Watch Young @ Heart For Free

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Please don't spend money on this.

There are women in the film, but none has anything you could call a personality.

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

Has there ever been a more thoroughly lovable documentary than Young@Heart? We doubt it, though it would be hard to go wrong when the subject is a choir made up of high-spirited septuagenarians, octogenarians and even a couple of nonagenarians who travel around the world, singing not - as one might logically expect - old standards, but rather modern rock and even punk-rock tunes to wildly-applauding sold-out audiences. Though most of the members of Young@Heart admit to preferring Brahms, Bach, and Rogers and Hammerstein to the likes of Coldplay, the Clash, and Sonic Youth, the enthusiasm and professionalism they bring to their work may belie that assertion somewhat. Plus, it's the dichotomy between the age of the singers and the modernism of the material that gives the group its very special - and salable - raison d'etre.In 2007, British director Stephen Walker went to Massachusetts to document the group's preparation for their latest tour. He shows us how these physically frail but emotionally indomitable old folk manage to forge on ahead, through all their aches and pains and life-threatening ailments, to produce something truly unique and beautiful in the entertainment world. They may not always hit the right note, but their spirits shine through in every number. Yet, Walker doesn't sentimentalize or patronize his subjects. He lets us get to know them as individuals through their histories and their stories. That goes for Bob Cilman, the group's then 53-year-old choir director, as well, a sometimes stern taskmaster with a full heart and an infinite capacity for patience. And an obvious love for his choir members.There's humor, inspiration and heartbreak embedded in virtually every frame of the film, with one scene, in particular - a performance by the group at a prison right after they've learned that one of their members has passed away - that is guaranteed to have you bawling like a baby. It's the rendition of "Forever Young" that tears at the heartstrings in that instance, and it is a haunting solo performance of "Nothing Compares 2 You," performed in honor of another member who dies immediately afterward, that produces the same effect just a few scenes later.But it's when they get on stage that the true magic happens - a symbiotic connection between the performers and their audience that is indeed a wonder to behold.Naturally, given the age of many of the choir's members, the movie ends on a bittersweet note, honoring those who didn't survive till the film's completion and release - most prominently, 93-year-old Eileen Hall, a prominent subject of the film who walks off with the movie and the audience's heart. The movie provides a fitting bit of immortality for this funny, big-hearted and life-affirming woman.All I can say is that if you ever need an instant pick-me-up or a renewal of your faith in humanity, Young@Heart is guaranteed to do the trick.

It may sound like it, but this is no cliché: this movie will make you laugh and cry. It's true.In a day with so much garbage being put out, this was a refreshing film to view - something true, too. It's a documentary about a group of old-timers (senior citizens, if you will) from Northampton, Mass., who tour and sing rock 'n roll. There is something absurd, outrageous, comical and entertaining about seeing an 89-year-old imitating James Brown and screaming, "I Feel Good!" What we witness in this two-hour documentary is both funny at times, but also sad. Hey, it's reality; life is hard, especially as you get older and older. Some of the members of this group die during the filming of it. The other men and women have to deal with these losses. "The show must on," as the old saying goes, but it's not easy.The group sings rock standards and stuff that is pretty recent. It's hardly just Brown, the Ramones, Beatles, Bee Gees or Stones songs. It's also these old folks performing Sonic Youth, Coldplay, The Clash and the like.Of all the members, one can't but be most impressed with the voice of Fred Knittle, who has to sit and sing while having an oxygen tank next to him. His voice is really, really good. Then there is 92-year-old and spunky Eileen Hall and then there six-time cancer patient Joe Benoit, probably the nicest man you'd ever meet. All the people here are interesting.The more I watched this, the more respect I had for Bob Cilman, who directs this group. That man must have tremendous patience and a big, big heart for older people. It's frustrating when members keep forgetting their lines time and time again, but Bob presses on. He's called a "taskmaster" a few times but the group has great respect for him.Director Steven Walker does a super job putting this film together, holding some shots and cutting others off just at the right spots so we get the full effect of the humor or drama of a particular situation. Your emotions will run the gamut watching this. The more sentimental you are, the more it will affect you.If you have a sense of humor and compassion for people, this is one of the few movies I guarantee you will like.

