Our Souls at Night (2017) User Reviews

A Very Sweet Little Movie, Which I Enjoyed

[joaniewolf · 8/10 · 29 September 2017]

I very much enjoyed this unusual movie depicting the lives of two people in their older, and in this case, more lonesome years.

Both Fonda and Redford gave nuanced performances which were very relatable, especially if you are over the age of 60. I doubt that very young adults would find much to enjoy about this picture, and that is a shame because in fact it displays well the one thing which people cannot lose if they are to continue enjoying their lives into their last decades, and that is hope.

So often younger people do not appreciate the wisdom and humanity which both come with age. Nor do they realize that if they are lucky, they, too, will be old one day.

If you want a sweet look into lives of the older but certainly not dead yet, this would be a good place to do so.

One for the oldies

[KathleenK22 · 8/10 · 29 September 2017]

Jane Fonda and Robert Redford both aged 80 in a 2017 movie, what a treat! The acting is superb as you would expect. To find love again at this age is the dream of many elderly widows and widowers. Life is still complicated even at this age and both have family to consider. It is not fast paced with a lot of action but it is a good script for these two actors in their twilight years. The atmosphere created by their very presence and experience is beautiful. They are a joy to watch. This movie may be wasted on some young viewers but there will be some who can appreciate perfection when they see it. For older people who know these two from previous movies just sit back and know we are lucky to have this movie from them. It is probably worth more than 8 but the lack of action and intrigue makes it a bit tame for some viewers. The acting is worth 10 though!

A very good movie, written or adults, and done with great sincerity

[latinfineart · 8/10 · 2 February 2018]

I really liked this film. It felt like it was an adult film. No stunts, no special effects. Just a heartwarming story of two lonely people way, way into the last nine holes of their lives.

In a small town in Colorado, Addie Moore (Fonda) and Louis Waters (Redford) have been neighbors for decades but don't really know each other. That's why it strikes Louis, a widower, as odd when Addie, a widow, comes over one evening with a matter-of-fact request: "Would you be interested in coming over to my house sometime and sleeping with me?"

It's not about sex, Addie adds - "I lost interest in that a long time ago," she says. Rather, it's about companionship, having someone to talk to and "getting through the night." Louis thinks it over and agrees.

Their baggage, their apprehension about starting a new relationship and their knowledge that there isn't time to waste are enough, and them overcoming those issues is what propels the story.

Mostly, the director Batra lets the well-worked chemistry Redford and Fonda share do the heavy lifting. The stars have made three movies together before this: as an escaped convict and his unfaithful wife in "The Chase" (1966), as an uptight lawyer and his free-spirit bride in "Barefoot in the Park" (1967), and as a broken-down rodeo star and a sassy journalist in "The Electric Horseman" (1979) - and in "Our Souls at Night," they still bring out in each other a warmth and an easygoing manner, as if they've always been and always will be like this.

This is an endearing film. Kudos to Fonda, Redford and the other actors, who were uniformly good, and well directed.

an oasis

[Kirpianuscus · 13 September 2022]

The source of interest was, for me, the presence in cast of Jane Fonda and Robert Redford as a sort of return to old cinema, more full of wisdom, serenity and real good job of actors, out of ambitions of blockbuster and a lot of special effects.

But the film proposes more than nice flavors of late time.

From the eccentric, only at the first sight, proposition of Addie, to the life of comunity, marriage crisis and death of child, relation with children, new chance and a call in night , confessions, memories, reactions of others, it is just a comfortable oasis , soft, precise in detail, proposing a sort of romance who is easy to be feel by a generation not so young but far to accept the fall of life.

A delicate poetry and admirable use of silent moments, good cinema and a rare delicacy serving the cause of a sort of friendship between two neighbors , not very familiar one with other, but discovering sparkles of life in gentle manner, returning to true love.

A film choosing its public with grace . And a beautiful story.

Explores beautiful psyche of old age human

[patil_umesh · 7/10 · 21 September 2017]

I watched this movie in MAMI, year round program film screening. I had also got opportunity to interact with director of the film - Ritesh Batra. He is called as cinematic tinder of common man, because he brings romance into lives of characters that have faced struggle and challenges in life.

It is a beautiful story of old aged woman and man who were living alone for years after their spouses have died. They break silence and start sleeping over same bed only to escape loneliness. Both of them continue talking and gossiping about their past lives, happy moments as well as regrets. Their children have grown up and are living their own independent life. Film is an emotional drama, warmth in relationships, and shows sense of human life in dialogues. It explores psyche of old age through their responses to life circumstances. Film end up teaching many life lessons through these characters. Addie regrets that she has spent years thinking what people would be talking about her.

