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Half a dozen veteran performers do their best to elevate a patchy script in "Queen Bees," a gentle romantic comedy set in a retirement community that one character describes as "'Mean Girls' with Medic- Alert bracelets." Longtime sitcom and sitcom-like movie director Michael Lembeck (" Friends ," "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause") keeps it light, though sometimes that translates to superficial. Think "Mean Golden Girls." 

Ellen Burstyn stars as Helen, a widow who is very attached to her devoted grandson Peter ( Matthew Barnes ). He visits her for tea every Thursday in the home she built with her late husband. Helen is very attached to the house as well, and is barely speaking to her daughter Laura ( Elizabeth Mitchell ), Peter's mother, and a realtor who has suggested she sell the house and move into a nearby retirement community called Pine Grove. Helen keeps the house in meticulous condition but can be a bit forgetful. That leads to a kitchen fire, and Helen has to move out while the house is being repaired. The only option is Pine Grove, and she grudgingly agrees to move there for just one month.

She is not sure which she finds more objectionable, all of the "Welcome to Pine Grove" greetings when she arrives ("I'm only staying for a month," she snaps), or the clique-y derision of the bossy AARP mean girls who tell Helen she has to leave "their" table in the dining room and will not admit her to the bridge club. The leader is the acerbic bully Janet ( Jane Curtin ), who allows a select trio to be in the "cool" group as long as they follow her rules. They include Sally ( Loretta Devine ), a brighter version of "Golden Girls'" sweet-natured Rose, and Margot ( Ann-Margret ), a sweet-natured version of "Golden Girls'" man-hungry Blanche. Margot is always on the lookout for Mr. Right #6, or at least Mr. Right Now. At the moment, she has her eye on Arthur ( Christopher Lloyd ), who is very popular with the ladies despite a toupee described as looking like a muskrat died on his head.

Helen does not take Janet's insults seriously, reminding everyone she is only going to be there for a month. But when a fourth member of the group dies and Sally wants to bring in Helen as a bridge partner, Helen cannot resist the chance to play a game she knows she plays well, or the opportunity to challenge Janet's dominance. This is not a movie about clever one-ups-womanship, though. The second half is more interested in Helen's developing romance with a debonair new arrival named Dan ( James Caan ). 

It's a pleasure to see pros like Burstyn create layered, appealing characters out of thinly written, predictable material. Her scenes with Barnes have an easy natural rapport as they trade favorite quotes, citing an amusing range of sources from Nelson Mandela and coach Lou Holtz to Miley Cyrus . It helps that she looks like a million bucks in a series of soigné gowns courtesy of costume designer Cynthia Flynt, amplifying Helen's confidence and impeccable style. 

Devine's semi-improvised discussion of her very impressive and not entirely natural hair is a delight in a scene where she and Helen share a joint. And Ann-Margret speaks of her five husbands with such relish ("And the last two were rich!") that we can understand how someone would want to be number six. There is some snap in the dialogue, too. Laura describes her mother to Pine Gardens' manager ( French Stewart , reuniting with his "Third Rock" co-star Curtin): "She burns most of her calories rolling her eyes."  

As all movies about this stage of life must, among obvious jokes about aches, pains, and Viagra—apparently it is okay to sexually objectify someone if you're old—"Queen Bees" touches gently and sympathetically on the inescapable challenges of aging, loss of loved ones, loss of independence, cancer, strokes, and dementia. Helen speaks ruefully about "what passes for okay at this age." But the movie's lesson is that it's our connections, strengthening old ones and making new ones, that make what passes for okay pretty good.

Now playing in theaters and available on demand.

Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com.

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Queen Bees (2021)

Rated PG-13

Ellen Burstyn as Helen

James Caan as Dan

Ann-Margret as Margot

Jane Curtin as Janet

Christopher Lloyd as Arthur

Loretta Devine as Sally

Elizabeth Mitchell as Laura

Matthew Barnes as Peter

French Stewart as Ken

• Michael Lembeck

Writer (story by)

• Harrison Powell
• Donald Martin

Cinematographer

• Alice Brooks
• Sabine Hoffman
• Walter Murphy

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Review: An AARP ‘Mean Girls,’ ‘Queen Bees’ gives Ellen Burstyn a welcome leading role

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For the opportunity to see the great Ellen Burstyn in a lead movie role, the buoyant, AARP-friendly comedy “Queen Bees” is alone worth the watch. The enduring, Oscar-winning star of such classic 1970s films as “The Last Picture Show,” “The Exorcist” and “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” as well as last year’s galvanizing “Pieces of a Woman” (for which she was egregiously overlooked at awards time), Burstyn brings her A-game to the role of Helen, a widow forced to temporarily move into a retirement village after a fire in her longtime home.

The pragmatic, independent Helen — described by her controlling daughter, Laura ( Elizabeth Mitchell , quite good), as someone who “burns most of her calories rolling her eyes” — hates the lovely Pine Grove Senior Community on sight, though takes solace in the fact that she’ll only be there for a month. (Uh, don’t take that time frame to the bank.)

