“Our Souls at Night”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Souls_at_Night_(film)

We watched this movie yesterday. Peter and I, we both thought it was a good one.  I read the plot in Wikipedia and it says beautifully in a condensed way everything about the theme of the movie.  I copy here the plot the way I found it in Wikipedia:

“Louis Waters is a widower. One evening he is visited by Addie, a widow who lives next door. She invites him to sometimes sleep over – platonically – talking in bed to combat loneliness. They try it out, and like it. The community finds out, but assume it’s a sexual relationship. After Louis’ coffee shop friends make a joke, Louis walks out mad. Addie’s friend Ruth asks her a few questions. To stop the gossip, the two have Sunday lunch together at a restaurant.

Addie’s son Gene dumps his seven year old child Jamie with her. Louis helps her care for him, sets up his train set and gets Jamie a dog. The boy even sleeps with the elderly couple in a real family setting. After Gene learns of the relationship, he takes Jamie back even though his wife has left him. Louis and Addie go on a trip and get around to having sex.

Addie falls down and ends up in the hospital. Her son wants her to move in with him and Jamie. She decides that family must come first and the couple spend their last night together. Both she and Louis are back to sleeping alone. So Louis sends her the train set and a cell-phone. After getting into bed, she calls him and they start talking as old friends. And the movie ends.”

Cast

• Robert Redford as Louis Waters, a widower who lives next door to Addie, and Holly’s father^[2]
• Jane Fonda as Addie Moore, a widow who lives next door to Louis, Gene’s mother, and Jamie’s grandmother^[2]
• Iain Armitage as Jamie Moore, Gene’s son and Addie’s grandson^[2]
• Matthias Schoenaerts as Gene Moore, Addie’s son and Jamie’s father^[2]
• Judy Greer as Holly Waters, Louis’ daughter^[2]
• Phyllis Somerville as Ruth, Addie’s friend
• Bruce Dern as Dorlan Becker^[2]
• Fred Osborne as Frederick’s Cafe Owner

. . . . .

“The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 1, 2017.^[6] It was released on September 29, 2017 on Netflix streaming. ”

Personally I do like movies that deal with relationships among people, be it romantic relationships or family relationships or important friendships. There is some of all of this in this slow moving movie.

I guess there are all sorts of ways to combat loneliness in old age. It seems to me we are bound to feel lonely without some significant personal contacts.