Film is adapted from the novel of same name by Kent Haruf, who died just few weeks after publishing his last novel.

Fonda and Redford reunion 50 years later

[barryrd · 7/10 · 29 October 2017]

This movie is a long way from Barefoot in the Park, made in 1967, when Robert Redford and Jane Fonda were both 30. Now 80 they play two regular folk, Addie and Louis, who live alone in a small town and decide to spend their nights together to ease their loneliness. As Fonda put it, nights are the worst. The two had only known each other as acquaintances. So, when Addie knocks on his door with the proposal that the two sleep together, without sex, Louis is totally confounded but not scandalized. What I found interesting is how these 1960's sex symbols seemed to fit into these roles so naturally. The movie is slow and it takes a while for the two to get into the groove of being sleeping partners; however, it does pick up when Fonda's grandson comes into their lives. These 80 year olds take on all the energy and dedication of first time parents. The townsfolk were standoffish when they first found out about them but Addie was not bothered about gossip. Louis also adjusted to it. So what happens to spoil this bliss? Without giving it away, both Addie and Louis have acquired some baggage with their own grown children. They are able to face their own lives with a certain wisdom and honesty. The fact that these two actors, Fonda and Redford, can come together and star in a movie that breaks stereotypes is a positive note. It is refreshing to see a movie that treats older people as a loving, energetic couple. Thumbs up!

Coming together

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 2 October 2017]

The last time Robert Redford and Jane Fonda starred together in a movie, The Electric Horseman, I was only a kid but I knew both actors were big film stars.

Now in the twilight of their career Redford and Fonda come together in the screen once more in Our Souls at Night and you can sense that these two people are comfortable with each other, after all this is the fourth film they have made together.

This is a low key, no frills film set in a small Colorado town. Fonda plays Addie Moore, a widow who just wants companionship especially at night. One night she knocks on Louis Waters (Redford) door and makes a proposition that they just share a bed together but nothing sexual. Waters is also widowed and lonely. Although both have lived near each other for years the families were never close and he considers her proposal and takes her up on it.

Louis is worried about small time gossip which is led by his friends in the coffee shop, Dorlan (Bruce Dern) teases him which makes Lois feel uncomfortable.

As the film progresses so does their relationship and the backstory. Addie lost a child to a hit and run accident. Louis meanwhile had cheated on his wife, the infidelity caused ructions in his relationship with his family.

When Addie's grown up son Gene (Matthias Schoenaerts) has marital and business issues, he drops off his son Jamie (Iain Armitage) to stay with her for a short while. This is the catalyst that brings both Louis and Addie closer, although Gene makes his dislike of Louis very clear.

This is a simple albeit a slow autumnal drama with no histrionics. Director Ritesh Batra knows that he just needs his legendary actors to light up the screen. The Belgian actor Schoenaerts feels miscast, Dern is a hoot in his cameo as the chief gossip and Armitage shows what a rising talent he is as Fonda's grandson.

beautiful

[zazigna99 · 10/10 · 30 September 2017]

Don't agree with the 1-star reviewer. It's a beautiful film, with 2 great actors acting their AGE. No doddering, just honest raw emotion. The initial premise seemed odd, but after getting caught up in the storyline-I loved it! It's just a simple beautiful story. Like real life, no "hollywood" ending. Just real life.

Human connection

[Cheryl-oeste · 7/10 · 29 September 2017]

Robert Redford and Jane Fonda are perfect for their lonely and flawed characters. What a sweet unfolding of two complex lives that crave connection and love. It begins simply with wanting to simply sleep through the night and then we get to know all the good and the hard parts of their lives and in the end it is about talking to each other.

There is a bit of all of us in these characters.

Beautiful

[eva_ts · 10/10 · 20 October 2017]

This is a beautiful movie, a rare gem these days when movies compete in how much blood and gore they can pack in an hour and a half. It is a beautiful story, though really both uplifting and quite sad. In the modern society with the glorification of business and perpetual immaturity, this was a breath of fresh air. Brilliant actors.

Solid acting in a satisfying tale

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 1 February 2018]

Cary Grant was one of my two favorite actors, but I was disappointed in him retiring. Not that I expected him to work full time in his later years, but it would have been nice to see him at least once in a while. My other favorite actor was Spencer Tracy, who kept on working literally until the end. I admire that. And os, I also admire that at age 81 Robert Redford is still putting himself out there for those of us who admired and admire him. I have to admit though, that since I am approaching 70, watching Redford age has been a bit difficult for me. When I was fairly young, Redford made a string of films that I greatly admired ("The Candidate", for example).

