Mature Comedy for a More Mature Audience

Posted August 14, 2012 by Ivan Montelongo in Movies

I’ve been following romantic comedies all my life, well, at least most of it. And there is the one thing that drives – not just me, but everyone else too - audiences into movie theaters and rental places; relatability. Most days, “rom-coms” achieve exactly that, most days don’t happen at Hope Springs.

Hope Springs is directed by David Frankel, who had previously directed actress Meryl Steep in the movie The Devil Wears Prada. Frankel is also known for directing movies like Marley & Me and The Big Year, which came out last year. Alongside Frankel, Vanessa Taylor’s writing developed the setting of the movie. Taylor may not have as much experience (in credits) as Frankel, but she is widely known for her writing in TV series like Game of Thrones, Everwood and Alias. Quite a little team don’t you think?

Having gone to watch Hope Springs, the most important thing that I can say is, that I wish I were older. Yes, it’s a feeling many “kids” share in common with me, but my reasons are much nobler. This movie’s target market is focused more on people well past the middle age and entering their golden years. I very much wanted to love this movie but I could only sympathize with the characters, for I have not experienced what they go through.

I can say, though, that I know this movie is pretty good because all around me, people were filled with laughter. The thing is, that most of the people in the theater with me were the specific target audience of the film. Unfortunately for the movie industry, this age group very rarely does it go to the movie theater to watch an new release. So don’t be alarmed by the attendance, because I can assure you that the number of people who will rent this flick will be exponentially greater than its box office release attendance.

The movie begins with a couple who has been married for more than 30 years. Unglamorous as the lives of Kay (Streep) and Arnold (Lee Jones) are, Kay decides they should at least attempt to fix it before it is too late. After years of sleeping in separate rooms, limited conversational value, and poor gifting; Kay decides to book a weekend at an intense couples counseling session.

Arnold, played by Tommy Lee Jones, is his cranky, thick-minded self in this movie. Despite his wife’s insistence on working to rehabilitate the relationship, he believes that “there is no use fixing something that has worked perfectly fine all this time”. Even after he agrees, to satisfy his wife, he has to deal with an intruding, young, psychologist (Steve Carrell), and divulge every secret he has held close for so long.

Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep have a chemistry that doesn’t quite fit into their characters. As you watch the movie you begin to get the sense that, even though they may be close, a relationship between the two of them couldn’t have ever worked. Perhaps it is just the chemistry that Kay and Arnold are supposed to exude at the audiences. As the movie progresses, you begin to wonder if they should have ever gotten together or lasted this long in the first place.

The story wasn’t too sappy nor too unrealistic. But, and I repeat, it just isn’t a movie that appeals to the general movie going population. I do agree that both these actors are fabulous and we love to see them in as many of their roles as we can catch, but this is obviously a mature adult movie. To fully enjoy Hope Springs, one must first live the life of a married couple and have the disappointment of growing older and leaving one’s needs behind for the sake of the other. Perhaps if I had been “mature” enough I would have liked this movie even more.

I don’t want to say, “don’t go see it”, but I do want to let you know that you should be prepared to find a different kind of romantic comedy. Don’t go into Hope Springs expecting a It’s Complicated (also a Meryl Streep movie), but something more serious and complex. So if you go see this movie, don’t forget to comment below and let us know how you felt. Also make sure to share us through our youtube, twitter and facebook, through our social media icons.