Talkin' bout sex baby

“Let’s talk about sex baby, let’s talkabout you and me, let’s talk about all the good things, all the bad things that may be, let’s talk about sex!”...hardly something you would expect to hear in a choir that consists of retired pensioners but with the OAPZ (Old Age PensionerZ), formality isn’t their thing. Led by the bright and lovely volunteer music teacher Elizabeth (Arterton), the oldies have a blast singing away to some lively music.

Marion (Redgrave) loves these sessions, although her husband Arthur (Stamp) can’t think of anything worse to do with his time, and considers this his worst nightmare. Always refusing to join in on the fun, this grumpy old man isn’t the least impressed, more so when his wife collapses and falls seriously ill.

With an impending choir competition, everything depends on Arthur to sing Marion’s solo. Cheesy yes, but it deals with Arthur having to deal with fulfilling his ailing wife’s dream, which mostly works thanks to the heavy-lifting done by the talented cast. Stamp is comically cold and distant but with an easily noticeable sensitive side that comes out in his scenes with his on-screen wife. Redgrave is hugely effective as usual, with her tear-inducing, superb rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s ‘True Colours’ showing there is no limit to her abilities. Arterton adds a touch of youth and vibrancy to the mix,

There are convincing links between the characters – Marion and Arthur, Arthur and Elizabeth, and a particularly poignant one between Arthur and his distant son, James (Eccleston). The father-son relationship is something that could have possibly been expanded a little more, but the chemistry the two actors share say a whole lot more than youwould initially expect, and it’s a surprising, enriching addition to the narrative.

It’s, of course, entirely predictable, with a rousing, feel-good ending you will see coming from the very start. But when everything is handled so tastefully with a dash of the occasional, humour a lot can be forgiven.