Hampstead, Director: Joel Hopkins

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Diane Keaton is radiant in this charming little “late life” rom-com, opposite an eccentric Brendan Gleeson. She plays a recently widowed American, living in a slightly rundown but elegant apartment on the outskirts of Hampstead in North London. At loose ends after a lifetime of being a wife and mother, she is wondering how she will survive as her supposedly successful late husband left her with a mountain of debt. Gleeson is a hermit, living in a decidedly un-chic shack he built in the Hampstead Heath, which is about to be bulldozed by developers seeking to construct a luxury apartment complex. When they meet, it’s quirky, off kilter kismet.

This flick is rooted in the type of comedy the English love – with delightfully offbeat characters who must face down old school conservatives who tolerate eccentricities – until they challenge the status quo. They are generally ‘high concept,’ with far-fetched plots, usually driven by financial desperation; think Calendar Girls, Kinky Boots or The Full Monty.

Here we find the genre married to the emerging American romantic comedy starring ageing A-listers, especially female actors who’ve found leading roles drying up as they pass fifty – especially if they are Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton or Emma Thompson. The result is a light, fairly witty, sweet bit of fluff, aimed directly at ageing Baby Boomers who have been clamouring for more movies about them.

Like virtually every rom-com since the 1940’s, boy meets girl – they overcome huge obstacles and misunderstandings to get together – then they fight opposition from the outside world and ultimately end up together (or the post-modern version, where she opts out to pursue her dreams.) Not being a huge fan of the genre, I found the unlikely pairing of the elegant and educated Emily (Keaton) with the rough and irascible Donald (Gleeson) a bit forced, though he has a bit of a personal transformation when they get together and they share some rather nice romantic scenes. And despite being a housewife engaged in charity work, she is simply too passionate and smart to have a group of stodgy, middle-aged biddies as her closest friends, especially the money-grubbing Fiona (Lesley Manville) who is devoid of compassion, empathy and critical thinking skills.

Director Joel Hopkins has covered this territory before with Last Chance Harvey with Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson. He’s drawn some truly lovely performances from his lead actors, but I wish he and writer Robert Festinger had been willing to stray a bit further from the classic formula and take a few risks – let these ageing Boomers be what they are – instead of slotting them into plot devices better suited to innocent young lovers. There were a few moments where I simply cringed. With the cares of youth behind them, Emily and Donald are not looking to build a future, they long to live fully in the present. That said, I am deeply grateful that despite the industry still exploring how to write for and direct mature actors, it’s moving away from the old-standard death scene as the only logical ending for a story about an ageing character.

So it’s a considered thumbs-up for Hampstead. Diane Keaton delivers one of her best performances in years and Brendan Gleeson is clearly having a bit of fun playing the urban recluse.

Veronica McLaughlin

Watch the trailer here:

Veronica McLaughlin
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