Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

I had seen this advertised in the local theater and then I caught the second half of it on HBO. So, I ordered it on Netflix and took it with me to my Mom's house on Christmas day. We watched it and were thrilled with it. It will make you laugh and cry alternatively. My 12 year old daughter cried and laughed along with us while we watched people in their 70's-90's get up over and over again and try no matter how many time they failed before. It is so nice to see seniors in a whole different light. You won't regret watching it. I am going to purchase it so I can watch it again. The scene at the local prison is incredibly touching. But, then again, all of it is incredibly touching. These are people who could just be relaxing and doing nothing, but they are choosing to go out of their comfort zones to still live life to its fullest. Wonderful.

It would be easy to mock the idea with Young @ Heart: in Northampton, MA, a group of old people (I won't call them senior citizens, they're physically aged) are in a singing group led by a guy thirty years more or less their junior, and the twist is that they sing songs of the classic/hard rock vein, the kinds of songs that when they were first released were more than likely not their cups of tea. They sometimes forget the words, or whole beats or the rhythm, for weeks at a time (one in particular is a shaky bet for performing "I've Got You" from James Brown). Some of them are in ill-health, as is a sad-but-true part of their day to day lives as a possibility to them or their friends. And They end up traveling not just in America but Europe (once even to Norway royalty) to perform their concerts.But after the first five minutes, this is no mocking American Idol type of affair. This is because there's no stupid reality show contest at the end, or any kind of real goal to be met as part of a fantasy. It's all about self-expression, and as a means to keep one wanting to live day to day. The people in the group have to deal with members of their group (two during just the running time of the film) dying off from their health conditions, and they wouldn't want it any other way than to commit to the old "the show must go on" creedo. What sets Young @ Heart apart from the pack is its understanding of what should be essential to a well-done story of people-getting-ready-for-a-concert story, which is real humor and tragedy with a conscience. There is no real ego with these performers, unlike so many in other movies; the mortal coil is only so far away to get self-absorbed.So the director Stephen Walker gets us invested in the performers to the point of astonishment. It's not very technically polished- it was shot on video and transferred to film, and not high quality digital video either- but what it lacks in finesse it makes up for with humanism. We meet and care what happens to these folks, be they the 92 year old Eileen Hall who flirts with director Walker, or the talented Joe Benoit who's been through multiple rounds of chemo, or Fred Knittle who is on oxygen support but still wants to perform one last time at the concert, or Lenny who is the only one who can drive other members. Aside from moments that are by hook or crook amusing (if only in moments that are too sweet to be exploitive), or with those nutty music video renditions of songs like "Golden Years", we see the process of the rehearsals, the concerts (one of which, the same day they learn of one member's passing on, at a prison), the pressure of learning complex numbers from the likes of Sonic Youth.It all builds to such an emotional beat that never falters because the director looks on through the initial oddball appeal of the group and directs his attention at how fragile life is itself. Just knowing that some may have passed on since the film was finished (in fact one of them, the 92 year old, did die before the film was released in the US) is saddening, but somehow the experience of Young @ Heart is overall hopeful. If one can just sing, to put in the discipline and physical and mental work needed to memorize and perform rock and roll songs, then maybe there's some purpose left in those last years. For those who love a story meant to uplift the soul, it's a must-see, if not perfect as a documentary. 9.5/10

Stephen Walker magnificent documentary "Young at Heart" is a tribute to life. We are taken to meet a group of senior citizens in Massachusetts that defied staying home and became involved in doing something maybe most of them never thought capable of doing: singing. The chorus, led by Bob Cilman, proves there should not be a limit in whatever a person decides to do with his life, even if it comes this late.The most interesting thing about this group is the selection of songs included in their repertoire. There is no such thing as interpreting the standard melodies one would associate to them, based on their ages. They tackle contemporary music with a gusto and sophistication that turn their interpretation into a different tune altogether.The film starts with Eileen Hall, a lady using her cane as support, in a rendition of "Should I Stay, or Should I Go?" giving it a different meaning to what one remembers it to sound when it first was popular. There are also songs such as "I Wanna Be Sedated", a Ramones hit, heard in a new approach. The Pointer Sisters' "Yes, we can can" presents a problem for the many times the word 'can' is repeated during rehearsal. In their performance in front of an audience, the song flows effortlessly. James Brown's "I Feel Good" becomes a disarming duet that has the audience begging for more.The Young@Heart group deserves all the praise it can get. After all, these are people in their so-called "Golden Years" that have decided to put all their efforts into what they enjoy doing. Stephen Walker has captured the essence of the group, under the intelligent direction of Bob Cilman. A film highly recommended for everyone because of the positive message it gets across.

(Synopsis) Over the last 25 years, there has existed a group of senior citizens living in Northampton, Massachusetts, who refuse to let age and ill health get them down. Young@Heart is a documentary based on the lives of the current singing group of 24 senior citizens, brought to the big screen by British filmmaker, Stephen Walker, who saw their performance in London. Young@Heart is not your ordinary singing chorus, because they sing rock, punk, disco, and the average age is 81 with the oldest being 92 year old Eileen Hall. The documentary follows the group over a six-week rigorous rehearsal schedule, plus practicing at home for an upcoming sold out concert in their home town. The group has many songs in their repertoire, but Bob Cilman, the stern but sympathetic chorus director, has added several songs for the new concert. These are not easy for the group to learn such as "Yes We Can," "Schizophrenia" and "I Got You or (I Feel Good)". After several weeks of practice, the group is on their way to the local jail to give a performance, when they learn that one of their members passed away the night before. It is devastating for them, but they have learned that the show must go on. They all pull together and practice even harder to get ready for their evening performance. That night, their concert is a rousing success, and ends with a standing ovation.(My Comment) This movie is for people who want to see the real thing. Several of the senior citizens in this documentary open up their lives to us. You get to know them in just a few minutes, and you know that they are good people. The songs that they sing are not from their generation, yet they are willing to try something new. The seniors believe the old saying, "Use it or lose it," and that is why they love singing in the chorus. Plus with perseverance and teamwork, they have become part of a second family. I laughed, smiled, tapped my foot, and even shed a few tears during the whole movie. I saw the movie twice: The first time I liked it, and the second time, I loved it. The younger audiences may not get it, but I know the adult audience will understand and love it. Young@Heart is truly an inspirational, entertaining, heart-felt, and wonderful documentary. This is an incredible story that needed to be told. You will absolutely love Fred Knittle's rendition of Coldplay's "Fix You." This is one of those sleeper movies you will hear about. (Fox Searchlight, Run Time 1:47, Rated PG)(10/10)