Young at Heart, Movie Review Example

Young at heart movie displays a group of approximately twenty-four senior citizens whose average age is 80 years singing an array of famous music. One of the songs they perform is called ‘Staying Alive’ written and sung by Bee Gee. It is obvious that most of the senior citizens participating in the documentary are approaching the end of their lives, and the song seems like a survival anthem. Despite the amateur display in their performance, the music itself acts as a powerful tool for unification and survival for them.

One can say that the music to them is like the oxygen the need to survive another day. Some of the songs performed profoundly reveal defiance of death. For example, punk rock classics like ‘I Wanna be Sedated’ by Ramones or ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ by Clash depict the dilemma affected by old generation as they approach their mortality. Aside from the rebellious notion portrayed by the lyrics, the songs are socially exciting and hip. The senior citizens can interpret the song by Clash as a dilemma of whether to choose life or death, even though death is imminent.

The ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’ songs come across as a catchy song to the younger generation, but can be interpreted as an ironical defiance to be in a hospitalized state waiting for your death. Notably, some of the members are seen to be struggling to commit to rehearsals because of ailments that come with old age. All in all, the film offers an optimistic view of old age by reducing ‘fear of approaching death’ through social impacts of music making and performance. It leads to interactions between the young and old and humor, which give them a purpose to fight for life.