As summer begins, a documentary about a choir of senior citizens sounds as exciting as an afternoon at the local rest home. There are no whips, superheroes or closets that lead to fantasy worlds in "Young @ Heart," there is just a message.
The story follows a choir of aged folk, most of whom are lovable enough to be your grandparents. They're not singing hymnals or polka, but rather Sonic Youth, Coldplay and James Brown, all under the direction of 55-year-old Bob Cilman, who comes off like a young whippersnapper in comparison. But the choir is hardly senile and lifeless. In fact, for many involved, it does keep them "young at heart."
"Young @ Heart" celebrates a segment of our society that is many times written-off and ignored in Hollywood. The more the elderly live in the movie, the more you feel like you should be doing something yourself.
Director Stephen Walker isn't exactly a master auteur, and there are moments in the film that could have been less manipulative or heavy handed. Still, he graces the movie with some creative flourishes like filming high quality music videos of the choir that play in between scenes.
"Heart" has a lot of it and most comes by way of Walker letting the camera roll on the real-life characters.
Many of them seem to have "multiple lives," as described by their director, Cilman. They have beaten cancer, endured spinal conditions and have been read their last rights, but one still comically says, "looked away from the light at the end of the tunnel."
Most meet with the choir for practices and go on tours of America and Europe against doctor's orders, but the activity and fraternity seem to grant them a new lease on life. So much so that one of the members, Steve Martin (no, not that one) still drives a convertible that pushes 130 mph and has an active sex life - at 80 years old.
The film is abundant with emotional moments, both inspirational and sad.
It's hard not to be touched when one choir member passes, while another celebrates a birthday. You'd have to be cold-hearted not to appreciate how former choir members are forced to languish in sickness at their homes and re-emerge for final performances with the choir.
And there is humanity to the picture that is especially moving. Imagine a prison of tough guys crying and granting a standing ovation when the choir performs for the inmates.
The success of "Heart" is its ability to showcase the choir winning over the audience much like they did the yard full of inmates.
Josh Moorhead can be reached at moorhead.19@osu.edu.
is a member of the 
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