The movie stars John Lithgow and Blythe Danner. The reason I wanted to watch and discuss this movie is simple. Back in 2017 I was driving down Spencerport Road, and I passed a small grocery store. The Gates BigM. The parking lot was roped off. An old baby blue pick up truck, and a tiny sedan were parked side by side near the main road.
That wasn't the interesting part. The interesting thing was the movie camera on wheels following actor, John Lithgow from the truck up to the store's entrance - and the group of people wearing headsets behind the man filming the scene.
I pulled into the Tim Horton's across the street and watched some of this movie being filmed. Turns out John Lithgow -- who has won Tony's, Emmy's, Golden Globes, and Screen Actor Guild awards -- was born in Rochester, NY. Where I live. Where the Gates' Big M is located. Other local locations were also shot in the Rochester area, including a booth scene in Rorhbachs on Buffalo Road. It's hard not to get a little more excited, and feel a certain sense of pride when a motion picture is filmed in your old neighborhood.
With both a degree from Princeton, and Harvard, John Lithgow has made quite a name for himself, and over the decades has had quite the acting career.
Co-starring with John Lithgow is the still lovely, Blythe Danner, who is currently 77 years old. This actress has always reminded me of my Aunt Maryjean - on my mother's side. Same mannerisms and general appearance. If you knew my aunt, you would agree. And if you don't, you are just going to have to take my word on it.
Danner began her acting career fifty years ago, in 1970 - the year I was born. She was nominated for Best Supporting actress in a comedy for her role in Meet the Parents with Ben Stiller, as well as receiving nominations for The Last Kiss with Casey Affleck, and for Best Actress in I Will See You In My Dreams with Martin Starr and Sam Elliot.
Ok. The Tomorrow Man, at 94 minutes, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2019 and had a limited US release in May that same year. The movie brought in 350K at the box office, but kind of got dismissed as medicore on IMdB (the independent movie database), and less than mediocre on Rotten Tomatoes.
The romantic drama was both written and directed by debut writer and director Noble Jones. The tag line for the film says it all. It reads: Ed spends his life preparing for a disaster that may never come, Ronnie spends her life shopping for things she may never use. The two will try to find love.
It is a perfectly laid out - opposites attract - idea that gets kind of marred by Lithgow's character Ed Hemsler. I believe Lithgow did the best he could with the script he was given. The issue comes from the idea that Ed is a 75 year old who behaves like a cross between Sheldon from Big Bang Theory and Raymond Babbitt from Rain Man.
Somewhat infatuated with Ronnie, Ed more or less follows her while she is shopping, and to where she works. He begins awkward conversations and eventually asks her out on a date. As a Doomsday Prepper, he is positive Ronnie feels the same way. He has carefully watched her buying items at the Big M, always paying with cash -- yes, he is convinced she is on the same page he is on when it comes to preparing for the end of the world (and the inevitable apocalypse in between).
Ronnie's past, and her shopping habits are not tied to Doomsday Prepping at all. She is worried once Ed sees the way she lives her life, the two will have nothing left together.
Ed has his secrets, secrets he kept from his son but worries about sharing with Ronnie. The last thing he wants is for her to think he is crazy.
As the two explore the truths behind each other's pasts, they increase the chance of growth as an aged couple still anxious to find true love and potential happiness.
There is a most awkward and amusing sex scene that has little to do with the characters, and everything to do with the setting and place. And one of the worst scenes takes place while they are driving in that beautiful vintage baby Blue Ford -- and Ed wants to confess his true feelings (Here is where Sheldon and Raymond possess the body of John Lithgow as he pulls to the curb and goes running off into the fields).
Despite that breakdown, and some of the over-the-top dialogue, I found myself enjoying the building of the quirky and unusual romance. Like I said, I judge a movie by the time spent playing on my phone while watching the picture.
I did not play with my phone at all. With that being said, I also agree with 5.7 out of 10 Stars found on IMdB. It is a fair rating for a mid-list film. You may not love it, but I don't think viewers will hate it, either.
I'm Phil Tomasso, and this has been a Rewind Movie Review.
