Directed by: Paul Andrew Williams
Starring: Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton, Christopher Eccleston, Vanessa Redgrave
When singing enthusiast Redgrave passes away, her insular husband, Stamp, reluctantly joins her vocal group as they prepare for a national choir contest.
The plot may seem at the outset little more than "'Pitch Perfect' for pensioners", and will likely be marketed as such, but 'Song For Marion' is by no means a laugh out loud comedy. There's a tender drama about reconciliation, growing old, and facing death wrestling the more commercial choir-contest story-line with the early scenes between Stamp and an unrecognizable Redgrave resembling a gentler take on 'Amour'. The veteran pair are fantastic and, unfortunately, the film loses something once Redgrave exits the proceedings.
Every few years, the British film industry discovers a new market and proceeds to over-saturate it. Ten years or so ago we had a spate of films aimed at Britain's huge Asian community and, recently, thanks mainly to the success of 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel', we're seeing film-makers cater for an audience that's become known as "the grey pound". Most of these films, however, focus on elderly people behaving like young people, little more than contemporary non sci-fi takes on 'Cocoon'. It still seems to be a cinematic taboo to show old people as they really are, wrinkles and all, if you will.
'Song For Marion' suffers from an awkward juxtaposition of comedy and drama and relies on a cliched story-line but its quality cast make it watchable. The moment when Redgrave sings Cyndi Lauper's 'True Colors' to a disgruntled Stamp, despite the cheesiness of such a premise, manages to be one of the most touching moments you'll likely see this year.
6/10
The Movie Waffler