And so, though I think it would be fair to say that this effort by Redford isn't going to set the world on fire (it's a slow pace), it's a decent film that shows the challenges of getting old, but not in the usual weeper. And in fact, the film doesn't end the way you kind of expect it to...which is good. Redford and Jane Fonda really show their craft here -- good, solid acting that makes you care about the characters.

It's also interesting to see Iain Armitage, the boy who is "Young Sheldon". Although it was filmed the same year as the beginning of the television show, he seems so little here.

All in all, this is a good movie for mature audiences. We all get to where these characters are, but it doesn't mean that life can't be full.

A good movie

[jacque-70699 · 10/10 · 29 September 2017]

I enjoyed everything about the movie. Music, faces, ages and nuances. This might be for people of a certain age but it is a gentle and kind story with a lot of beauty. I am sorry for those who cannot appreciate these things. And I am a Colorado traveler so I appreciated the scenery as well. I have a deep respect for both Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. Both are richly talented actors. This movie resonates with the understanding of deep friendship and that is something that will never get old... I wish there were more movies like this to watch.

Nice old fashioned entertainment

[Alexander_Blanchett · 7/10 · 30 September 2017]

It was a good film for sure. Simple and touching story. Easy to watch and very heartwarming. It also tries to avoid as many clichés as possible which was a nice refreshing surprise, as the story was nothing extraordinarily new. Robert Redford was very good and this performance is possibly his best of the past years. Really beautiful performance and a very natural and appealing character. Jane Fonda had the more challenging role and mastered it wonderfully. She had a lot of different facets that were captured in her performances. A lot of secrets are involved in that character and she handled that excellently. Matthias Schoenaerts was also memorable. The film however did have some little lengths. Also some characters like the one of Judy Greer or Phyllis Somerville appear and in the next second disappear again without any significant to the story. It is always nice to see Bruce Dern but also he was rather wasted. The score was fitting the mood of the film but a bit overused. The direction was very calm and concentrated on the two lead protagonists but sometimes failed to give the story some drive. Still very worth to see on a rainy Sunday.

Ending, really?

[jewgirl952-627-809996 · 2/10 · 11 August 2018]

Good movie, romantic... until the dumbest ending any movie could ever have!!! Just wasted almost 2 hours of my life I"ll never get back!

One of the most 'comfortable' films I have seen - and not tarnished by Hollywood' approach to (what Hollywood calls - ) filmmaker.

[shane-139 · 4 October 2017]

Truly amazing when 'shot callers' decide to team up and make a picture that is not jammed down your throat - and allows your heart to settle in with the story. Great story, acting, directing, lighting - a great lesson for those interested in making films - honest films. BRAVO to all involved!!! Audiences of all ages can enjoy this film - if given a change. Don't let the simplicity of the film cause you to ignore it. Sit down, relax, put down your phone and other gimmicks that numb you out to tasting the wonderful thing called life. Ya gotta do it.

Not about the first love! The other way around!

[Reno-Rangan · 7/10 · 4 January 2018]

This is one of my favourite genre, the tales about aging people. A rare kind. The lives, the struggle they go through, really melts my heart. So I won't miss such films. I have a long list of such films which are my favourites. And this is another fine one to add to it.

Superb casting. I could not miss Redford films of the recent. At this age, he's phenomenal. And Jane Fonda was equally great. Another Netflix's wonderful product directed by an Indian filmmaker. This was about two old guys, been single for a long time. Now trying to connect, with some effort, they develop an understanding relationship. But not everybody around is happy with it. They have to face them and keep it going. Afterall at this age what they have set to lose!

More like a real life event. There's no any twist, not like a surprising incident. Just beautiful, a kind of love tale. Obviously a little slow, but totally worth it. If you like drama films, this will be a treat to watch. Based on the book of the same name. My only issue was, the end was ordinary, though an acceptable one. Surely, the families, the middle aged members and above would enjoy it. One of the best films of the year.

7/10

Long awaited reunion

[sherissar · 7/10 · 5 October 2017]

It is so good to see Jane Fonda and Robert Redford on screen again. Jane Fonda looks incredible. Both actors play the roles so well. You can feel the awkwardness the first time Louis comes over to Addie's. The hotel scene felt way too short and prematurely cut. This film deals with complex family and parental dynamics in a beautiful and gentle way.

