By Jan Wahl—
The depth of character of people 50 and older can really make a movie fabulous. A perfect example is Eleanor the Great (2025), a dramedy directed by Scarlett Johansson. In it we meet an unforgettable older woman (June Squibb) who moves to New York, passing off her friend’s Holocaust survivor story as her own. We follow her through fame and scandal with an amazingly satisfying ending.
There are people of all ages in this film, although it is mostly Eleanor’s story. I find that, when there are people of all ages in a story (Northern Exposure TV series, The Poseidon Adventure, etc.), we get a backstory and meaning behind the characters. Hollywood drives me nuts by not supporting a movie this good; they are too busy chasing the youth market. I asked my movie-loving colleague, Adam Kent, what he thought of it.
Adam Kent: Just when you think that 2025 was a bust for good movies, we get to see this genius film. I love that it makes you think about those gray areas of life and how certain circumstances, grief, and loss push us in unusual ways.
Jan Wahl: This film gives us loss by younger people and older people but turns it into something profound. In her 90s now, June Squibb is nominated for a Tony Award, the oldest Broadway actor nominee. What energy and vitality!
Adam Kent: And Scarlett Johansson! I want to see her more in the director’s chair.
Jan Wahl: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) is absolutely superb. The film is about some British retirees who decide to outsource their retirement to exotic India. Through the experienced and interesting eyes of these people, we follow them letting go of the past and starting a new life. Filmed in India, it’s a chance to visit this exotic location.
Adam Kent: This film is visually stunning, depicting the architectural beauty, organized chaos, and the youthful optimism of modern Indian culture juxtaposed with the starchy British worldview. The unease and tension between these cultures perfectly sets up a complex story where love, death, and happiness in the sunset years are magically portrayed.
Jan Wahl: It has one of the most remarkable casts, which includes Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Dev Patel, Bill Nighy, and Tom Wilkinson. Wilkinson plays a gay man determined to make peace with his past.
Adam Kent: When good movies make you laugh and think through the sheer brilliance of cinematography, good writing, and acting gravitas, they elevate our humanity through seeing that in others. These two films go beyond that; they make you stop, think, and revisit those things in ourselves that go unnoticed and unsaid in loss and love.
Jan Wahl: You are so right, Adam; we are talking about shared empathy brought about by brilliant filmmaking.
Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian and film critic on various broadcast outlets. She has two Emmys and many awards for her longtime work on behalf of film buffs and the LGBTQ community.
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Published on June 11, 2026
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