I hope you stop back often, subscribe, bookmark, and tell your friends - if they want in-depth, honest information on a film, there is only one place to get it.
That wasn't the interesting part. The interesting thing was the movie camera on wheels following actor, John Lithgow from the truck up to the store's entrance - and the group of people wearing headsets behind the man filming the scene.
I pulled into the Tim Horton's across the street and watched some of this movie being filmed. Turns out John Lithgow -- who has won Tony's, Emmy's, Golden Globes, and Screen Actor Guild awards -- was born in Rochester, NY. Where I live. Where the Gates' Big M is located. Other local locations were also shot in the Rochester area, including a booth scene in Rorhbachs on Buffalo Road. It's hard not to get a little more excited, and feel a certain sense of pride when a motion picture is filmed in your old neighborhood.
With both a degree from Princeton, and Harvard, John Lithgow has made quite a name for himself, and over the decades has had quite the acting career.
Co-starring with John Lithgow is the still lovely, Blythe Danner, who is currently 77 years old. This actress has always reminded me of my Aunt Maryjean - on my mother's side. Same mannerisms and general appearance. If you knew my aunt, you would agree. And if you don't, you are just going to have to take my word on it.
Danner began her acting career fifty years ago, in 1970 - the year I was born. She was nominated for Best Supporting actress in a comedy for her role in Meet the Parents with Ben Stiller, as well as receiving nominations for The Last Kiss with Casey Affleck, and for Best Actress in I Will See You In My Dreams with Martin Starr and Sam Elliot.
Ok. The Tomorrow Man, at 94 minutes, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2019 and had a limited US release in May that same year. The movie brought in 350K at the box office, but kind of got dismissed as medicore on IMdB (the independent movie database), and less than mediocre on Rotten Tomatoes.
The romantic drama was both written and directed by debut writer and director Noble Jones. The tag line for the film says it all. It reads: Ed spends his life preparing for a disaster that may never come, Ronnie spends her life shopping for things she may never use. The two will try to find love.
It is a perfectly laid out - opposites attract - idea that gets kind of marred by Lithgow's character Ed Hemsler. I believe Lithgow did the best he could with the script he was given. The issue comes from the idea that Ed is a 75 year old who behaves like a cross between Sheldon from Big Bang Theory and Raymond Babbitt from Rain Man.
Somewhat infatuated with Ronnie, Ed more or less follows her while she is shopping, and to where she works. He begins awkward conversations and eventually asks her out on a date. As a Doomsday Prepper, he is positive Ronnie feels the same way. He has carefully watched her buying items at the Big M, always paying with cash -- yes, he is convinced she is on the same page he is on when it comes to preparing for the end of the world (and the inevitable apocalypse in between).
Ronnie's past, and her shopping habits are not tied to Doomsday Prepping at all. She is worried once Ed sees the way she lives her life, the two will have nothing left together.
Ed has his secrets, secrets he kept from his son but worries about sharing with Ronnie. The last thing he wants is for her to think he is crazy.
As the two explore the truths behind each other's pasts, they increase the chance of growth as an aged couple still anxious to find true love and potential happiness.
There is a most awkward and amusing sex scene that has little to do with the characters, and everything to do with the setting and place. And one of the worst scenes takes place while they are driving in that beautiful vintage baby Blue Ford -- and Ed wants to confess his true feelings (Here is where Sheldon and Raymond possess the body of John Lithgow as he pulls to the curb and goes running off into the fields).
Despite that breakdown, and some of the over-the-top dialogue, I found myself enjoying the building of the quirky and unusual romance. Like I said, I judge a movie by the time spent playing on my phone while watching the picture.
I did not play with my phone at all. With that being said, I also agree with 5.7 out of 10 Stars found on IMdB. It is a fair rating for a mid-list film. You may not love it, but I don't think viewers will hate it, either.
I'm Phil Tomasso, and this has been a Rewind Movie Review.
I hope you stop back often, subscribe, bookmark, and tell your friends - if they want in-depth, honest information on a film, there is only one place to get it.