Release Date:
02/04/2005
If you're the kind of moviegoer who requires ear-splitting explosions and skimpy outfits to keep from fidgeting in your seat, then this film probably isn't your cup of prune juice. Assisted Living is a documentary-style drama about Toddan employee at an old folks' home who spends more time getting stoned than calling bingo numbers. But he makes up for his insobriety by devising creative ways to help the residents enjoy their wrinkliest years. The story becomes more serious when he forms a special bond (not the gross special) with one particular elderly woman who is slowly losing her battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Even with a running time of just 77 minutes, Assisted Living will make you want to both laugh and die young. Many of the actors are actual residents of a retirement home in Kentucky, making for characters so real you can almost smell the impending death and colostomy bags. The documentary footage of the residents is genuinely compelling, but by the end it grows a bit excessive. There are also some long segments during the film that feature no dialogue at all, so you really have to pull your face out of the popcorn bucket to keep apace. But despite its shortcomings, earnest portrayals and artful cinematography make it obvious why it won the hearts of film nerds at the Slamdance Film Festival.
Even with a running time of just 77 minutes, Assisted Living will make you want to both laugh and die young. Many of the actors are actual residents of a retirement home in Kentucky, making for characters so real you can almost smell the impending death and colostomy bags. The documentary footage of the residents is genuinely compelling, but by the end it grows a bit excessive. There are also some long segments during the film that feature no dialogue at all, so you really have to pull your face out of the popcorn bucket to keep apace. But despite its shortcomings, earnest portrayals and artful cinematography make it obvious why it won the hearts of film nerds at the Slamdance Film Festival.