SENIOR MOMENT – Review

By Mark Glass

I approached this rom-com among the elderly with great trepidation. The cast of SENIOR MOMENT is headed by three actors whose work I’ve enjoyed many times – William Shatner, Christopher Lloyd and Jean Smart. The anxiety comes from decades of such films turning out to be mush that can be downed without dentures, as the seniors become caricatures in absurd situations. One common trope is for a hot, much younger woman to fall for a man old enough to be at least her father. Such connections develop even without the geriatric gent having enough money or fame to provide incentive. I suppose the tradition arose from old white male studio heads, who lived their own fantasies vicariously via the screening room. If a Walter Matthau character could reel in an Ann-Margret, as he did in GRUMPY OLD MEN, hope remains alive for them and the old dudes who buy tickets. 

Mercifully, this script resists the temptations of schmaltz and gives us a relatively believable story, set in a California desert city, mainly full of retirees. Shatner is a former jet pilot, who chases skirts ardently, propping up his appeal with his Porsche convertible. He drives rather sportily, if not recklessly, as part of his charm. Unfortunately, he does so once too often, costing him possession of his car and driver’s license. For him, that’s the equivalent of a gelding. The rest of the film follows his efforts to regain both with the help of several friends. Along the way, he meets a free-spirited, age-appropriate baker (Smart) for whom he develops an uncharacteristic attraction. You can fill in the rest of where they’ll wind up on your own. But screen writers Kurt Brungardt and Christopher Momenee make the journey entertaining, while director Giorgio Serafini runs the table in a crisp 92 minutes. 

There’s less need to suspend disbelief here than usual for the genre. The supporting cast contributes well all around. Scenes in a retirement home are free of cheap gags at the occupants’ expense. The scenery of Palm Springs and its environs is used to good advantage. Shatner forgoes the long mid-sentence pauses he made (in)famous as Star Trek’s Captain Kirk. That either means at 90 he’s more lucid than 50, or so, years ago; or he’s become a better actor, who no longer needs such gimmicks. Ideally, both would be true. Smart plays a very contemporary woman, strong and certain of her standards and aspirations, helping to make SENIOR MOMENT fresh and current. 

There’s nothing profound to be gained here, but at least it’s a safe bet for your entertainment time and money. That’s more than many wind up offering.

Rating: 2.5 out of 4 stars

In Select Theaters & On Demand March 26, 2021