But Helen really gets off on the wrong foot when she innocently runs afoul of the so-called Queen Bees, a feisty, tightknit trio — crabby ringleader Janet (Jane Curtin), amorous Margot (Ann-Margret, looking great) and puckish Sally (the always welcome Loretta Devine ) — who think they rule the roost. (“They’re like ‘mean girls’ but with medical alert bracelets,” Helen wryly notes.)

Still, a series of events, including a sudden need for Helen’s ace bridge skills, lead the “Bees” to befriend her and she’s soon part of the hive. Prepare for a bit of rough sledding, though, courtesy of the troublesome Janet.

Meanwhile, a charming widower, Dan (James Caan), pursues the hesitant Helen and a sweet romance develops. But can it last? It’s complicated.

The film, directed by Michael Lembeck (“The Santa Clause 2,” “Tooth Fairy”) from a script by Donald Martin (based on a story by Harrison Powell, a producer here) may not cover any blazingly new territory, features a few contrived obstacles and doesn’t sufficiently explain why Curtin’s Janet is so cruel. But it’s largely such a sincere and diverting look at growing older and how change remains possible — Helen’s journey is particularly well drawn — that it’s easy to forgive the film’s occasional missteps.

The engaging cast also includes Christopher Lloyd as a Pine Grove lothario with memory issues, French Stewart as the facility’s agenda-driven administrator, a nicely toned-down Alec Mapa as the resident masseuse, and a winning Matthew Barnes as Helen’s devoted, protective grandson.

'Queen Bees'

Rated: PG-13, for drug use, suggestive material and some language Running time: 1 hour, 41 minutes. Playing: Starts June 11, Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica; Laemmle Town Center, Encino; Laemmle Newhall, Santa Clarita; Laemmle Glendale; Laemmle Playhouse 7, Pasadena; also on Laemmle Virtual Cinema

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Common sense media reviewers.

Retiree romcom has wine, weed, and wink-wink humor.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Be open to trying new things; change can be good.

Helen is a great friend and grandmother: empatheti

Hard kick that's depicted as being justified. Some

Romance is a central storyline. A kiss. Frequent r

Language includes "a--hole," "boobs," "crap," "suc

In separate scenes, smoking pot and drinking wine

Parents need to know that Queen Bees is a romcom about getting out of your comfort zone, even if that zone is your own home. The cast is loaded with actors who will likely be familiar to older viewers -- including Ellen Burstyn, James Caan, Jane Curtin, Loretta Devine, Ann-Margret, and Christopher Lloyd --…

Positive Messages

Positive role models.

Helen is a great friend and grandmother: empathetic, forgiving, fiercely independent. Sally stands up to her peer group to reach out to a newcomer, and they become great friends. Minimal diversity in casting.

Violence & Scariness

Hard kick that's depicted as being justified. Some sharp words exchanged. Bullying behavior.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Romance is a central storyline. A kiss. Frequent references to characters having sex, without using actual terms. A barely clothed male fitness instructor plays along with being objectified by the women in his class.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language includes "a--hole," "boobs," "crap," "sucks," "ta-ta." Insulting language, such as "bitch," "cow," and "idiots."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

In separate scenes, smoking pot and drinking wine lead to good times and a deeper relationship.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Queen Bees is a romcom about getting out of your comfort zone, even if that zone is your own home. The cast is loaded with actors who will likely be familiar to older viewers -- including Ellen Burstyn, James Caan, Jane Curtin , Loretta Devine , Ann-Margret , and Christopher Lloyd -- and the content is better suited for adults than for family movie night. The residents at Pine Grove Senior Community are a randy bunch, and while no one uses any specific words, there's plenty of innuendo and some sexual references. There's also a barely clothed male fitness instructor who plays along with being objectified by the women in his class. The main character, Helen (Burstyn), is above it all in many regards, including limiting herself to one glass of wine. But she smokes pot with a friend, which is shown as leading to fun times and establishing a stronger bond. Language mostly takes the form of name-calling ("bitch," "a--hole"). To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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What's the Story?

Three years after the death of her husband, Helen's family is hounding her to sell her house and move to a senior living facility. When a kitchen fire forces the issue, Helen ( Ellen Burstyn ) agrees to a temporary stay at nearby Pine Grove Senior Residences. Her reluctance to settle in there is exacerbated by the QUEEN BEES, a clique of bullies that rules the retirement home. Not willing to return to high school politics at her age, Helen takes them on with the help of another new resident, Dan ( James Caan ).

Is It Any Good?

Just like the card game that brings its characters together, this run-of-the-mill film could have an upside: providing a bridge for conversation between generations. But while high schoolers might get a kick out of Queen Bees ' " Mean Girls for grandmas" premise, it's also disheartening to realize that we could go through our entire lives only to re-experience the high school social system that most of us couldn't wait to escape. And the "mean girls" angle isn't really as fresh as it feels: Remember when they used to be called "old biddies"? The clique is made up of archetypes straight out of The Golden Girls : snippy, intolerant leader Janet ( Jane Curtin ), lusty Margo ( Ann-Margret ), and sweet and sensitive Sally ( Loretta Devine ). Still, teens might enjoy the fact that Helen's grandson (Matthew Barnes) is her ally, and it's her daughter Laura ( Elizabeth Mitchell ) who's overbearing and trying to run her mom's life. That role reversal -- seeing the daughter being told to step back and let her mom just live her life -- is a different take.

