen Media. 92 minutes. Not Rated.
It’s almost impossible to believe how fit and active he still is, considering that William Shatner recently turned 90 years old. And despite his age, Shatner continues trouping on, taking pretty much any job that is offered to him. With Senior Moment, he proves that he can make a cheesy romantic comedy just like the kids do.
Senior Moment is not a very good movie, but it has a strong cast of actors of a certain age. (Beyond Shatner, it also has several stars past retirement age, including Jean Smart, Christopher Lloyd, Jack Wallace and the late Kaye Ballard.) Honestly, while the material probably isn’t worthy of these old pros, it’s nice to see these old favorites getting such significant roles. (Well, Wallace and Ballard didn’t have all that much to do, but nice to see them working anyhow.)
Shatner plays Vic Martin, a well-off former star Navy pilot turned playboy who refuses to grow up. He flirts with women in their 20s. He spends his time in bars and parties. He hangs out with his posse (of older friends) and plays pool and ogles the girls. He gets into drag races with the kids as he tools around in his beloved vintage sports car – a mint condition silver 1955 Porsche 356.
In fact, if Vic is at all capable of love, it is only for that car. We are introduced to him as he washes the car, murmuring sweet nothings to it as if it were a lover. However, due to an overzealous DA and Vic’s increasingly erratic driving, his driver’s license is revoked, and his car is (at least temporarily) impounded.
An old man losing his driver’s license? Admittedly, that isn’t the most gripping movie concept ever.
However, for what it’s worth, it sends Vic on his journey of self-discovery. After having to learn to deal with being carless for the first time in his life (in Palm Springs, California, where having a car is nearly a necessity to get anywhere), he is all the more determined to get his license back and to rescue his beloved car.
So, in an effort to prove that he has grown up a bit (about time!) he decides to hit on the more age-appropriate baker named Caroline Summers (Smart). Interesting conundrum: Shatner was like 89 when this was made, and Smart was about 68. That’s over 20 years difference, but at those ages is it still considered cradle robbing? Or are we supposed to give him credit for just getting a lot closer to own age? Discuss.
Thus begins an oddball courtship which revolves around cuckoo clocks, honey buns, golf carts, DMV offices, tortoises and papier-mâché.
Like I said earlier, Senior Moment is cheesy and lightweight and probably not worthy of the talent brought onboard. Yet, it is worth seeing just to let old pros do their thing and give them some attention and hopefully the opportunity to keep working for as long as they want. Even other younger but slightly past their sell-by date actors like Esai Morales, Katrina Bowman, Don McManus and Beth Littleford are nice to see as well. Senior Moment is one of those films where the cast is the best reason to watch.
Jay S. Jacobs
Copyright ©2021 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: May 10, 2021.