Italian director Paolo Virzi’s The Leisure Seeker at TIFF shares the hilarious story of two grandparents who hit the road in a vintage Winnebago to enjoy one last adventure together.
and Donald Sutherland star as an elderly couple who embark on an impromptu trip (without informing their wildly worried children) during the height of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” presidential campaign. We follow them as they journey from their suburban home in Massachusetts to the beautiful beaches of the Florida Keys in search of Hemmingway’s house.
Ellen (Mirren) is dying of cancer and her hubby John (Sutherland) is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Despite the somber rationale behind the duo’s journey, the film is filled with humour and affection that anyone with a loving grandparent will relate to.
The Leisure Seeker leaves its audience contemplating the meaning of life and love but along the winding road offers plenty of knee sleeping laughs. Memorable moments include a motorcycle chase where Ellen’s finds herself clutching her wig for dear life, a road-side holdup where she saves the day by pointing a rifle at two knife-wielding hoodlums, and a big splurge when the two treat themselves to a champagne splashed dance at a luxurious hotel suite.