Director Michael Lembeck is an old hand at TV comedies, with a few children's films in between ( The Santa Clause 2 and 3 , The Tooth Fairy ), so perhaps it's not surprising that his comedy about older adults has a somewhat misleading kiddo-welcoming sheen. The music, the lighting, and the setups all feel family friendly, and the effort does result in a multigenerational film that teens can watch with the grandparents without hitting too much iffy content. But even if you can put aside Grandma calling another woman a "bitch" and the residents of a retirement village behaving more like rabbits than spring chickens, the storyline just doesn't have much to offer children. Though at least they can take away the idea that trying new things can lead to meeting new people.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how Queen Bees portrays drinking and drug use . Are they glamorized? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?

Romantic comedies about aging people have become more common. Why do you think this genre and this audience were overlooked in the past, and why do you think it might be exploding now?

How does Helen rise above the treatment of the Queen Bees? What actionable lessons about dealing with bullies can we take away?

Talk about how being open to change and having new experiences can often lead to positive outcomes.

Movie Details

• In theaters : June 11, 2021
• On DVD or streaming : June 11, 2021
• Cast : Ellen Burstyn , James Caan , Loretta Devine , Jane Curtin
• Director : Michael Lembeck
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Black actors
• Studio : Gravitas Ventures
• Genre : Romance
• Topics : Friendship
• Run time : 100 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : drug use, suggestive material and some language
• Last updated : January 25, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Queen Bees Reviews

It has possibilities baked into it, and little to show for them.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Apr 24, 2024

Director Michael Lembeck handles it all with an anonymous efficiency.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 1, 2022

A winning cast weaves a warm dramedy about love amongst the elderly.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Jul 26, 2021

Never mind that the film has choppy production values, plays like a paid advertisement for retirement communities, and is so sweet that you may get diabetes from the script. Most senior citizens are going to love it.

Full Review | Jul 23, 2021

Queen Bees manages to touch on some heavy subjects like the inability to continue your independence while at the same time delivers some amusing moments that may even leave you smiling.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.75/4 | Jun 30, 2021

It's a film that seems to have been dreamt up by a reverent grandchild who assumed they knew everything there was to know and never thought to ask the grandparent themselves.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Jun 18, 2021

Nothing to offend here, just a pleasant time-filler that will help you while away an afternoon and give you an excuse to eat some movie theater popcorn.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4.0 | Jun 18, 2021

Feels like a TV movie, quite frankly... I didn't think there was great chemistry between Burstyn and Caan.

Full Review | Jun 16, 2021

Just like the card game that brings its characters together, this run-of-the-mill film could have an upside: providing a bridge for conversation between generations.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 15, 2021

An ideal date night or friends' group evening out. Love is love and there's no expiration date. Or, as Curtin's bossy biddy says, tongue planted firmly in cheek, "Eighty is the new 18."

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 14, 2021

As a fellow viewer noted, Queen Bees provides sweet, sometimes touching, entertainment. Yet the movie doesn't invite a second viewing.

Full Review | Jun 13, 2021

Pleasant enough to warrant almost two hours of your time.

An esteemed cast cannot rescue this sweet yet contrived golden-years romantic comedy that doesn't exactly age gracefully.

Full Review | Jun 12, 2021

The cast gets A's, but "Queen Bees" gets a C-.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jun 12, 2021

All of these actors have had stellar, awards-laden careers, and this new film, which could be described as Mean Girls in a retirement home, proves they still have a lot of firepower left.

Full Review | Jun 11, 2021

To the filmmakers' (minor) credit, they do briefly touch on issues like dementia and loneliness, but too little too late.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Jun 11, 2021

Nice to see this legendary crew, led by the luminescent Ellen Burstyn, prove it's never too late to find love, friendship or take risks. Donald Martin's screenplay is acerbically hilarious

A TV movie. How did Loretta Divine not kill these writers?

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Jun 11, 2021

This is a movie that's far more effective than its buzz. Because if this picture does anything (and yes, it does), it proves good, experienced actors can elevate even the most ordinary of scripts.

There are fine moments here, and there are also a lot of sappy, jokey, manipulative, and insincere ones.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Jun 11, 2021

‘Queen Bees’ Film Review: Ellen Burstyn Leads an All-Star Cast Determined to Elevate Meh Material

An impressive comic ensemble is the only reason to see this golden-age rom-com

A love story set in a retirement home is a sweet premise, and when you stack the cast with greats like Ellen Burstyn, James Caan, Jane Curtin, Ann-Margret, Christopher Lloyd, and Loretta DeVine, greatness is expected. But in director MIchael Lembeck’s “Queen Bees,” the overly simplistic nature of the script becomes both pragmatic and detrimental, never allowing any character the depth they are owed while providing just enough of a formulaic plot, one that asks nothing more than for you to enjoy the ensemble. 

