Director: Marc Turtletaub
Writer: Gavin Steckler
Stars: Ben Kingsley, Harriet Sansom Harris, Jane Curtin
Synopsis: Milton lives a quiet life of routine in a small western Pennsylvania town, but finds his day upended when a UFO and its extra-terrestrial passenger crash land in his backyard.
The “Baby Boomers” are the most significant labor force cohort in the United States, so movies tailored for the age range of 57 to 75 will never go away any time soon. The AARP genre of films has become popular of late. From the Book Club franchise, Going in Style, and Poms, these movies are designed to take the family’s matriarch to a show on Mother’s Day Sunday matinee.
While most of these films offer a pleasant way to spend a lazy afternoon, if that’s your thing, the best ones have some underlying thematic value regarding a generation’s worth, not only appreciated but the need that our elders have to offer.
Unfortunately, Jules offers very little in that department, which is a shame considering the talent involved, including a legendary lead, two respected comedic character actors, and a director whose feature film debut, Puzzle, was an unexpected gem. Sadly, this science-fiction comedy lacks imagination beyond its one-note joke.
Directed by Marc Turtletaub, Jules tells the story of Milton (Ben Kingsley), an older adult, quietly living out his life watching endless episodes of CSI reruns on basic cable in a small Western Pennsylvania town. He’s estranged from his son, and his daughter is worried about him since he leaves newspapers in the freezer and a can of vegetables in the bathroom medicine cabinet.
Milton’s significant daily activity is going down to the community center to propose changing the town’s slogan to the political leaders into something grammatically correct, and he’s not the only one. That includes Sandy (Harriet Harris), who wants to propose community outreach so she can connect with the younger generation.
We also have the neighborhood busybody, Joyce (Jane Curtin), who’s worried about how her fellow older adults present themselves but fails to understand that her abrasiveness pushes people away. However, that is all about to change when an alien spaceship crashes into the back of Milton’s rural property, and they meet an extraterrestrial who goes by Jules.
Jules was written by Gavin Steckler, whose most significant contribution to film and television was the USA Network series Playing House. And that sums up my experience with the film—it feels like a pilot for the easy-going and breezy network that was never produced. Steckler’s script offers a buddy concept and some mildly odd escapism that’s light-hearted and approachable. Yet, while the script does generate some empathy and relatability, the interaction never reinforces the film’s themes to produce deeper, more profound outcomes and develop the characters in significant ways that are desperately needed.
Yes, Jules has some lovely moments, such as how Kingsley portrays Milton’s warm nature. I am also thrilled that Harris has a significant role here. The veteran character actress, best known for being the hilarious, no-morals agent Bebe Glazer on Frasier and the doomed wife of Sammy in Memento, is the film’s emotional center.
Harris is involved in the picture’s best scene. However, to justify my issue with the film’s uneven mix, it combines an odd, out-of-place solo rendition of “Free Bird” with Curtin’s Joyce. Finally, when the film builds to the script’s payoff, the finale must be more varied, and the final 15 minutes feel needlessly lengthy. Not only are the connections between the three main subjects never established, none are made outside their bubble. The emotional void between the trio is as vast as space itself.
Jules has its heart in the right place for all intents and purposes, but very little is accomplished with a film that is less than 90 minutes long. Along with the film’s lack of a complete third act, this comedy does little to no favors in terms of exploring what makes life worth living.
