The message seems to me that age is not what we look at in the mirror each morning, it Is the feeling that has been with all of us since our youth, and can be realized at any time in our lives. It contrasted the "know-it-all" attitude of teens trying to break away from their parents, with their incredible vulnerability and need for parental direction. Farmiga’s younger sister, Taissa Farmiga, plays her daughter, Audrey, and she also pairs up well with Spencer Lofranco as George’s son, Conrad. As a musician, I really appreciated the well-done "Chopsticks." Of course sparkling dialogue would count for little without two actors to deliver it expertly. The way this movie presents the two adults as if they are free spirit singles who can just jump into relationships just make me scratch my head.....not worth my time. The movie’s last line is a knockout. I am this woman and I've led men on some fun rides. Terms of Use | It's a confidently made, well written and handsomely performed scenario that gets a surprising amount of mileage from overly familiar dramatic tensions. I was saddened by the ending, but it is true to life-very few people have the strength to leave the familiar for something unknown. They both admit that their individual marriages aren't working and they are experiencing the empty nest syndrome. It tells me to be open to change, that your first impression of anything is just that; an unforeseen, unexplored space in time that we can go back to inspired by a beautiful day, a moment waiting to be discovered and then either followed or allowed to fade away....I vote for follow. Modern-day Brief Encounter benefits from sparkling dialogue and splendid acting. Literacy is an especially valuable quality in a film set entirely on a college campus. Both are married and that isn't known until the movie progresses. At Middleton, is a delightful romantic comedy about two middle aged adults, with very different personalities that can't deny the reality of what they find in a day. FACEBOOK With his feature debut, Rodgers also demonstrates a good eye for visual composition. Just Beautiful!! Sign up here. You don't want to go home. Copyright © Fandango. There's something well suited yet awkward about these two the moment the characters meet on screen that works. Characters, both young and old are well casted and played beautifully. Before long, George and Edith leave the tour and explore the campus on their own. There are some charming moments and some very talented actors, famous and unknown (the kid who plays the tour guide can be seen killing it in Succession). This understated love story that takes place over the course of a single day may not be high-powered enough to ignite the box office, but it deserves to be savored by viewers longing for literate conversation. The main reason is there is simply no background support for it to be believable. All rights reserved. You can still see all customer reviews for the product. At Middleton is one of those movies that seems like it will either inspire a deep seated understanding and, dare I say, love of the content or just rise the ire of those who cannot stand for anyone to consider liking anything with even a hint of the amoral. In the script the adults were thoughtful and had to balance out what they had put into their professions and marriages against young adults who had the answer to how they wanted their lives to go . Disabling it will result in some disabled or missing features. and the Terms and Policies, George (Andy Garcia) has brought his son to take a college tour at a school with an idyllic country setting. To just feel so free, and forget life's hardships even for a moment, these are the moments. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2014. There are some funny moments and some clever ones too. I guess the script writer and director just expect us to put in a lot of imagination and fill in the holes they never bother to present to us. Audrey is distant and intent on being ultra-studious. Easy to watch, lame dialogue, talented actors, Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2019. Kayaking, horse riding, and grounds tours (museum/gardens) ar available, though we were only able to stay one night and the rain kept us from doing alot. Considerable credit goes to writers Adam Rodgers and Glenn German. (1) The writing is not nearly as witty as it would like to be. Garcia and Farmiga's appealing chemistry supplies the pep missing from the limp script and although the prevailing mood is cosily light-hearted, there's a bittersweet undertone to the film. Conrad has typical teenage resentment and doesn’t want to be there. George becomes captivated in a single day by feelings that he hasn't felt for years and Edith discovers that she is attracted to George, although she first tries to deny it. Both teens' character's were well developed, well acted, and so likable in the end. And it was fun and it reminded me of why men fall for women -- reading the synopsis and reviews I thought the romance might feel contrived...forced, but it felt very real. | Cookie Settings. That day is a college tour for their children. The college atmosphere seems believably seductive to both parents and teenagers. After reading some of the poor reviews, I wasn't sure what to expect-- but I had a hunch that the people giving the poor reviews were coming from a place of moralizing the characters rather than opening to the authentic emotion they portrayed. The college visit is a day trip fraught with tension and expectations played out by parents and children across America. (It looks like a New England college but was actually shot mainly at Gonzaga College in Washington state.) Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! If you want to watch a movie with "substance" and GREAT characters and beauty (all kinds) with a great storyline & great moments, then definitely watch this movie. © 2020 The Hollywood Reporter Sitemap | . Don't have an account? Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2019. This movie sneaks up on you, gradually moving beyond comedy to a mournful sense of lost possibilities. Garcia (who is also one of the producers of the film) is generally cast in more serious roles, but he revealed a gift for comedy in City Island a few years ago, and he revisits that terrain rewardingly here.