David Farnor | On 25, Jun 2013

Director: Paul Andrew Williams
Cast: Vanessa Redgrave, Terrence Stamp, Gemma Arterton
Certificate: PG

“Come on granddad!”

Frank (Stamp) is a grumpy old git. He doesn’t smile. He doesn’t sing. He doesn’t laugh. He doesn’t even like taking his wife, Marion (Redgrave), to singing practise. It’s hard to see why: happy doing everything from hip-hop and the Love Shack to AC/DC, The OAPz are a toe-tapping bunch of pensioners. Some of them can even dance the robot – intentionally.

But everything hits a bum note when Marion is told she’s dying of cancer. She puts on a brave face. He scowls even more. His son (a curiously-accented Christopher Ecclestone) stops talking to him. Can Marion continue singing? Will Frank change his tune? Do The OAPz actually stand a chance of winning the upcoming choir contest?

There are no prizes for guessing how it all turns out. Song for Marion is basically Sister Act 2, but with old white people instead of school kids and Whoopi Goldberg. But while Paul Andrew Williams’ drama may be a spreadsheet titled Feel-Good Drama that ticks all the necessary boxes, it’s also a spreadsheet that will make you cry.

Jumping from The Cottage to this, Williams handles the tonal shift impeccably, doing all the right things – cameras lingering in hallways, hushed confrontations in kitchens – and the cast are great. Stamp glowers like a man possessed, Gemma Arterton is adorable as the enthusiastic choir leader and Redgrave’s wide-eyed optimism is heart-wrenching. One beautiful scene where she sings True Colours will leave you bawling buckets – but that’s just the warm-up act for the rousing finale. The words “Come on, granddad!” have never sounded so adorable.

 

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