Quartet (2013): Review

Today I went and saw Quartet and I absolutely loved it.  Quartet is set in an English retirement home for musicians and specifically follows the lives of Reginald, played by Tom Courtnay, Wilf, played by Billy Connolly, Cissy, played by Pauline Collins, and new resident Jean, played by Maggie Smith. This is basically a situational drama and follows the relationship of the main characterise as the navigate their relationships with each other while in their golden years.  These four singers had sung a Quartet in their hay day and are coming back together to sing it again for a gala to raise money to keep the retirement home funded for the next year.  While doing this there is the tension from the failed marriage of Reginald and Jean, Wilf's overly sexual language due to losing part of his filter with a previous heart attack, and Cissy's progressing dementia.  Throughout this happening, there are snippets of performance by the supporting cast, mainly played by past working musicians all with amazing talent.
Like I said I loved this movie and it was absolutely fantastic, it had moments of laughter, pulled at my heartstrings and I really felt for all of the characters and the journey they were going through.  It had one of the best performances in a movie I have seen by Pauline Collins and how she plays Cissy and her dementia is absolutely amazing.  The fact that she was not nominated for any awards is a travesty as she was by far the best actor in a sea of amazing performances.  Billy Connolly was fantastic as an elderly man focus on sex and his inappropriate comments are said with such a twinkle in his eye that it is impossible not to love him.
The music in this movie was fantastic and I am tempted to by the soundtrack just to hear it again.  I liked how they linked opera with music of today but having Reginald give a talk to high school kids.  This helps to bridge the gap between the music in this movie and today by touching on the emotion being expressed by both.
There could have been a little more resolution at the end and it was a bit obvious what was going to happen, but I do not think that is the point of the movie.  It is to see the struggles of these people and how they have a rich life and ultimate friendship with each other.

My Rating: 4