Gideon

[1999, Movie]

Gideon: Review

A bit thick-witted, sickly Gideon (Christopher Lambert) deposits himself in a nursing home, where Doctor Richard Willows (Taylor Nichols) and his mother Mrs. Willows (Shelley Winters) prefer to cater to senior citizens. Unwanted by his own relatives, Gideon chooses to meddle in the lives of the residents. Playing matchmaker, he pairs up a shy philosophy professor, Addison Sinclair (Charlton Heston), with docile Elly Norton (Shirley Jones). Next, he prods Dr. Willows to make a play for the home's recreation director Jean (Crystal Bernard). Upsetting the rigid routine of the facility, Gideon piques the annoyance of Mrs. Willows and the jealousy of fellow patient Leo (Carroll O'Connor). Although he eventually wins over the naysayers, Gideon carries a terrible secret about himself. Before health problems overtake him, Gideon motivates the golden-agers to wake up and smell the coffee. But can he stop Mrs. Willows from selling the convalescent home to developers? In the inherently manipulative genre of feel-good terminal illness films, selflessness always reigns supreme. Does anyone ever face death badly and decide to clam up and not share last minute pearls of wisdom with others? Sweet-tempered and thoroughly tame, this unmemorable film is best enjoyed as an excuse to watch a superlative line-up of veteran stars strut their stuff as they breathe life into stereotypical roles. --Robert Pardi

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Gideon

[1999, Movie]

Gideon: Review

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