Rossellini flowers in solid company

LATE BLOOMERS (PG)3/5 Selected release (89 minutes)

By InvestSMART · 23 Feb 2012

By InvestSMART ·
23 Feb 2012

Comments

LATE BLOOMERS (PG)3/5 Selected release (89 minutes)

ON SCREEN, Isabella Rossellini brings with her a kind of integrity, even in the smallest of roles.

In Late Bloomers, co-written and directed by Julie Gavras, she is a character who in another kind of movie could have been a secondary figure a woman who has devoted herself to supporting a successful man.

Rossellini is Mary, an Italian who has been living in Britain for years, and has devoted herself to her architect husband, Adam (William Hurt), and to bringing up their three children. They are now grown up, with careers and aspirations of their own, but she still maintains a nurturing role, particularly with Adam.

She is trying to come to terms with the prospect of turning 60, and embracing all that this means.

She's embracing it far too enthusiastically for Adam, who doesn't want gadgets in his house to identify him with, or remind him of, frailty, illness or retirement.

He seeks out younger people to work and socialise with. It's as if they are the key to keeping him in touch with the cutting edge work that he still believes in even if a state-of-the-art retirement village is on offer as a project.

For her mid-life romantic comedy, Gavras has a solid cast. Alongside Rossellini and the slightly distant Hurt, Mary's activist best friend, Charlotte is played by Joanna Lumley (pictured, who plays more in the tradition of Ab Fab's Saffy rather than Patsy) Simon Callow is a bluff real estate baron keeping old age at bay there's even a fleeting appearance by veteran actor Leslie Phillips.

But Rossellini is at the centre of Late Bloomers and, even in the lightest and slightest moments of the movie, there's a saving gravity to her presence and her style.

Go to Google News, then click "Follow" button to add us.

Share this article and show your support

Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

What is the movie Late Bloomers about?

Late Bloomers is a mid‑life romantic comedy about Mary, an Italian woman in Britain approaching her 60th birthday, who has spent years supporting her architect husband Adam and raising their three children. The film explores how the couple deal with aging, changing roles and work — including a retirement‑village project — as Mary embraces this stage of life while Adam resists signs of frailty.

Who wrote and directed Late Bloomers?

Late Bloomers was co‑written and directed by Julie Gavras.

Who are the main cast members in Late Bloomers and which characters do they play?

Isabella Rossellini stars as Mary, William Hurt plays her husband Adam, Joanna Lumley appears as Mary’s activist best friend Charlotte, Simon Callow plays a bluff real‑estate baron, and veteran actor Leslie Phillips makes a brief cameo.

How is Isabella Rossellini’s performance described in the Late Bloomers review?

The review praises Isabella Rossellini for bringing integrity and a ‘saving gravity’ to the role of Mary, making her central to the film even in its lighter moments.

What themes does Late Bloomers explore that might resonate with viewers approaching retirement?

Late Bloomers tackles themes of turning 60, shifting family roles, the tension between embracing aging versus denying it, and the way work and social circles change—illustrated by Adam’s reluctance to accept signs of frailty and interest in younger colleagues, and Mary’s enthusiastic acceptance of her new stage of life.

What is the film’s runtime, rating and the review score mentioned in the article?

The article lists Late Bloomers as a PG‑rated, 89‑minute film with a review score of 3 out of 5, and notes it as a selected release.

Does the review consider the cast a strength of Late Bloomers?

Yes. The review calls the cast solid, highlighting Rossellini at the centre, with notable contributions from William Hurt, Joanna Lumley, Simon Callow and a fleeting appearance by Leslie Phillips.

How does the film portray the contrast between Mary and Adam’s attitudes toward aging and technology?

Mary embraces turning 60 and enthusiastically adopts new things, while Adam resists gadgets and anything that might identify him with frailty, illness or retirement, preferring to work and socialise with younger people to stay connected to cutting‑edge work.