Where’s the love? Road trip takes a wrong turn
The Time of Their Lives makes a concerted effort to reinvent the buddy movie. A road trip from England to France for a funeral is made by faded Hollywood star, Helen (Joan Collins), and housewife Priscilla (Pauline Collins). While shifting the focus typically found in the genre from young men to older women is a welcome change, the lack of friendship — that necessitates the “buddy” part of the buddy film — between the two leaves the viewer feeling incomplete.
Helen, broke and in a home, decides to go to her old director’s funeral in France. Priscilla accidentally gets on her bus, much to the ire of her neglectful husband. Eventually, Helen asks Priscilla to join her on her trip, and off they go. Along the way they meet Alberto (Franco Nero), with whom Priscilla has a brief romance, and despite many problems on the road they make it to the funeral where Helen has some unfinished business.
Joan Collins has perfected her entitled-to-the-point-of-delusion glamour, which is a delight to watch, and en-route fumbles have their humour. The romance between Priscilla and Alberto is sweet and exhibits genuine chemistry between the two actors. However, these enjoyable moments are few and far between.
Though Helen and Priscilla call themselves friends — best friends, even — their trip is marred by Priscilla’s constant attempts to leave. She wants to get away because Helen is mean, manipulative and selfish, and often returns to her only because her husband is worse.
Helen, meanwhile is constantly punished with humiliation. Her desperate attempts to hold on to her youthful fame are depicted as pathetic, as is the moment when she kisses a much younger man who promptly rejects her. While Helen’s narcissism was never conducive to friendship, the film’s degradation of her emotions feels unnecessary.
While The Time of Their Lives has its charm, its lack of kindness, between its characters, makes it a less than successful road trip film.