Hi Film Fans!
Happy New Year to you all! May this year bring you lots of fun movie entertainment...and other wonderful things!
I might begin this review by admitting that I knew nothing about the movie...but the title did not thrill me: Last tango? Halifax? Like Last Tango in Paris? Yuk! Something about Halifax, Nova Scotia? Hmm...not a place I've been interested in that much!
OK, let's get past the bizarre title. The "tango" refers, I believe, to the dance of life...which continues into our senior years. Halifax is a place in England.
England...yes indeed, another masterpiece emerges from the land of Big Ben.
Consider the other film wonders of recent times: Downton Abbey, The Crown, Rocketman, The Gentlemen, Emma, Tenet, Rebecca...the list goes on.
The movie tells the story of a couple who, having known and been attracted to each other as teens, meet again after 60 years and, of course, fall in love. The plot line is no secret: the ads for the series say it loud and clear.
In order not to give anything away, I will add just one more note about the plot: The two families of the senior couple who fall in love are, well, to say the least, a bit dysfunctional! Add to that the usual recipe for trouble: two families who are financially, culturally, and socially on opposite ends of the spectrum.
A recipe for disaster? No. A recipe for fun!
The film brilliantly shows that even with the best of intentions, a marriage always involves two families, sometimes at odds, sometimes in harmony, and always on the verge of disruption. Every character in this film is flawed. But aren't we all? What could be more human and real in a film?
The actors are brilliant. The leads have been given the high British honor of Sir and Dame. Knighted, they are worthy of top recognition in their long and illustrious acting careers.
After the first episode in this three-season wonder, we were hooked! We binge-watched and then some!
Put this at the top of your list...particularly if you are in your "golden" years! Folks who can look back at the what-ifs and shoulda, coulda, woulda's of life will love this film gem.
