Flash Movie Review: 5 Flights Up
Living amongst them daily I am not always conscious of their significance. It is when someone is over to my place and asks about something hanging up on a wall or sitting on a surface that I experience the memory associated to that particular item. To the average person my home looks like a hodgepodge of different pieces of art and objects; but to me, each one has a story about my life. There is a large woven basket that sits next to an easy chair that I bought from a little non-profit store in Charleston, South Carolina. All the items in the store were made by disadvantaged women from third world countries, who were trying to improve their lives my selling their wares. That alone was enough reason for me to buy something at the store; however, I wanted something to remind me about the fantastic road trip I was taking through the southern United States. On a coffee table sits a turquoise vase that was originally placed on layaway by someone I was dating some time ago. I called the store and paid for it, asking the salesperson to call the phone number on the receipt and tell them the vase was accidentally knocked off the shelf and broke into pieces. It was a few minutes after the store must have called them when they called me to complain about the store’s incompetency. I never let on I knew, keeping the vase for a couple of months, until I wrapped it up and gave it to them for the holidays. I was greeted with several words I cannot print here. So you see I love having all of the things around me and their memories. I do not know how I could ever part with them, just like the couple in this dramatic movie. AFTER many years living in their Brooklyn apartment with the great view Ruth and Alex Carver, played by Diane Keaton (Mad Money, The Family Stone) and Morgan Freeman (Now You See Me, Driving Miss Daisy), felt it was time to downsize and move to a place more conducive for an older couple. They soon discovered there were challenges to moving 40 years worth of stuff. I wished I would have enjoyed this film more because the two actors separately were wonderful, though I did not feel much chemistry between them. The script was lame; quite predictable and cliched; the two actors needed more depth to their characters. It was a shame because I enjoyed the flashback segments of a younger Ruth and Alex at the beginning of what would be their long term relationship. And obviously I appreciated the acknowledgement of one’s memories associated to inanimate items. Too bad the memory I have of this picture is not very good.
1 3/4 stars
Posted on July 16, 2015, in Drama and tagged 1 3/4 stars, brooklyn, cynthia nixon, diane keaton, drama, morgan freeman, real estate, senior citizen. Bookmark the permalink. 4 Comments.
The movies sounds like it could have been quite magical going through the many years of memories. I like the two actors so I may see it just because of that. I love that your home has a collection of memories of your life. I can picture it now…. A beautiful eclectic space full of treasures! Enjoy the coming weekend! Koko:)
Koko, thank you for your kind words and I am touched you connected to the story about my house. If you see this film I would enjoy hearing your thoughts of it. Thank you for stopping by.
Older actors, experienced and accomplished ones at that, are deserving of far better vehicles than they appear to get landed with. This sounds like a very missed opportunity.
It truly was a missed opportunity. The idea was interesting but the script was too weak.