By the Williams Lake Film Club
Takeaway:
· Charming, and hilarious, this big-hearted alien dramedy with a superb cast will brighten your day.
· Sir Ben Kinglsey is excellent as a senior who finds a UFO in his garden in a heartwarming comedy that doesn’t skirt away from topics like ageing and isolation
78-year-old widower Milton (Oscar winner “Sir Ben” Kingsley) lives a quiet and unassuming life in a fictionalized rural Pennsylvania town called Boonton. He is locked into his routines - tending to the garden, going to city council meetings, shopping for groceries, and watching TV.
His only real interactions with the world are with his busy veterinarian daughter, who periodically stops to check in on him (side note: she is getting increasingly worried about his memory), along with his visits to town hall, where he repeatedly asks city council to change the town slogan and put in a crosswalk.
Then one evening, Milton’s peaceful and eccentric, albeit lonely and isolated life, is upended when a 1950s-style UFO crashes into his garden, destroying his bird bath and crushing his prized azaleas.
Yes, a UFO crashes into Milton’s garden, and when he checks the next day, a small, injured, pale blue alien has emerged from the wreckage. Right when the crash happens, Milton alerts 911, but is immediately dismissed as a prank caller.
He also announces the crash at the town council meeting. As an aging senior, nobody takes him too seriously, and so he takes it upon himself to care for the creature. His claim does, however, pique the concern of fellow seniors, Sandy and Joyce (played brilliantly by comedic actors Harrier Sanson Harris and Jane Curtain), who thus begin busy-bodying their way into Milton’s life.
In discerning ways, the film shows us that they are also as lonely as Milton. They too meet the alien, which they call Jules, and everyone agrees he must be kept a secret. Little do they know that a government agency, aware that an alien ship has entered the Earth’s atmosphere, has agents working to locate Jule’s exact landing spot.
Jules is a solemn alien. He never speaks, but he makes powerful eye contact and inspires people to share their confidences – he’s vulnerable, insightful and a great listener. The three pensioners bond over their shared desire to shield Jules from harm.
The entire ensemble cast delivers a truly memorable performance. Director Marc Turtletaub, who is better known as the producer behind such acclaimed films as Little Miss Sunshine and The Farewell, has a keen eye for detail and keeps the story grounded.
Underneath the sci-fi conventions, this is a film interested in exploring the surrealness and loneliness of aging. For Milton, Sandy and Joyce, the arrival of Jules is the beginning of a transformative journey, an opportunity to trade their isolation and seclusion with reawakened purpose and trust in the power of companionship.
The movie is a clever reversal of sci-fi classic E.T : instead of an alien being taken in and safeguarded by child protagonists, Jules asks us to consider how this would impact the lives of a trio of perplexed seniors. What results is an enchanting little film that appeals to all of us, young and old, to seek out real connections and meaning in the time we have here.
“Despite telling a story we’ve seen many times, Jules feels remarkably fresh. With its laid-back pacing, sweet emotional core and the occasional surprise, it’s an unexpected delight.” (Radiotimes 2023)
JULES is screening at the Paradise Cinemas on Thursday Jan.18. Rated PG. Tickets are $10. Advance tickets for sale at The Open Book and tickets will be sold in the cinema lobby prior to the screening. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m.