“Seniors” follows Ori, a troubled teen who begins community service at a retirement home. There, he writes a novel while being recruited into a treasure hunt by a stubborn veteran, forming an unexpected friendship in the process. It’s the third feature-length Forester Film production, made through Huntington University’s Film Capstone program.
At the center of Erica Leigh Dick’s screenplay are two character archetypes — dissimilar but also very much the same. Ori is the “troublemaker kid.” Albert is the “cranky old man.” Despite being at completely different stages of life, their comparable qualities make them immediately amusing when put in a room together. Still, there is a lot that you don’t know about either of them. Underneath these blanket terms are much more complex individuals whom director Lance Clark fleshes out through the 103-minute runtime.
The performances help to expand upon the stereotypical shells of Ori and Albert. Paris Brosnan (Ori Ingram) seems so nice that it’s hard to picture him as a mischief-maker. He typically speaks in a kind-hearted manner, reserving bouts of frustration and anger to facial expressions. John Rhys-Davies (Albert Vernon) is very loud. Outside of his snarky yells, there is depth to the performance. Some of his lengthy monologues are surprisingly nuanced, and others are on-the-nose hilarious. He delivers a well-balanced mixture of the two to make Albert feel like a real person despite being inherently dramatic. Also appearing are Bethany Anne Lind (Nadine Ingram), Sophia Echendu (Bonnie Moore), Tyler Toney (Seth Mossberger) and Maisie Merlock (Evie Ingram).
Production designer Shannen Callow and costume designer Lisa Smedley-Calderon also play a role in crafting the character identities. Whether they’re the loving mom, crush, jock or quirky sister, the outfits convey pieces of their personality. This comes from the living spaces too, with Albert’s messy room expressing his unorganized life and Ori’s “I Want To Believe” poster conveying his natural sense of curiosity. During scenes of dialogue, director of photography Jim Orr mostly keeps the camera static. As hijinks are added to the mix, he shifts to a handheld approach that expresses the risk behind character decisions.
While this strange friendship is the main focus of “Seniors,” it also explores other aspects of Ori’s life. He has a fractured relationship with his father. He has a crush on Bonnie. He has to write a novel for a scholarship. These round out the film to create a coming-of-age story that is as emotional as it is funny. At the same time, the diverted focus also hinders the pacing in moments.
There is so much “good” going on in Ori’s life that sometimes it seems like Clark forgets to show the “bad.” Eventually, however, this changes. The final act presents a reality check — life doesn’t always go as planned. It touches on themes of parenthood, second chances and connection. If you aren’t OK with “cheesy,” then the conclusion may result in eye rolls. While each of the established storylines receives an ending, the outcomes are mostly predictable. This causes fragments of dialogue to feel awkward as all of the pieces are somewhat forcibly put into place.
“Seniors” shows that connection can come from anywhere. There are endless clichés within, but they serve a purpose in a story about turning forgiveness into fun.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
