Our Souls at Night (2017) is kind of a new type of rom-com: a romance for elderly adults 70+. Directed by Ritesh Batra, it’s the story of two neighbors who are both widowed, and despite not knowing each other well, agree to sleep with each other at night for comfort to avoid loneliness. Right from the start of the film, it’s posed as a question by Addie (Jane Fonda) to Louis (Robert Redford). Agreeing to the condition, the two gradually fall in love despite all the entanglements they encounter such as health issues, age stigma, and family problems.
Because the movie stars long time on-screen love interests Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, the premise doesn’t seem weird, awkward, or unwelcome, rather it seems intriguing, because you already know the two stars have chemistry. Our Souls is their official fourth movie together (fifth if you count Redford’s un-credited role as a basketball player in 1960’s Tall Story) playing love interests. They previously appeared together in The Chase (1964), Barefoot in the Park (1967), and The Electric Horseman (1979).
I personally really loved watching this movie because it was sweet and realistic, but not overly sentimental, as there were some serious issues at play. As the movie goes along Addie and Louis become more comfortable with each other and their relationship advances. It doesn’t even hit a snag when Addie’s grandson, Jamie (Iain Armitage) has to stay with her for the summer when his parent’s marriage falls apart. While Louis’s daughter Holly (Judy Greer) seems OK with the new relationship, it’s Addie’s son, Gene (Matthias Schoenaerts) who seems to have a problem with it. Still, the two persist in their romance as they both take care of Jamie, with Louis and Jamie bonding over a train set and Jamie’s new dog.
The plot however, turns serious when Addie has a fall accident at home, and Gene insists his mom live with him so she can be looked after. Addie is then torn between her relationship with Louis or her well being and her son’s concern.
What’s cool about the movie is there are a bunch of little call backs to not only Jane and Bob’s films together, but films from their separate careers. There’s a nod to The Electric Horseman when Addie and Louis drive in the car with Willie Nelson playing. Bruce Dern co-stars as Dorlan, a man at Louis’s coffee gatherings, and he co-starred with both leads in previous productions They Shoot Horses Don’t They (1969), Coming Home (1978), and The Great Gatsby (1974). Louis teaches Jamie some baseball pitches, referencing The Natural (1984). Louis likes to paint, which is a hobby of Mr. Redford’s. The whole subplot of Addie’s grandson coming to stay with his grandma/ the elderly all summer is also a plot in On Golden Pond (1981). Finally, the movie was made in 2017, 50 years after Barefoot in the Park.
But the sweetest callback to Barefoot in the Park is certainly the hotel check in scene, in which Jane grabs Bob’s arm at the check in desk again. It was such a cool moment, not only in movie history, but in the on and off screen relationship of these two together. I was absolutely geek-ing out over it!
Overall, despite the movie being a Netlifx only movie, it’s bigger than the medium of release. I’ve heard some harsh critiques on social media comments saying Bob is sleepwalking in the part, or Jane was so restrained, but I didn’t buy any of that schlock. It was really heartfelt and endearing. Soulmates can find each other, at any age, and this film proves just that!
This post is for MovieRob’s February 2024 Genre Grandeur. You can watch Our Souls at Night on Netflix.
The Flapper Dame 