Spoiler, sort of

[thebeez53 · 6/10 · 7 October 2017]

I was going to watch something else, but because I had added it to my queue and it was being featured in the video above, I thought "why not." Pleasant movie, going along swimmingly, until we get to the son asking his mother to move in with him to help him with her grandson. And she goes, leaving the comfort of her home of 48 years, all her things, carefully tended, AND Robert Redford. WRONG! I'm sorry. I'm a loving mother, told by all I know that I am a good mother, and I would normally say that I would do anything for my boys. But this? No way. The son is on his own to figure it out. If I were the Jane Fonda character, I think I might have petitioned the courts to take care of her own grandson, based on her son's behavior. Now that I would go along with. I didn't read the book, so I can't compare. But I was enjoying the movie, I just turned 64 so I can sort of relate to the subject matter, but then there's that ending. You lost me.

Barefoot in the Park (1967) a Half Century Later

[A_Different_Drummer · 9/10 · 1 October 2017]

Some have said that Napoleon would have been nothing without Waterloo. The subtext of this movie may well be that the Baby Boomers, once the top demographic on the planet, having failed to improve the political system or the economic system, or to manifest especially noteworthy parenting skills -- in fact, having failed to improve the planet in any detectable way -- may best be remembered for simply getting old.

If that theorem is to be proved anywhere, it would be in this wonderful movie.

This may be a shock to the younger IMDb members, but at one time Redford and Fonda were not merely the biggest stars in Hollywood but also the biggest sex symbols in the biz.

If in 1967 -- please put on your time travel, butterfly effect, hats here -- you had suggested to these two that a full half-century later they would star is a laid-back but irrefutably charming rom-com where, in the very first scene, Fonda shows up at Redford's door and politely asks if he would mind sleeping with her ... well, let's just say that a raised eyebrow would be least you could expect in return

The script is so subtle (a word I have astonishingly used only a very few times in some 1350+ reviews here) that the viewer does not know whether to laugh or cry. Even the way Redford's character chooses to initially respond to the invitation -- not by a 411.com search, but by looking up Fonda's phone number in a handwritten address book his late wife had left behind -- brings an unavoidable smile to those who grasp the passage of time.

The dialog is a joy. It has ebbs and flows, ups and downs, and most importantly never quite heads in the direction you expect it to.

In fact -- this for film historians only -- it may be a true breakthrough in concept. Remember that in the 1970s scriptwriters tried to "take the rom-com up a notch" by deliberately cutting out the "boy meets girl" portion of the traditional formula. Dozens of rom-coms since that era have started with the very first scene taking place "the morning after," leaving the audience to wonder how the original romance blossomed, before getting caught up in the subsequent events.

In that context, the premise here, if this film resonates with people in the months and years to come, could become a milestone in rom-coms. And deservedly so.

Recommended? Absolutely.

Newfound love and sex for 70-somethings

[fredrikgunerius · 7/10 · 15 August 2023]

Veterans Robert Redford and Jane Fonda hook up for the fourth time in their long and illustrious movie careers, more than fifty years after they first played lovers onscreen in The Chase. Since then, they have gone from being representatives for a new generation of young, beautiful and brainy Hollywood stars, to being among the few Hollywood actors from their generation to really age gracefully. And this is why Redford and Fonda are the perfect choice to lead a movie about newfound love and sex for 70-somethings; they both look like they have lived a normal, healthy life, but they are still very much movie star material: Redford still has that boyish smile and Fonda that twinkle in her eye (and a remarkably perky body).

Writing duo Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber adapted Kent Haruf's novel of the same name, and although the script has its contrivances (most notably in the segments concerning Fonda's grandson who is coming to stay with her), it is mostly a dignified, humorous and perceptive story which is told here, about how two ageing widowers find each other and express their love in uncharted territory. Redford and Fonda show their class individually and, not least, in tandem. Their best little scene together is one without words: when they're driving back from a trip to Denver. That scene says a lot about both the characters of Louis and Addie, and about two old Hollywood friends.

Our Souls at Night has become a pleasant little film, and it has many similarities with Henry Fonda's swansong On Golden Pond from 1981. That film garnered Henry an Oscar and Jane a nomination (playing his daughter). Let's see how it turns out this time.

For the Joy of Human Love

[totalrejuve · 9/10 · 1 October 2017]

This movie restored my faith in Hollywood's understanding of the joy of human love and the importance of investing one's whole soul into the care and keeping of those we hold dear. If you enjoy films that feature creative sensitivity to everyday feelings that are the stuff life is made of, then this is your kind of film. The cinematography is stunning, featuring French and Japanese filmmaking sensibilities with an American flavor. It was quietly majestic and I loved it. Thank you to the creators of this beautifully written, acted, directed, filmed, produced, scored and edited film. It left me better than it found me, and I am grateful. More, please...

