POMS: A Team Worth Cheering For

Let’s be real for a second, movies about getting old aren’t often taken too seriously by Hollywood studios, ‘Hollywood’ being the emphasis here. They tend to acquire a sense of breeziness; an easy-watching style that avoids catching viewers’ off-guard with anything too deep or intense, which is fair considering the market they are generally aiming for.

Connotations associated with the phrase ‘getting old’ are unfortunately linked to the thought of one’s life coming to an end, and although inevitably accurate, it somehow creates the misconception that life is less desirable once you’ve reached a certain age. Sure, the thought of narrowing down our daily activities to pot-planting and croquet isn’t exactly appealing, but that’s not to say there aren’t exceptions to the rule.

Thankfully to the wonderful world of cinema, there’s an opportunity to deconstruct these kinds of misconceptions, and while not perfect, Poms is an adequate example of Hollywood escapism taking a slight detour from its expected path. It’s not all smooth sailing, but it’s a trip worth taking for the experience.

The Beginning Of The End

Diane Keaton plays Martha, a loose-shouldered, cynical retiree whose attitude towards life is painted across the lines in her face and in animated eye-rolls when met with the slightest inconvenience. She’s a trooper; the kind of grandma who would decline the assistance of a passer-by offering to carry her groceries, just out of pride.

We meet Martha at a point of crisis in her life, when she decides to cease ongoing treatment for her terminal illness, sells all her belongings, and sets out to find a change of scenery; a fresh start for the approaching end…and so the journey begins! To the appropriately fitting lyrics of Carol King’s ‘Bitter with the Sweet’, we travel cross-country with Martha to begin her new life at the Sun Springs retirement village.

On arrival, Martha is greeted by the village’s overbearing president, Vicki (Celia Weston), who’s in control of the community’s activities and encourages Martha to join a social club. At this point, we already know that the last thing Martha wants to do is socialise, regardless of how lonely she might appear, but after meeting her persistent neighbour, Sheryl (Jacki Weaver), she’s inspired to rekindle her teenage dream of becoming a cheerleader. Despite the conservative mindset of Vicki and her gang of Southern Belles, Martha decides to start up her own cheerleading club with the assistance of Sheryl and her grandson, Ben (Charlie Tan).

From here on, we get everything one would expect a movie of this nature to deliver: the auditions, the rivalry, an array of obstacles the team face in order to perform their big act – including an unplanned public performance which leads to disaster.

Another One Bites The Dust

Despite the adherence to a cookie-cutter formula, the bold choice to address the more serious themes surrounding old age is precisely what makes Poms stand out. That’s not to say it isn’t a comedy, but its unexpected earnestness is so jarring up against the moments of farce humour, it somehow grounds the farfetched situation within a more concrete sense of reality.

Martha is a real woman dealing with a common issue surrounding old age – that unforeseeable ‘something’ we could all face one day at the luck of a draw. There’s nothing more real than facing death, which is why her resistance towards forced optimism is so relatable. We admire her choices to rebel, because it’s so easy to give up, especially when reaching a ripe old age where one’s physical or even mental wellbeing is beginning to disintegrate.

Director, Zara Hayes, delivers a salty kind of comedy about death that feels dark, but never pitch-black. I would be lying if I said all of the jokes landed, some even come off as gratingly distasteful, but being the professional actresses that they are, Keaton and Weaver do an outstanding job of elevating the frequently sordid dialogue; Keaton with her witty outbursts and Weaver with her wide-eyed promiscuity.

Low On Moves, High In Spirit

Admittedly, the rehearsal and dance sequences feel edited together as if to mask the physical limitations of its ageing cast, which can be distracting at times, and more specifically during the anticipated climax when Martha and her squad go up against a variety of younger, fitter cheerleaders. However, this minor tumble is forgiven when the electro-pop beats of Galantis’ ‘Peanut Butter Jelly’ kicks in, and Martha’s addictively goofy dance move spreads its love into the live audience and across social media, inspiring a signature dancing tsunami of mixed cultures and demographics from around the world. It’s just too cute and well-meaning to dismiss.

Anyone expecting a senior-charged version of Bring It On will walk away from Poms disgruntled, because isn’t about mind-blowing athleticism or choreography, it’s about giving life a second chance before deciding to give up entirely, and learning that the risk involved with taking that chance is much less than the regret of not acting on it at all.

Poms: Showdown

Regardless of Shane Atkinson’s thinly written script and Hayes’ occasionally clumsy direction, there’s nothing more smile-inducing than watching a troupe of golden oldies relive their teenage years through the joys of dance. Yes, it’s predictable, and yes, the jokes don’t always work, but its heart is in the right place, and it delivers a really poignant message about the power of friendship and believing that we all deserve happiness, even when the unfortunate events of life threaten to bring us down.

What’s your favourite senior-citizen comedy? And what made it work for you? Let us know in the comments below.

Poms was released in the US on May 10th, 2019. Its release in the UK is yet to be announced. For other release dates, click here.