Helen (Burstyn) is an independent woman in her 80s whose daughter Laura (Elizabeth Mitchell, “Lost”) and grandson Peter (Matthew Barnes, “Strange Angel”) are getting worried about her living alone. The matriarch constantly refuses her daughter’s suggestions about moving into a nearby retirement community until the day Helen accidentally sets her kitchen on fire. She finally agrees to live in the retirement community, for one month, until her home repairs are completed.

Helen quickly learns who the mean girls of Pine Grove are by getting on the bad side of Janet (Curtin), while befriending Margot (Ann-Margret) and Sally (Devine). Soon Helen finds herself not only enjoying her time at Pine Grove but also starting to consider love again, after she meets and is wooed by the community’s newest resident, Dan (Caan).

From the visual style to the storytelling, “Queen Bees” envelops itself in simplicity, served up like a warm dish of comfort food that’s had some of the flavor microwaved out of it. Production designer Dara Wishingrad (“The Photograph”) paints Helen’s world in cool pastel tones — so much so that when warm hues appear in later scenes to emulate the feeling of falling in love, it feels like a different film, and not in an intentional way. Cinematographer Alice Brooks (“In the Heights”) sometimes shoots the retirement community to look like a hotel, which only contributes to the flatness of the relationships that are forming there.

The script by Hallmark veteran Donald Martin, based on a story by Harrison Powell, reads like wannabe early-aughts Nancy Meyers, with a less misogynistic “Taming of the Shrew” subplot. The lack of substance in the writing becomes most apparent in the portrayal of female friendships. Those relationships have always represented a complex dynamic, but “Queen Bees” — unlike similar films about women over a certain age, including “Something’s Gotta Give,” “It’s Complicated,” and “Book Club” — barely attempts to explore them with any kind of depth.

And while Devine is a gem in this film, bringing warmth and energy to every scene she’s in, it’s hard not to see her presence here as a kind of tokenization. Sure, her character has a backstory, but why does she align herself with three white women who call themselves “mean girls,” and why does she have no relationship at all with the only other Black woman in the film?

For all the superficiality and shortcomings of “Queen Bees,” the film’s biggest draw, and strongest attribute, is its packed ensemble of iconic actors. Burstyn and Caan create the kind of chemistry that will make audiences care about their relationship and whether or not it will come to fruition. It’s easy to see why these talented performers are still booking jobs in their 70s and 80s because even without strong material, they alone make the film worth watching. (Strange, though, that the producers missed the opportunity to exploit “Third Rock from the Sun” nostalgia by pairing Curtin and co-star French Stewart in a scene together.)

“Queen Bees” won’t win any awards, and it is far from being a classic rom-com, but it’s certainly a film to consider if you’re taking your grandmother out to the movies. If nothing else, it’s trying to shine a spotlight on some older characters — and older character actors — and one can hope more films like this get made, only with a better sense of what womanhood and friendship looks like in the golden years.

“Queen Bees” opens in U.S. theaters and on demand June 11.

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‘Queen Bees’ Film Review: Ellen Burstyn Leads an All-Star Cast Determined to Elevate Meh Material

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

A love story set in a retirement home is a sweet premise, and when you stack the cast with greats like Ellen Burstyn , James Caan, Jane Curtin, Ann-Margret , Christopher Lloyd, and Loretta DeVine, greatness is expected. But in director MIchael Lembeck’s “Queen Bees,” the overly simplistic nature of the script becomes both pragmatic and detrimental, never allowing any character the depth they are owed while providing just enough of a formulaic plot, one that asks nothing more than for you to enjoy the ensemble.

Helen (Burstyn) is an independent woman in her 80s whose daughter Laura (Elizabeth Mitchell, “Lost”) and grandson Peter (Matthew Barnes, “Strange Angel”) are getting worried about her living alone. The matriarch constantly refuses her daughter’s suggestions about moving into a nearby retirement community until the day Helen accidentally sets her kitchen on fire. She finally agrees to live in the retirement community, for one month, until her home repairs are completed.

Helen quickly learns who the mean girls of Pine Grove are by getting on the bad side of Janet (Curtin), while befriending Margot (Ann-Margret) and Sally (Devine). Soon Helen finds herself not only enjoying her time at Pine Grove but also starting to consider love again, after she meets and is wooed by the community’s newest resident, Dan (Caan).

From the visual style to the storytelling, “Queen Bees” envelops itself in simplicity, served up like a warm dish of comfort food that’s had some of the flavor microwaved out of it. Production designer Dara Wishingrad (“The Photograph”) paints Helen’s world in cool pastel tones — so much so that when warm hues appear in later scenes to emulate the feeling of falling in love, it feels like a different film, and not in an intentional way. Cinematographer Alice Brooks (“In the Heights”) sometimes shoots the retirement community to look like a hotel, which only contributes to the flatness of the relationships that are forming there.

