THE BRADY BUNCH (80 FOR BRADY)
Here's a story about older ladies who are very, very into NFL.
They would gather in a house to watch the football.
And they have their own rituals as well.
Here's the thing about one of those ladies who goes by the name of dear old Lou.
© Paramount PicturesShe is living with the threat of returned cancer.
But when the Patriots make the Super Bowl, she goes too!
Okay, apologies for the cackhanded attempt at reworking 'The Brady Bunch' theme tune's lyrics but anything to break the monotony, eh?
'80 for Brady' is one of those comedies aimed fairly and squarely at the grey dollar, pound or euro just like 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' or more recently, 'The Miracle Club'.
© Paramount PicturesIt's packed full of stars we have watched for decades hamming it up for the camera as they try to prove you're never too old to remain youthful.
In this case, it's Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin - both in their mid eighties - Rita Moreno, who is 91, and Sally Field, who is 76, playing four New England Patriots fans who just have to go to the 2017 SuperBowl.
Every Sunday, the group gathers around the TV at the house of Lily Tomlin's character Lou slavishly following a ritual they believe will bring the Patriots good luck.
Sally Field's Betty has to stand on a stepladder, pretending to change a lightbulb.
© Paramount PicturesJane Fonda's trashy NFL themed romance novelist Trish has to sit at the kitchen table half reading a book.
Rita Moreno's gambler Maura has to curl up in a seat with a cup of tea, while Lou spills a bowl of crisps/potato chips, only if the Patriots general manager is wearing a cutoff sweatshirt.
The ritual works every time, apparently and is enough to see the Patriots win the AFC Championship final against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Why are they so invested in this ritual?
© Paramount PicturesIt all dates back to when Lou successfully completed chemotherapy 15 years earlier.
Such is their passion for the Patriots, they decide to enter a TV competition to win tickets to the SuperBowl in Houston by sharing theur tale about how committed they are.
A few days later, Trish, Betty and Maura are gobsmacked when Lou tells them they've won.
The reality, of course, is they haven't.
© Paramount PicturesHowever Lou has managed to secure tickets online because, fearing her cancer has returned, she wants one last blowout with her mates before embarking on another bout of chemo.
In order to go, they have to spring Maura out of her retirement home where she has been befriended by Glynn Turman's kindly old geezer, Mickey who helps them wheel her out.
After managing this great escape, they drive to Houston where the friends lap up the SuperBowl fan experience.
Betty wins a spicy chicken wings eating contest hosted by the restaurateur and Food Network television host Guy Fieri but loses Lou's SuperBowl tickets which she has been asked to mind.
© Paramount PicturesLou kicks an Atlanta Falcons fan's butt in a ball throwing contest.
Trish runs into Harry Hamlin's former player Dan O'Callahan - an encounter that ignites a possible romance and results in the four of them getting invited to an exclusive SuperBowl party.
Realising Betty has lost their tickets, they go to the party after hearing Fieri is there to see if he can help them locate them.
However, whilst embarking on this mission they mistakenly eat some cannabis edibles.
© Paramount PicturesMaura takes part in a poker game at the party involving Billy Porter's Lady GaGa choreographer Gugu and cleans up, thinking they can use her winnings to buy scalped tickets.
However when she realises it's for charity, she charms Gugu by donating the winnings to his chosen cause.
Will the four ladies get their tickets back and get to SuperBowl?
And with no stepladder, kitchen table, cup of tea and bowl of crisps/potato chips to hand, will their beloved Patriots and favourite player Tom Brady win American Football's biggest prize?
© Paramount PicturesDirected by Kyle Marvin, '80 for Brady' is a comfy slippers kind of a movie.
It's frothy and undemanding and it knows that's the case.
It doesn't think it's 'Moonlight,' 'Aftersun' or 'La La Land'.
It just wants to make people laugh.
As frothy, lightly entertaining movies go, it's fine.
It does exactly what you expect.
Tomlin, Fonda, Moreno and Field really enjoy working together.
They gel very well, land some not very taxing gags and move on.
© Paramount Pictures'LA Law' fans wondering whatever happened to Harry Hamlin will go: "There he is. He's ageing okay."
Glynn Truman adds extra sweetener, while Porter amuses as the ladies' new best friend.
Eventually - and in our hearts we know this isn't really a spoiler - the gang gets to meet Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots team.
It's a bit of puff for the film's producer Brady, the Patriots and for the NFL brand.
© Paramount PicturesTomlin is the Tomlin we expect.
Moreno and Field are the same, while Fonda channels her inner Dolly Parton.
The film has made a modest profit at the box office.
It appeals to those who don't want to think too hard.
© Paramount PicturesWill we remember '80 for Brady' in 12 months time as a classic of the senior citizens defying their years genre?
I doubt it.
But I don't think Marvin, his cast or crew do either.
This is visual candyfloss - nothing more, nothing less.
('80 For Brady' was released in UK and Irish cinemas on March 24, 2023)
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