The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Luxury brands continue hiking prices in Korea

  • 3

    INTERVIEW'One Day Off' star Lee Na-young, director on creating subtle, feel-good series

  • 5

    China flags consequences of Yoon's stronger coupling with US, Japan

  • 7

    Napoli's Kim Min-jae named Serie A's best defender, makes Team of the Season

  • 9

    Wall Street leaps, nearly escapes its bear market after strong jobs report

  • 11

    Pyongyang as lived experience: existentialism and identity in North Korea

  • 13

    US, China trade blame as hopes for military dialogue fade

  • 15

    Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US, Japan to meet in Singapore amid NK threats

  • 17

    House lawmakers urge US to rally allies over China's Micron ban

  • 19

    EU's top diplomat discusses Ukraine's ammunition needs with S. Korea

  • 2

    BTS producer encourages anticipation for future messages from group

  • 4

    India train crash kills over 280, injures 900 in one of nation's worst rail disasters

  • 6

    From hip-hop idols to global superstars, BTS shatters records over decade

  • 8

    Senior citizens land low-wage jobs after retirement: report

  • 10

    LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 1How hiking Jeju's 437km of trails changed my life

  • 12

    'The Roundup: No Way Out' tops 3 mil. admissions

  • 14

    UN official calls out Security Council for inaction on N. Korea

  • 16

    Reasons to talk about North Korea

  • 18

    PHOTOSTrain collision in India

  • 20

    S. Korea, Japan agree to prevent recurrence of maritime dispute

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Mon, June 5, 2023 | 19:14
Films
Movie review: A star-studded retirement home in 'Queen Bees'
Posted : 2021-06-13 16:24
Updated : 2021-06-13 16:24
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
This image released by Gravitas Ventures shows Ann-Margret, left, and Loretta Devine in a scene from 'Queen Bees.' AP-Yonhap
This image released by Gravitas Ventures shows Ann-Margret, left, and Loretta Devine in a scene from "Queen Bees." AP-Yonhap

There are two genres I tend to approach with extra caution: Slashers and retirement home comedies. Both have found me covering my eyes for not entirely unrelated reasons. Yes, the dismembering is more metaphorical in the latter, but sometimes it's equally hard to stomach seeing a great group of actors reduced to incontinence jokes. Also, I'm still recovering from the Diane Keaton movie ''Poms.''

The latest retirement home comedy is '' Queen Bees,'' about Helen (played by the majestic Ellen Burstyn), who reluctantly moves into a senior community while her beautiful suburban house is being fixed up after an accidental kitchen fire. Helen is still sharp and active and capable of living alone, but her real estate agent daughter (Elizabeth Mitchell) just seems to want to get the inevitable transition to out of the way. Helen, for her part, suspects her daughter just wants to sell her home and she may not be wrong.

For as lovely as Helen's house is, the retirement community is pretty nice and full of active and social seniors. It's also stacked with talented actors: Alongside Burstyn in this senior home is James Caan, Ann-Margret, Jane Curtin, Loretta Devine and Christopher Lloyd, all of whom it's a delight to simply see on screen and none of whom are subjected to tasteless gags (although some are borderline).

''Queen Bees,'' directed by Michael Lembeck and written by Donald Martin, isn't exactly a bad movie, but it's not exactly good either. It has a decent heart and some lovely moments, but it also has many of the cliches that we've come to expect: An incontinence joke, a marijuana scene, stroke gags, a truly horrendous score and an appalling lack of curiosity about the characters we're asked to spend a few hours with.

Even the title seems carelessly thrown at the movie as an attempt to peg it as a senior citizen ''Mean Girls,'' which it only sort of is. Curtin's Janet is the Regina George of the home and keeps her bridge and walking group small (just Ann-Margret's Margot and Devine's Sally are members). But aside from that and a slow-motion walk into the lunchroom to claim their designated table, they don't seem to yield much power or envy among the other residents. And it's not too long before Helen, who is apathetic to their exclusivity, is invited to the bridge table. If you're looking for a comedic, anthropological study of cliques in a retirement home, ''Queen Bees'' isn't it.

''Queen Bees'' also has the bones of a much better movie and is frustrating because of it. There is a sitcom blandness to the whole endeavor ― any edge or personality has been flattened out. Characters get at most a single bit of background: One had five husbands, one had cancer, one sleeps around. In one jaw-dropping scene Helen tells Sally about her days protesting with Dr. King and has zero follow-up questions for her Black peer about HER experience during that time. Instead they pivot to talking about hair extensions, which Helen is just learning about.

And for all the comedic talent in the film, from Curtin to Lloyd, who seem game for anything, there are precious few genuine laughs to be had. Perhaps the script should have allowed for more improvisation.

Yet mercifully everyone emerges with their dignity intact. Burstyn even finds ways to make her character deeper than what's on the page and there's a moving tenderness to her little flirtation with Caan's Dan, who is blandly sweet and charming.

Helen's most meaningful relationship in the film is with her very kind and attentive grandson (Matthew Barnes), who, when attempting to explain all the nuances of his 80-something grandmother to her potential suitor, reduces her to a Twitter bio: Likes famous quotes, ballroom dancing and neatness. Surely there must be more to her than that, you think.

''Queen Bees'' has the same problem: It's a film that seems to have been dreamt up by a reverent grandchild who assumed they knew everything there was to know and never thought to ask the grandparent themselves.

''Queen Bees,'' a Gravitas Ventures release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for ''for drug use, suggestive material and some language.'' Running time: 100. Two stars out of four. (AP)


 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1[LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 1] How hiking Jeju's 437km of trails changed my life LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 1How hiking Jeju's 437km of trails changed my life
2S. Korea, Japan agree to prevent recurrence of maritime dispute S. Korea, Japan agree to prevent recurrence of maritime dispute
3Korea sees record-high number of flu patients for late spring Korea sees record-high number of flu patients for late spring
4Election watchdog under fire for refusing to accept inspection Election watchdog under fire for refusing to accept inspection
5Korea denies discussion with EU on sending ammunition to Ukraine Korea denies discussion with EU on sending ammunition to Ukraine
6Concerns rise over Samsung SDS' growing intra-group transactions Concerns rise over Samsung SDS' growing intra-group transactions
7Korean bio firms to seek new opportunities at int'l convention in Boston Korean bio firms to seek new opportunities at int'l convention in Boston
8K-food transforms global culinary industry K-food transforms global culinary industry
9Shipbuilding stocks rally over hope for 'super cycle' Shipbuilding stocks rally over hope for 'super cycle'
10Deep-rooted problems push nurses to handle doctors' duties Deep-rooted problems push nurses to handle doctors' duties
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Baritone Kim Tae-han wins Queen Elisabeth Competition Baritone Kim Tae-han wins Queen Elisabeth Competition
2Busan Film Festival accepts director Huh Moon-yung's resignation Busan Film Festival accepts director Huh Moon-yung's resignation
3[REVIEW] 'The ODD Of Love' concert: Taeyeon shows why she is among K-pop's top vocalists REVIEW'The ODD Of Love' concert: Taeyeon shows why she is among K-pop's top vocalists
4[INTERVIEW] 'One Day Off' star Lee Na-young, director on creating subtle, feel-good series INTERVIEW'One Day Off' star Lee Na-young, director on creating subtle, feel-good series
5'HyeMiLeeYeChaePa' producer Lee Tae-kyung hopeful of second season 'HyeMiLeeYeChaePa' producer Lee Tae-kyung hopeful of second season
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group