The script by Hallmark veteran Donald Martin, based on a story by Harrison Powell, reads like wannabe early-aughts Nancy Meyers, with a less misogynistic “Taming of the Shrew” subplot. The lack of substance in the writing becomes most apparent in the portrayal of female friendships. Those relationships have always represented a complex dynamic, but “Queen Bees” — unlike similar films about women over a certain age, including “Something’s Gotta Give,” “It’s Complicated,” and “Book Club” — barely attempts to explore them with any kind of depth.

And while Devine is a gem in this film, bringing warmth and energy to every scene she’s in, it’s hard not to see her presence here as a kind of tokenization. Sure, her character has a backstory, but why does she align herself with three white women who call themselves “mean girls,” and why does she have no relationship at all with the only other Black woman in the film?

For all the superficiality and shortcomings of “Queen Bees,” the film’s biggest draw, and strongest attribute, is its packed ensemble of iconic actors. Burstyn and Caan create the kind of chemistry that will make audiences care about their relationship and whether or not it will come to fruition. It’s easy to see why these talented performers are still booking jobs in their 70s and 80s because even without strong material, they alone make the film worth watching. (Strange, though, that the producers missed the opportunity to exploit “Third Rock from the Sun” nostalgia by pairing Curtin and co-star French Stewart in a scene together.)

“Queen Bees” won’t win any awards, and it is far from being a classic rom-com, but it’s certainly a film to consider if you’re taking your grandmother out to the movies. If nothing else, it’s trying to shine a spotlight on some older characters — and older character actors — and one can hope more films like this get made, only with a better sense of what womanhood and friendship looks like in the golden years.

“Queen Bees” opens in U.S. theaters and on demand June 11.

Read original story ‘Queen Bees’ Film Review: Ellen Burstyn Leads an All-Star Cast Determined to Elevate Meh Material At TheWrap

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Hollywood & media deaths in 2024: photo gallery & obituaries, ‘queen bees’ review: ellen burstyn & ann-margret lead veteran ensemble in sort of a ‘mean girls’ in a retirement home.

By Pete Hammond

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The combined age of the key cast of the new comedy Queen Bees  is so astronomical I can’t count that high. Ellen Burstyn is 88, James Caan is 81, Ann-Margret is 80(!), Loretta Devine is 71, Jane Curtin is 73 and Christopher Lloyd is 82. All of these actors have had stellar, awards-laden careers, and this new film, which could be described as Mean Girls  in a retirement home, proves they still have a lot of firepower left.

The older audience is a potent one for movies, if only  Hollywood made movies  for  them — films where maybe they can relate to characters their own age in showing it is never too late (this film’s original title) to find life and love. The idea for this one actually came from producer Harrison Powell, who based it on the experience of his own family, a grandmother who found new love when she reluctantly went to live for a brief time in a retirement home. That is the plotline here as independent Helen (Burstyn) refuses her daughter Laura’s (Elizabeth Mitchell) advice in moving from her comfortable home to a facility for seniors. However, a kitchen accident sets part of her house on fire and she is convinced to move to the retirement community for only one month while repairs take place.

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When she gets there she finds that despite the advanced age of the residents it is really no different than high school, ruled by different cliques including a bridge club that doesn’t believe in inclusivity. That group is run by Queen Bee Janet (Curtin), who rejects the idea of Helen joining their game which also includes Queen Bees Margot (Ann-Margret) and Sally (Loretta Devine). But when Sally’s partner becomes incapacitated she rallies support for Helen to join. It is friction between Helen and Janet from that moment on.

In addition to the problems of fitting into this universe, Helen is wooed by likable newbie Dan (Caan), who courts her and finally wins her over (though there are complications). The other major male resident spotlighted here is Arthur (Lloyd), a frisky senior who is slowly slipping into dementia, making for a poignant few scenes involving him.

There is no attempt at broad comedy or outlandish situations in the script by Donald Martin, or the expert direction of veteran Michael Lembeck. It is just the stuff of life as we grow older, presented in an entertaining and fun scenario that feels old fashioned, the kind of movie Hollywood once loved turning out; with this superb veteran cast it is very welcome indeed. Burstyn is still one of the best out there, and Ann-Margret has clearly stopped the clock. Devine is a delight here as Sally, a spirited resident who has her own battles with aging. Curtin is perfectly cast, as are Caan and Lloyd. French Stewart turns up as the manager of the place, and there’s nice work from Matthew Barnes as Peter, Helen’s sweet and concerned grandson. Queen Bees  is well worth seeing, no matter what your age.

Producers are Fred Bernstein, Powell and Dominique Telson. Gravitas Ventures opens it in theaters Friday. Check out my video review above with scenes from the film.

Do you plan to see  Queen Bees? Let us know what you think.

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Queen Bees’ On VOD, A Rom-Com Meets ‘Mean Girls’ In A Senior Community

Where to stream:.

• Stream It Or Skip It

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When you think Ellen Burstyn, James Caan, Jane Curtin, Christopher Lloyd, Ann-Margret, and Loretta Devine, you probably picture their most iconic screen and stage moments from decades ago. In Queen Bees, now available on demand, this group of legends comes together in their 70s and 80s for a sugary-sweet comedy where mean girls run the halls of a senior community and it’s never too late to find love.

