All Talking!!!!!!!!!!! All Blythe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                When I first heard about this film I rejoiced!  A film, carried solidly on Blythe Danner's shoulders!  How exciting for those of us who are fans of this gifted, but rather underrated and underused, actress.  Better than her daughter, I can tell you!

                                    But, when I heard Rhea Perlman and Mary Kay Place were in it, as sidekicks, I had to wonder--is this going to be some schlock woman's comedy?  Because the word from the film festivals had been that this role might net Blythe an Oscar nomination!  And I am here to tell you, darlings, it should!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     "I'll See You In My Dreams" is touching in the best possible way.  Funny and insightful, the film follows Carol Petersen (Blythe) on a journey of sadness to acceptance.  That may be understating things somewhat, but the convergence of plot and mood is what makes the film work.  I have no idea who this director, Brett Haley, is, but he is to be commended for keeping a fine focus on the entire enterprise, from a story that could easily degenerate to schlock in lesser hands, as well as working with one of the profession's most restrained actress, and coupling her with some of the most unrestrained (Rhea Perlman, Mary Kay Place, and Sam Elliott) actors out there.  But it all works out; they reign it in beautifully, and even the relationship that develops between Carol and  Bill (Sam Elliott) works, even though, in many ways, it should not.  In an odd way, each character and performance complements the other.

                                    Then there is Martin Starrr, a young actor with a future, as a young twenty to thirty something pool cleaner named Lloyd, who, despite their ages, is drawn to Blythe.  There is no "Tea And Sympathy" here, darlings, but you can hardly blame Lloyd for being attracted to Carol!!!!!!!!   I mean, it's Blythe Danner, for God's sake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Starr's scenes are so seamless it is hard to tell whether his acting is being guided by director Haley, or by Blythe herself!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      One thing to be learned from this film--girls, if you are older, and want a man, you can get one, but you better look like Blythe Danner!  Blythe's look in this film--the hat, the hair, the jackets, is going to be this Summer's fashion look, and a lot of us are going to be trying to look like her!  You better believe I will!

                                     But this is undermining what is a very fine film made by a promising director, with a promising newcomer (Starr) and finally giving a renowned actress a long overdue role she can sink her acting chops into!  In that understated, Blythe Danner way, of course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Rock on, Blythe!  But, see this film, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!