Great Bowie Song...Average Movie..."Golden Years"

Golden Years (2016) C

Not Rated

Starring Bernard Hill, Virginia McKenna, Simon Callow, Phil Davis, Alun Armstrong, Una Stubbs,

Directed by John Miller

The Story:

Arthur and Martha Goode (Hill & McKenna) are retired and living a modest life when their pensions are wiped away during the financial crisis. Faced with no money and Martha's medical care, the duo decide that life is too short at their age to take this kind of nonsense sitting down, so they begin robbing banks to get their money back. As their notoriety grows, so too their gang, but drawing ever closer are the footsteps of the law who would really like to stop the robberies if that's okay.

Interesting concept that fails in execution.

At just a shade over 90 minutes, the pacing of the film made it feel oh so much longer. I thought I watched a 2 - 2 1/2 hour movie when this was over.

Amusing at times, but not filmed as a comedy, and neither is it serious enough to be taken as a drama, it simply exists.

A showcase for Britain's aging actors, and that's fine, but this is no Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

Not a bad film by any stretch of the imagination, but absolutely nothing to rush out and need to see.

Which is a shame, as the heart was in the right place, it just didn't come out great in the finished product.

Final Grade: C

Living In "Whitechapel" Can Be Deadly

Whitechapel: Season 1 (2009)

Not Rated

Starring Rupert Penry-Jones, Phil Davis, Steve Pemberton

Created by Ben Court, Caroline Ip

The Story:

Jack the Ripper, or at least someone copying his infamous murders, is back terrorizing Whitechapel, London. Young Detective Inspector Chandler (Penry-Jones) is assigned the case by the top brass so that he can check off the "murder" block, and move up towards the higher ranks at headquarters. Of course, he doesn't realize it's a Ripper murder, nor does Detective Sergeant Miles (Davis) the gruff, streetwise detective that is forced to follow this rookie Inspector. It's only when Ripperologist Edward Buchan (Pemberton) shows them the connections that the department begins trying to stop the new Ripper before he strikes again. Yet, how do you stop a murderer who was never caught?

It's easy to become enamored with the BBC shows, as they are usually well acted, well written and well crafted.

They are also 3-6 episodes long, so they don't overstay their welcome, or get bloated with subplots that seemingly stall the narrative to barely keep the wheels of the plot in motion.

Season 1 of Whitechapel is 3 intense episodes that are focused on the Jack the Ripper killings, and the oil/water relationship between that of Chandler and Miles (and the rest of the Department for that matter).

It's always been a compelling narrative when you have two dynamic leads who both believe in their ideals and it conflicts with the other.

Each will bend, yet never break, and the partnership usually comes out stronger in the end.

I'm hesitant to try the subsequent 3 seasons, as they have nothing to do with Jack the Ripper, which was my initial interest.

However, the characters were compelling enough to pull me back, so maybe in the near future?

Currently streaming for those with Amazon Prime.

Final Grade: Solid B / B+