QUEEN BEES : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Helen (Ellen Burstyn) is sick of being sent brochures for senior living community Pine Grove. When we first meet her, she’s giving a staff member a piece of her mind over the phone, telling them to stop wasting paper on trying to convince her to move there. She’s content living in her family home alone, enjoying tea time with her grandson Peter (Matthew Barnes) and savoring her independence. When she locks herself out and inadvertently starts a house fire, however, Helen is forced to move into Pine Grove while repairs are done – a move she insists is only temporary.

While she is initially against the move, it seems like a better option than staying with her daughter Laura ( Lost ‘s Elizabeth Mitchell), as things have been tense between them for some time. Helen soon finds that Pine Grove isn’t as pleasant as one might guess, thanks to the “queen b’s”, a trio of women – Janet (Jane Curtin), Margot (Ann-Margret), and Sally (Loretta Devine) who run the halls of the community. While Helen adjusts to this new social hierarchy, she’s also being courted by the charming Dan (James Caan), who seems to know all the right things to say. Things may be difficult at first, but Queen Bees tells us it’s never too late – never too late to be kind, to open your heart to new experiences, to fall in love, to let the past go.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Queen Bees may bring to mind films like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel , Hope Springs , Then Came You , and even Book Club on occasion. And yes, the Mean Girls inspiration is made quite obvious, even if there isn’t much follow through. Queen Bees feels like a made-for-TV movie, so it will appeal to the lovers of Hallmark romances.

Performance Worth Watching: The entire ensemble delivers some charming performances, but I was most won over by Loretta Devine as Sally. She’s the first to appear at Helen’s doorstep with an olive branch, brushing off Janet’s bitchiness and imbuing every one of her interactions with warmth and a sense of humor. A standout moment comes when she asks Helen to get stoned after finding out some tragic news, and it’s so fun to watch Devine and Burstyn play off one another as they smoke in bed. Devine has one of those eternally dazzling screen presences.

Memorable Dialogue: A lot of the dialogue in Queen Bees is cheeseball, but I was tickled by this exchange between Helen and Sally: “This isn’t high school,” says Helen. “You’re right!” replies Sally. “It’s worse. High school, we graduate. Here, we die.”

Sex and Skin: There are some references to some of Arthur’s sexual stamina and his evenings with many a lady at Pine Grove, but not much else.

Our Take: Queen Bees , for all its clichés and predictability, charmed me. Maybe it’s because I have a soft spot for all of the performers, or because I’m a sucker for films about the elderly living their best lives (there need to be more!). Or maybe it’s just because films that are overly sentimental, well-intentioned, and feel like they’re made for TV are what the heart wants sometimes. You’ll likely be surprised by nothing in Queen Bees ‘s hour and 40 minutes, but who watches these kinds of movies to be surprised? We’re here for a balm of sorts, a journey that may pull out a few tears but is mainly here to warm our hearts and give us some peace of mind in this wild world of dark thrillers and loud action flicks. And that’s exactly what Queen Bees delivers.

With its corny score and formulaic script, Queen Bees could easily be written off had the cast been full of nobodies. It is a pretty forgettable story, and the film’s direction isn’t much better. But this is *the* cast! I mean, James Caan alone is enough to sell you. And none of them phone it in, either. They all are incredibly game for the entire story, giving as much to Queen Bees as they might give to The Godfather or The Exorcist . (Okay, maybe not that level, but they’re still fantastic). Moments that may otherwise have faded into the rest of the film’s syrupy story are elevated to a place that’s genuinely moving; I got a little misty when Margot finally got a peek into Arthur’s apartment, and when mother and daughter reconciled and had a good ol’ cathartic cry. Without this cast, it might have been eye-roll inducing, but they truly make it watchable. Queen Bees may not stay on the brain long past the time the credits roll, but it’s pleasant enough to warrant almost two hours of your time. It’s just that soothing!

Our Call: STREAM IT… if you’re into this sort of thing. Queen Bees may be too saccharine for its own good, but it is saved by lovely, convincing performances from an all-star cast.

Should you stream or skip #QueenBees (starring Ellen Burstyn, James Caan, Jane Curtin, Ann-Margret, and Loretta Devine) on VOD? #SIOSI — Decider (@decider) June 13, 2021

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski .

Where to Stream  Queen Bees 

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Review: A star-studded retirement home in ‘Queen Bees’

This image released by Gravitas Ventures shows, from left, Jane Curtain, Loretta Devine and Ann Margret in a scene from “Queen Bees.” (Gravitas Ventures via AP)

This image released by Gravitas Ventures shows Ann-Margret, left, and Loretta Devine in a scene from “Queen Bees.” (Gravitas Ventures via AP)

This image released by Gravitas Ventures shows James Caan in a scene from “Queen Bees.” (Gravitas Ventures via AP)

This image released by Gravitas Ventures shows Ann-Margret in a scene from “Queen Bees.” (Gravitas Ventures via AP)

This image released by Gravitas Ventures shows Loretta Devine in a scene from “Queen Bees.” (Gravitas Ventures via AP)

This image released by Gravitas Ventures shows Ellen Burstyn in a scene from “Queen Bees.” (Gravitas Ventures via AP)

This image released by Gravitas Ventures shows a scene from “Queen Bees.” (Gravitas Ventures via AP)

This image released by Gravitas Ventures shows Ellen Burstyn, left, and James Caan in a scene from “Queen Bees.” (Gravitas Ventures via AP)

This image released by Gravitas Ventures shows Jane Curtain in a scene from “Queen Bees.” (Gravitas Ventures via AP)

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There are two genres I tend to approach with extra caution: Slashers and retirement home comedies. Both have found me covering my eyes for not entirely unrelated reasons. Yes, the dismembering is more metaphorical in the latter, but sometimes it’s equally hard to stomach seeing a great group of actors reduced to incontinence jokes. Also, I’m still recovering from the Diane Keaton movie “Poms.”

The latest retirement home comedy is “ Queen Bees ,” about Helen (played by the majestic Ellen Burstyn), who reluctantly moves into a senior community while her beautiful suburban house is being fixed up after an accidental kitchen fire. Helen is still sharp and active and capable of living alone, but her real estate agent daughter (Elizabeth Mitchell) just seems to want to get the inevitable transition to out of the way. Helen, for her part, suspects her daughter just wants to sell her home and she may not be wrong.

For as lovely as Helen’s house is, the retirement community is pretty nice and full of active and social seniors. It’s also stacked with talented actors: Alongside Burstyn in this senior home is James Caan, Ann-Margret, Jane Curtin, Loretta Devine and Christopher Lloyd, all of whom it’s a delight to simply see on screen and none of whom are subjected to tasteless gags (although some are borderline).

“Queen Bees,” directed by Michael Lembeck and written by Donald Martin, isn’t exactly a bad movie, but it’s not exactly good either. It has a decent heart and some lovely moments, but it also has many of the clichés that we’ve come to expect: An incontinence joke, a marijuana scene, stroke gags, a truly horrendous score and an appalling lack of curiosity about the characters we’re asked to spend a few hours with.

Even the title seems carelessly thrown at the movie as an attempt to peg it as a senior citizen “Mean Girls,” which it only sort of is. Curtin’s Janet is the Regina George of the home and keeps her bridge and walking group small (just Ann-Margret’s Margot and Devine’s Sally are members). But aside from that and a slow-motion walk into the lunchroom to claim their designated table, they don’t seem to yield much power or envy among the other residents. And it’s not too long before Helen, who is apathetic to their exclusivity, is invited to the bridge table. If you’re looking for a comedic, anthropological study of cliques in a retirement home, “Queen Bees” isn’t it.

“Queen Bees” also has the bones of a much better movie and is frustrating because of it. There is a sitcom blandness to the whole endeavor — any edge or personality has been flattened out. Characters get at most a single bit of background: One had five husbands, one had cancer, one sleeps around. In one jaw-dropping scene Helen tells Sally about her days protesting with Dr. King and has zero follow-up questions for her Black peer about HER experience during that time. Instead they pivot to talking about hair extensions, which Helen is just learning about.

And for all the comedic talent in the film, from Curtin to Lloyd, who seem game for anything, there are precious few genuine laughs to be had. Perhaps the script should have allowed for more improvisation.

Yet mercifully everyone emerges with their dignity intact. Burstyn even finds ways to make her character deeper than what’s on the page and there’s a moving tenderness to her little flirtation with Caan’s Dan, who is blandly sweet and charming.

Helen’s most meaningful relationship in the film is with her very kind and attentive grandson (Matthew Barnes), who, when attempting to explain all the nuances of his 80-something grandmother to her potential suitor, reduces her to a Twitter bio: Likes famous quotes, ballroom dancing and neatness. Surely there must be more to her than that, you think.

“Queen Bees” has the same problem: It’s a film that seems to have been dreamt up by a reverent grandchild who assumed they knew everything there was to know and never thought to ask the grandparent themselves.

“Queen Bees,” a Gravitas Ventures release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for “for drug use, suggestive material and some language.” Running time: 100. Two stars out of four.

MPAA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr

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• Helen forgave Dan's betrayal because she saw that he truly loved her and wanted to make her happy. Love triumphs in the end.
• Janet's decision to help Helen find Dan stemmed from her own fear of being alone. She wanted to change and be a nicer person to avoid a lifetime of anger.
• Helen and Dan decided to stay at Pine Grove because moving on from the past and embracing new beginnings is a central theme of the movie. They found happiness and purpose in their new life together.

Helen Wilson (Ellen Burstyn) was able to find friends at the Pine Grove Senior Community, and the ending of Queen Bees had her also finding love and marrying Dan Simpson (James Caan). Helen had a tough time adjusting to life at Pine Grove, but she eventually befriended the other Queen Bees and created a new home in the community. Though there were some hiccups along the way, as Janet Poindexter (Jane Curtin) revealed that Dan had been hired to make Helen happy at Pine Grove, the romantic comedy currently streaming on Netflix has a heartfelt ending, which helped propel it to success.