What a great movie, I was totally impressed with the skill and compassion displayed by Bob Cilman.I would like to be a Bob Cilman groupie. What an incredible passion for music. This man is totally remarkable. I wish they had a brief interview at the end of the film letting us know what Bob Cilman's background was about. Who is he? Where does he come from. Dopes he have a music background? Is he still the director? Is he someone who knows the area of Northhampton Mass? Does the group perform all over the United States? I can't stop thinking about this movie.This film certainly reinforces the power of choral singing.

I am not one for documentaries or nonfiction as they usually don't allow me to escape inside the film to get a release from the life I'm living. I generally enjoy fiction because of the fantastical and its ability to bring me into a world that I wouldn't otherwise enter. With that said, I can't tell you how surprised I was at how much I enjoyed this chorus of old folks that are truly Young@Heart. Straight from the get-go, this choral troupe inspires, entertains, and just lives life to the fullest. Acting as though they are still in their twenties—taking shots at each other, flirting, and singing their hearts out—the Young at Heart chorus shows its audience what it means to grow old and enjoy every minute of it. Credit filmmaker Stephen Walker for keeping a somewhat unobtrusive eye on the proceedings, infusing himself into the group, joining the family. He says how he has gained 24 or so more grandparents through the process and I would also say they all gained one more grandchild. The comfortability with their documentarian is 100%, allowing this film to inspire us all for the future and show how pure the heart can be.These elderly crooners are a blast to spend time with. When shown the new songs for an upcoming concert, all have a mixture of excitement and confusion. During the first run-through of Sonic Youth's "Schizophrenia" we see fingers going into ears, face-cringes, and what could be described as disgust. However, they all welcome a challenge and although they don't understand the song, nor have a clue at where it's going, they never give up. Credit music director Bob Cilman for having the patience and skill to mold these performers into an act of shear professionalism and entertainment. He knows his group and their abilities, placing certain solo responsibilities on some, duet partnerships on others, always knowing that they will give their all no matter what. At first you may think he is just a vessel for them to have fun, joking around and partaking in the laughs, but as the time gets closer and closer to the performance, Bob shows his taskmaster side. He wants the best show possible and is unafraid to let his singers know it, whether telling them what he needs or threatening to cut a song. The group never falters, though. They take the criticism and run with it. When challenged to come back after Easter with the words to Allen Toussaint's "Yes, We Can Can" fully learned, the Northampton, MA troupe show their mettle and eventually hit it out of the park.The music is fantastic for sure, I think I may purchase their disc from CDBaby.com before the night is over, but it is really the people involved that shine on screen. Every member is an integral cog to the system and just brimming with life and energy. From Steve "Sexy Beast" Martin and his exuberance, to consummate professional Joe Benoit and his ability to memorize a song in one afternoon, to his best friend and confident driver Len Fontaine, to the flirtatious 92-year-old Eileen Hall, there is no one you won't you love afterwards. Their bond is unbreakable and they all help each other through the good and the bad times. Just to see them dance and move when listening to a new song, performing their dance steps at a prison gig, and unabashedly showing their emotions when tragedy strikes helps show how real they all are. These guys aren't hamming it up for the camera, they truly know how to have fun and aren't afraid to show it.Despite only taking place during the course of a seven week rehearsal schedule, having a group of people averaging 80-years-old is ripe for life to rear its ugly head. All the good times—the reunions, the rejuvenation, the singing, dancing, and laughing—are countered by devastation. While the film's trailer shows an uproarious good time, and by God it is, don't be caught off-guard for the poignant moments of clarity and sadness. Unfortunately tragedy does strike, sometimes at the most inopportune moments, yet all march on for their fallen comrades, creating a touching portrait of humanity. These moments also bring some of the most powerful songs including a stirring rendition of Coldplay's "Fix You" by returning ex-member Fred Knittle with his Johnny Cash-like baritone.In the end, though, Young@Heart is really an uplifting tale of perseverance and life at its most simple and pleasurable. This is an internationally traveling chorus, touring Europe each year to complement their US dates. Never afraid to have fun, we are given some snippets of music video style shoots interspersed throughout the film. "Stayin' Alive" is fantastic and during the performance for "Golden Years" one can't help but laugh to the point of tears for Stan Goldman. Go see this film while you can and don't be surprised to see it winning a best documentary Oscar at next year's show. I heard the rumblings that this was becoming quite the phenomenon and now I can say first hand that it is more than that. Young@Heart is something we can all relate with and a film we should see to attain hope for the future and a template for how to live out our retirements, not sulking at home, but out enjoying all the things we did the years past. Maybe life really begins at age 70.