Lead singer Alex (Mathilde Seigner) sings with a band that accepts gigs playing at various locations, including Casinos. No matter the venue, it lacks an audience with engagement and attention. After being short-paid for their most recent gig, the band of four decide to hit the road and return home. When their car breaks down, they must travel by foot and other means.
Returning home, Alex collects her two children from her ex-husband, who reinforces that she should give up the Rock ‘N’ Roll dream. But it will take a lot more to get Alex to quit. When she isn’t trying to make it big in her band, she hands out flyers offering singing lessons to the public. Soon, Alex is given an unexpected opportunity and a paid gig, unlike anything she’s ever done before. The role involves Alex teaching a group of seniors to sing classic nursery rhymes over the course of three months and getting them ready to perform a concert for the town council. Sick of continually chasing gigs, Alex accepts the offer.
But teaching a group of seniors how to sing is a challenging task; after all, Alex is the fourth teacher to try and complete the job required. As Alex begins her new job, it’s not long until one of the seniors discovers Alex is a rock and roll singer. Soon, the word gets around among the group, and the seniors plead with her to learn more about rock music instead nursery rhymes. Rock is instantly more exciting for the group and makes them feel more alive. Naturally, upper management has no interest when Alex makes further enquiries, but that won’t stop her from creating the ultimate rock stars.
Silver Rockers is best described as a feel-good comedy. There are no major laugh-out-loud moments or witty spoken dialogue. Most gags come from the seniors who enjoy bickering with one another or from watching Alex trying to teach a challenging group of seniors who struggle to behave or sing in tune. At its core, the film tells an uplifting and encouraging story, and for some audiences, that will be enough to class this film as solid entertainment. If you’ve enjoyed films such as Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) or Poms (2019), then you’ll enjoy this film.
Sadly, its familiarity is also the film’s biggest weakness. There are so many movies like this, and I found it hard to gain large amounts of excitement regardless of the heartfelt storyline. Subplots are also familiar, such as the group dynamic. Despite bickering among the group at the beginning, they slowly grow stronger and work as a team. Another familiar subplot is the romances brewing among certain seniors. Again, these are predictable and nothing new. Leading performances here are dull and, at various times, seem to need more energy. The third act drags on heavily, and the final climax is slow. The film’s so-called ‘bad guy’ is cliche and seems highly unfitting, coming across as childish during essential moments.
Overall, it’s fun to watch an encouraging feature that reminds the cinematic world that age is just a number and nothing should ever stop you from becoming a rocker. Its familiarity with films such as Sister Act 2 and Poms was the film’s biggest weakness, leading to a lack of excitement and freshness. Sadly, leading performances are also uninteresting, lacking motivation, energy, and hype. The heartfelt story alone will be enough for some viewers to class this film as touching and entertaining, but I wish it could bring something more with its drama and comedy. Silver Rockers (2022) is available at Alliance Françoise French Film Festival 2023. For more information, check out the link here: https://www.affrenchfilmfestival.org/
4.9/10
5th March 2023
Written by Peter Walkden
WALKDEN ENTERTAINMENT
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