Review of I'll See You in My Dreams (2003) by David P — 04 Jun 2015

I absolutely loved I'll See You in My Dreams, which opened the Cleveland International Film Fest in 2015!! It succeeds because of the funny, sweet and stellar ensemble cast. Carol Petersen (Blythe Danner) is a widow with a routine.

She lives independently, but visits her three friends (Squibb, Perlman, and Place) regularly for card games at their retirement community complex. She mostly keeps to herself, always somewhat in an attitude of mourning.

Quite unexpectedly she befriends her much younger pool cleaner, Lloyd, the droll Martin Starr who I've enjoyed since Freaks and Geeks. The title refers to a song that Lloyd shares with Carol. Within days another man, Bill, played by perpetual cowboy Sam Elliott, who is close to Carol's age begins flirting with her.

Suddenly Carol has two men vying for her attention, paying her compliments, and encouraging her to really live life. Her friends and her daughter Katherine, played by Malin Akerman rather than her real daughter Gwyneth Paltrow, are a little puzzled by the changes in Carol but ultimately very supportive.

There are heart-touching moments of sadness whether you are a retiree or you have a parent who is reaching retirement age and you realize that life doesn't need to end with isolation in what could be thirty more years of living.

There are also uproarious laughs with so many comedians in this cast. This indie film was amazingly shot in 18 days and carries an energy and realistic spirit in its simple story that is especially rare.