BEAUTY AND AMOUR COMBINE FORCES IN THIS BEAUTIFULLY ETCHED TALE

[prithvioldschool · 7/10 · 10 November 2023]

Early Netflix has been responsible for generating true recall value and memories galore for this cinephile. Along with Dee Rees' MUDBOUND, this one is a top pick.

There are so many facets of charm to be savoured here: the iconic lead duo reuniting after decades since the quirky dramedy BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, Iain Armitage as the initially aloof post 2000s born kid who eventually warms up to human interaction apart from his obsession with mobile games, the fraught mother-son dynamic, the lovely supporting arc in few minutes' runtime by the certifiably reliable Judy Greer, Bruce Dern as a gossip monger and the musical score, especially the use of fiddles, keeping up with the country vibes of the Colorado setting.

The biggest source of pride is that India's very own Ritesh Batra has maintained his subtle touch and sense of empathy that he initiated on a global scale with THE LUNCHBOX and has diffused further in the Bombay set PHOTOGRAPH. He has a keen eye on unconventional situations under which two people meet. This is his bright star.

Delicately woven story

[elenasurikova · 10/10 · 22 October 2017]

I was struggling with the "old age" references in some reviews, especially euphemisms such as "octogenarians" or "elderly citizens" that make it all sound detached and condescending. Our Souls at Night is about two lonely souls who found a true emotional connection with no age tags attached. Addie Moore and Louis Waters are two emotionally evolved personalities, who find solace in the presence of one another.

Loneliness does not choose any life stage in particular, as we see it with Addie's grandson, Jemie, who has already been introduced to this hollow feeling at the age of ten.

The active phase of life provides multiple tasks to distract us from having a glimpse beyond that daily micromanagement process. At a young age, we can't imagine any relationships developing without an edge. We find them lacking if it's not a white knuckled-ride.

It's refreshing how naturally and smoothly Addie and Louis' connection was growing with no need for any obvious signs or loud words, drama, or declarations. Their story is an enviable example of how much tact and respect two people could radiate towards each other and people around them and how strong and accepting we could be in our relationships.

I love how delicately the warmth of the newly revived intimacy is pictured with no emotional manipulations or clichés to ruin it. This soul fulfilling story is definitely a pleasure to watch.

Sweet and melancholic

[dierregi · 7/10 · 9 October 2017]

Sweet movie about two elderly neighbors who connect after the death of their spouses. Redford is the reserved Louis and Fonda the more outgoing Addie, who one night knocks at his door and proposes they spend some nights together, just for chatting and company.

With nothing to loose, Louis accepts the proposal and after an awkward start, they connect. Then, Gene, Addie's son (a miscast Schoenaerts) pops up to drop his son with grandma, because he is in the middle of a divorce, not to mention his business going bust.

Grandson Jamie pushes the couple even closer and just when everybody is cozily settling in, with a lovely rescue dog to complete the picture, Gene is back with his baggage of complaints and jealousy. Will Addie and Louis manage to be happy ever after?

It was good to see Fonda and Redford back together. I used to love "Barefoot in the park" as a child, they were such a hot couple and the movie was so much fun. They still look good for their age and their acting is superbly understated, although it made me feel a bit melancholic about the passing of time.

Slippers in the park!

[khunkrumark · 4/10 · 5 October 2017]

Redford and Fonda as you've never seen them before... wrinkly!

Legendary actors Robert Redford and Jane Fonda team up (again) in a story of two ordinary people in an ordinary Colorado town who decide to do something about being lonely at night... but the problem is that neither Redford or Fonda are ordinary people and when they pretend to be, it isn't convincing. The more I watched this play out, the more I thought it would have been so much better with two old people I had never seen before and not two iconic legends of cinema.

After a while, this clandestine sleeping arrangement gets even more awkward with the arrival of 7-year-old Jamie, Addie's grandson. The two old folk soon take on the role of parents - getting a dog, going to funerals and ball games together, camping and even all piling in the same bed.

All the while the silly, uncomfortable dialog of discovery that is meant to inform us about these characters gets more and more stilted, dull and unrealistic.

The biggest failing for me, though, was the total absence of any joy and humor and any compelling reason for these two oldies to wake up each day. These were just two sour old folks with empty lives. Even the bedroom scene in the fancy hotel was mechanical and void of any kind of affection. The scene with Holly in the bowling alley was just unnecessary!

In the end, even the superstar power of the two leads doesn't do enough to capture our hearts and goodwill. I just didn't care about these two people enough to root for a happy ending.

One last thing... Hey, Hollywood (and TV) directors... TV remote controls do NOT make a sound when you press the buttons... at least not here on Earth! It's very annoying that you think we need a loud click to let us know when the TV has been turned off when the sudden lack of volume and the visual cues are actually enough.