5 Flights Up: Movie Review

“5 Flights Up” from director Richard Loncraine (“Firewall”, “Wimbledon”), based on the novel by Jill Ciment is flying under the radar this weekend. With the blockbuster season having started already, it is easy for a little film like this to get lost in your local multiplex. Targeted more towards the senior crowd, I actually found plenty to enjoy in the story of a couple who has lived together in a Brooklyn apartment for forty years, but have decided to sell it and move to a place that has an elevator.

Alex and Ruth (Morgan Freeman and Diane Keaton respectively) have been together a long time. Alex is an artist who does all of his work from their apartment. Going up and down five flights of stairs everyday is getting harder for Alex and their senior dog as well. As much as Alex is resistant to the idea of moving, he agrees to let Ruth’s niece (Cynthia Nixon) set up an open house.

What I enjoyed most with “5 Flights Up” was not only the chemistry between the stars but also the writing. The film is at its’ best when Alex and Ruth are going around New York, looking for apartments, while at the same time trying to stay on top of the bidding war that is going on with their place. They want to know how much they are getting so they know how much they can afford to spend. It can actually be exciting.

If you are a fan of Freeman and Keaton, then this is something that you will most likely enjoy. A nice film about a nice couple having a stressful and yet exciting day in New York.

By: Marc Ferman