By Tom Blake
I don’t often go to the movies. My partner Greta loves movies, and usually goes with friends or alone. I surprised her—and myself—by suggesting we go on Saturday over the Memorial Day weekend to the movie, Book Club, at Cinepolis in Ocean Village Ranch. It was a date night for us.
The TV ads for Book Club suggested that the movie dealt with topics that I often write about: The need for seniors to have social interaction, to get out with friends, and to keep their minds active. The genre was romantic comedy, nothing too heavy, which appealed to me.
My target audience is women ages 60-80. The four primary characters were mid-60s women who had been in a book club together for years. The actresses who played those characters—Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda and Candice Bergen are in their 70s—and, Mary Steenburgen is 65.
I knew Book Club would be primarily a “chick flick,” but thought it would be entertaining.
Greta belongs to a book club that meets once a month. She enjoys socializing with her 11 book club women friends.
Most of the laughter in the movie audience, and there was plenty to laugh about, came from women. From the male perspective, I thought the movie was great. Very funny.
Diane Keaton plays a widow of one year, who had been married 40 years.
Jane Fonda plays a single woman who wants no strings attached to any man because years before, she had gotten hurt.
Candice Bergen plays a divorcee who has been celibate since her marriage ended 18 years before.
Mary Steenburgen plays a married woman, whose 35-year marriage is in a rut.
There is a scene where Diane Keaton, who has a fear of flying, climbs over an airplane seat, in which the male passenger is asleep, which is hilarious.
Much of the movie’s book club discussion is based on the members reading the book, Fifty Shades of Grey, and the book’s two sequels. The books inspire the actresses to reexamine their lives.
There were approximately 20 songs in the movie’s soundtrack. I loved the nostalgia of Paul Simon singing, “Late in the Evening,” Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers,’ “Runnin’ Down A Dream,” and Meatloaf’s “I’d Do Anything For Love.”
Life messages for seniors I got from the movie:
-Don’t worry about what others think. Do what’s right for you
-Don’t let your children make decisions for you because they think they know better than you
-Give love a chance in later years
-If you’re too set in your ways, lighten and loosen up
-You are never too old to enjoy life. Go for it. Spice it up. Don’t worry about tomorrow
-Change your routines occasionally. Have fun. Venture out.
After the movie, as we walked next door to Hendrix restaurant, Greta took my arm and said, “What a great date night! I loved it.”
As we sat at the bar, enjoying a drink and snacks, I took out a sheet of paper and jotted down some notes about the movie. The bartender said, “I know you owned Tutor and Spunky’s Deli in Dana Point; I hope you aren’t writing a critique of our service.” I smiled and said, “Nope, I’m just making notes for my column about Book Club, the movie we just saw.”
A 60-ish woman, Cindy, and her husband, Jim, were sitting next to us. She heard my comment to the bartender and said, “Oh my gosh. We read your columns in the Dana Point Times.”
I said, “You’ll read about Book Club in an upcoming issue.”
I thought about our date night. I had changed my routine and it had paid off—my partner was happy, and we made new friends, with a bartender, and a couple, who live in the same neighborhood where Greta has had a home for 35 years.
Good things happen when you get out of the house.
Tom Blake is a Dana Point resident and a former Dana Point businessman who has authored several books on middle-aged dating. See his websites www.findingloveafter50.com; www.vicsta.com and www.travelafter55.com. To receive Tom’s weekly online newsletter, sign up at www.findingloveafter50.com. Email: tompblake@gmail.com.
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