2016 Tribeca Film Festival: ‘Curmudgeons’ review

Danny DeVito. The late David Margulies. A senior citizen home. Love. Curmudgeons.

Need I say more? Written by first time writer Joshua Conkel, the short stars DeVito and Margulies as Jackie and Ralphie respectively, two aging seniors in a nursing home who happen to fall in love with each other. Also starring DeVito’s daughter Lucy as Ralphie’s granddaughter fresh off a break up, Kett Turton as Jackie’s grandson and Sarah Hayon as Ralphie’s feisty nurse.

As part of the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival’s New York Now shorts, Curmudgeons offers a warm goodbye to Margulies, DVito’s best friend who he knew for years and who was also a family friend after acting with him and also Lucy. In fact, Margulies began his friendship with DeVito while working on a play, the same place where DeVito and his son Jake (producer of the short) saw Conkel’s play, deciding it should be a film.

The film provides a deeply heart warming — and hilarious — take on love for seniors, especially of the same sex and when they’re set far apart. In classic It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia humor, expect to hear a number of curses and put-downs, all the while knowing that it’s in good fun.

At the short’s premiere at the festival, we were able to interview Rhea Perlman who was there to support the family short. You can watch her interview below, and be sure to catch Curmudgeons soon.