PFF32 LATE BLOOMERS Q&A (Movie featuring Karen Gillan)

Post Screening Q&A took place Mon. Oct 23, 2023 during the 32nd Philadelphia Film Festival with Producers Alexandra Barreto and Taylor Feltner. Moderated by Philadelphia Film Society Director of Programming Travis Trew.
Synopsis: 28-year-old Louise (Karen Gillan, PFF27’s THE PARTY’S JUST BEGINNING) is a bit of a mess. Deeply cynical and only barely able to support herself, Louise’s situation goes from bad to pitiful when she falls from a windowsill while drunkenly attempting to jimmy open her ex-boyfriend’s window, landing her in the hospital with a broken hip. There, she meets her match in the form of elderly Polish “bad girl” Antonina (Margaret Sophie Stein), who speaks no English but communicates volumes with her terrifying glare.
Tinsel & Tine #MiniMovieReview - Loved Karen Gillan in DUAL, GUARDIANS, of course, and the JUMANJI movies. She plays a good underdog who comes up from behind, which she does marvelously once again in LATE BLOOMERS. I went in thinking this would be a humorous indie, that the bickering between these two, due to the age gap, would be fun. But that's not really the tone of this film. It's more serious-minded and believe it or not, the older woman Antonina (Margaret Sophie Stein), never speaks a word of English and most times without subtitles. Yet, it's quite effective, you completely understand without needing to know her exact words.
Bottom line: it's well-done, emotional, yet ultimately it lacks that essential element to make it into my top 20 for the year.
#PFF32 #filmfestival #karengillan