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Cast: Andy Garcia, Vera Farmiga, Taissa Farmiga, Peter Riegert, Tom Skerritt
Academy Award nominees Andy Garcia (Ocean’s 11, City Island) and Vera Farmiga (A&E’s Bates Motel, Up in the Air) star as straight-laced, George and eccentric Edith, two strangers who meet on their children’s college tour at the idyllic Middleton University. Despite their opposing temperaments, George and Edith play hooky together, ditching the textbook tour for a carefree afternoon reminiscent of their youth. But what begins as an afternoon of fun soon becomes a revealing and enlightening experience that will change their lives forever. A light-hearted romance for adults on the surface, At Middleton is a deeply moving and enlightening portrait of the timelessness of romance and youth.
"At Middleton" tells the story of two strangers and their children. George and Edith are both visiting Middleton college, George with his son and Edith with her daughter. They meet when George accuses Edith of stealing his parking space.
The two could not be more different but after they meet there seems to be an immediate attraction or connection. George is more a nerd and Edith is a spunky woman who is not afraid to speak her mind. As the two get to know one another a little they decide to abort the tour and leave the kids on their own while they do a bit of exploring themselves which doesn't play well with Edith's daughter.
I was really looking forward to seeing "At Middleton" mainly because of Andy Garcia, the man is an underrated actor and does not get enough roles as far as I am concerned. I was instantly engaged in the story and it was obvious from the dialogue that this was going to be a sassy, witty and clever film. I am not going to go into major plot details here because the story does have a few twist and turns and I do not want to ruin them here but I can tell you that I loved the film and the performances.
Andy Garcia and Vera Farmiga are both delightful to watch, they have awesome chemistry together which makes their characters very believable. "At Middleton" tells the story of two people who meet by chance only to realize that they have only existed until now and have not really experienced life. The film starts off as a comedy but as it moves along it becomes more of a drama that pulls at the heart strings.
I do recommend avoiding any spoilers about the story and just go into this blind. I really loved the sharp, witty dialogue that was the film early on and I was about as confused, heart broken and hopeful as the characters themselves later in he film. If you like a good comedy/drama then I highly recommend checking this out. It is a clever and original film with two actors who are at the top of their game. I laughed through-out and was left thinking about George and Edith long after the film was over.
Available on DVD and Blu-ray with Special Features that include:
Audio Commentary with director/co-writer Adam Rodgers, producer/co-writer Glenn German, and producer/actor Andy Garcia
Outtakes
“There Was a Day,” with vocal and lyrics by Andy Garcia, music by Arturo Sandoval and Andy Garcia, and arrangement by Arturo Sandoval
"At Middleton" might be a bit sappy but it is still one of the most enjoyable films I have seen in some time so be sure to check it out. You can order the DVD HERE and the Blu-ray HERE
Released by Anchor Bay Entertainment
**** Out Of *****