Set in a British retirement home for ageing musicians, Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut is a well-crafted drama, which deters away from negativity to focus on the bright side of elder life. Partly a homage to opera and music in general, it always serves as a swansong for those artists, who fade away forgotten by the passing time. Featuring a multitude of real-life famed English musicians, "Quartet" breathers life and significance with its delicate and graceful touch.
This exclusive and vast Beecham Home for retired musicians is forced to survive through the help of sponsors, who once a year show their gratitude to the retired artists, in exchange for a performance by the residents of this facility overflowing of outdated talent. Within its confines live three of a foursome - Cissy, Wilf and Regie - which gained international acclaim for their performance of "Rigoletto". Randy old wolf Wilf Bond (Billy Connolly) and the Alzheimer challenged Cissy Robson (Pauline Collins) were competent voices, but the quartets strengths lay in their star duo of ex-lovers Reginald Paget (Tom Courtenay) and Jean Horton (Maggie Smith). Reginald himself, unlike most of his comrades, has found a curious solace in old age, gracefully living out the days at the residence, while occasionally holding lectures on opera destined for the youth.
This idyll is seemingly corrupted when Jean Horton becomes the new inhabitant of the retirement home, thus reigniting old passions and unhealed wounds. However only a performance by the quartet of singers seems to have the power to save the home from closure...
Featuring a delightfully funny performance by Billy Connolly, reinforced by some welcome lightness from most other residence dwellers, "Quartet" does however falter at times with building the dramaturgy, often falling into light fluff filler with not enough punch. That said the sunny outlook on life on offer, which punctuates the bright sides of elder life, bypassing, albeit not ignoring, doom and gloom, may just fit better in such a slight picture, where room for change and happiness is but a smile away, irregardless of age-old vitriol. As mentioned Connolly steals the show, with his crowd-pleasing effort as one of the most vibrant inhabitants of the Beecham House, refusing to give in to his elderly inhibitions tirelessly making lewd proposals to the caretakers or to the local doctor Lucy Cogan (Sheridan Smith). Similarly well-worked is Pauline Collins as the mentally incapacitated Cissy, who struggles with her mind-lapses to live a dignified life. Here her friends come to her aide countless times with what is the most emotionally impactive element of the story, as this lovable, ever-smiling dame is victimised by her senile disability.
Dustin Hoffman's stylish debut seems confident in its concept, offering a carefree look at seniors, not offering much surprise, but catches on with its surefire optimism. Not often do you get to chance to see a movie featuring the elderly, which does not offer a philosophical outlook on death and spending eons of energy on presenting the inevitable. This occurs despite the lack of family, as most inhabitants of the institution focused their life on their art, instead of their family. Here however the protagonists manage to overlook the past, whether it be regrets, built-up animosities or the facades of former glory. Even the physical disabilities of age can't keep them down and out, when each of them must deal with bigger or smaller demons to be able to contemplate happiness.
