After running her own hugely successful ad agency, Harriet (MacLaine) is so lonely in her old age that her thoughts turn to mortality. A relentless control freak, she doesn't dare leave her obituary to chance, so she hires local newspaper reporter Anne (Seyfried) to write it. Unable to find an angle, because Harriet has so few family or friends willing to talk, Anne pushes Harriet to start living a more outward-focused life, mentoring an under-privileged young girl (Dixon), deejaying for a local radio station and reconnecting with her ex-husband (Hall) and estranged daughter (Heche).

Thankfully, director Pellington and writer Fink keep the plot itself jagged and relatively surprising. Nothing unfolds as expected, and there are terrific characters all along the way who spice things up, like a romance between Anne and the radio manager (Sadoski) or a former employee (Murray) who helps Harriet get some closure. All of this plays out in an imaginative way that's sassy, involving and underscored by a magically amazing classic song score.

MacLaine is wonderful as Harriet, a force of nature with an uncanny ability to slice right through the unnecessary rubbish in any room. So it's easy to see why she has few friends, even if her isolation is contrived. Seyfried is likeable as always as the naive journalist who has never quite figured herself out, which is also unbelievable. But both of these women are so full of life that we go with it. And they're surrounded by solid supporting players in small but memorable roles.

What all this is saying isn't remotely original, mainly exploring dreams and ambition, inspiration and individuality, and the fact that it's the challenges and failures that make us who we are. But the premise feels fresh, and the eclectic cast of oddball characters is as enjoyable as a silly, well-worn sitcom. It's also always great to see the fabulous MacLaine in a leading role, which doesn't happen nearly as often as it should. And she's as inspirational as anything in the script.

themes, language

7.Jun.17