Queen Bees ' ending saw Helen forge new relationships and rekindle the one she had with her daughter. Queen Bees was also a Caan and Burstyn reunion , and Queen Bees also showed an older James Caan could still pull his comedic weight. The movie has a fairly straightforward ending, but it also tackles some tough questions and themes . The ending of Queen Bees shows Helen and Dan in a happy new marriage, but it needs a bit of an explanation.

James Caan was a Hollywood great who brought vulnerability, empathy, and restraint to explosive characters often on the wrong side of the law.

Why Helen Took Dan Back Despite His Betrayal In Queen Bees’ Ending

It's an old trope, but it worked..

Towards the end of Queen Bees , it was revealed that Dan had been hired by Pine Grove's facility manager Ken to make sure Helen was happy at the senior community. Helen's daughter, Laura (Elizabeth Mitchell), had threatened to sabotage a land deal Pine Grove needed to expand if her mother wasn't happy. Janet exposed Dan's job to get back at Helen for taking over her friend group. Helen, understandably, felt betrayed by Dan, as she saw the situation as him trying to trick her into falling in love.

However, by the end of the movie, she had taken Dan back. One of the reasons for her decision is because she saw that Dan truly loved her when Janet forced Ken to speak about where Dan had gone, and he told them Dan had returned his salary. The biggest reason, though, was simply that Helen loved him. She had gone back to her house earlier, and as she explained to Laura, she felt that her late husband Charlie wanted her to move on and enjoy life . Dan made her happy during a big change in her life, and she wanted to be with him for the rest of it.

Janet’s Decision To Help Helen Find Dan Explained

Janet's fear of being alone changed her ways..

Janet began as a very rude and unpleasant person in Queen Bees . As the leader of the Bees, she was mostly responsible for the group's reputation of being mean around Pine Grove. In the end, she had decided to give up her coarse ways and try to be a nicer person. She explained the decision to Helen, saying that she felt bad for betraying Helen and that she didn't want to be angry for the rest of her life . As Helen pointed out, that change wasn't likely to happen overnight, but Janet seemed committed to changing herself.

Earlier in the movie, after her surprise birthday lunch with the other Bees, Janet felt empowered to confront her estranged son, whom she hadn't spoken to in a long time, but she discovered that her son had told his neighbors that Janet was dead. Janet realized that she had driven her son away with her attitude and that she was driving everyone else she cared about away, too , including the Bees. Janet was afraid of death throughout the movie, which drove her dedication to exercise, but a long life is meaningless if she had no one to share it with.

Why Helen And Dan Decided To Stay At Pine Grove

Moving on is a key theme of the movie..

While Helen was explaining her decision to marry Dan to Laura, she said that they would be moving into an apartment in Pine Grove together. Helen was initially very reluctant to leave the house she had built with her late husband, Charlie, but her worries were assuaged when she visited the house one night. Their decision to sell the house and live together at Pine Grove spoke to the central theme of the movie, that Helen had to move on from the past in order to enjoy the rest of her life . Charlie was gone, but he would always be in her heart, and she could take him with her wherever she called home.

Queen Bees is available to stream on Netflix.

What Queen Bees’ Ending Really Means

There's always more life left to live..

Queen Bees is a simple romantic comedy about people in the golden years of their lives, but its message covers much more complex themes. The movie is about letting go of the past and of loss, like Helen needed to do to move on. Helen was listless in her house, and the rest of her life suffered because of it. Moving to Pine Grove gave her a new purpose and a new lease on life. Because she was able to physically move, she also spiritually moved. She was able to make new relationships and finally address the years-long feud she had with her daughter and make amends.

The movie also shows that there is more life to enjoy, even when it seems like the best days have passed. Helen lived a full life, with a loving husband and a beautiful family, but she still had more life to experience in her later years. She didn't need to shuffle through her house alone just because of her age,; she could still make new friends and find new love. Helen and Dan stayed at Pine Grove in Queen Bees because they had made a new life together there, and they were committed to enjoying it .

Queen Bees is a heartfelt romantic comedy about a group of seniors finding new love. What began as a high school drama set in a nursing home ended as a heartfelt tale about letting go of the past and looking forward to the future. Helen and Dan were able to find and choose each other even after their long lives, and their love for each other promises to make the rest of their days sweet.

• Queen Bees (2021)

Queen Bees: Is the Story of the Ellen Burstyn Movie True?

With Michael Lembeck occupying the director’s chair, ‘Queen Bees’ is a 2021 romantic-comedy movie that stars Ellen Burstyn as the independent and widowed senior citizen Helen Wilson who decides to temporarily move to a nearby retirement community — Pine Grove Senior Community — while her house undergoes repair. To her surprise, she finds out that the community is just like high school, with different cliques, fiercely headstrong widows, bullying girls, and flirtatious gentlemen all over the campus. At first, the high school-like traits of the community make her regret her decision to sign up for it and long for the solitude of her home.

However, Helen begins to accept the fact that it is never too late to step into new friendships and give love another chance, as she strikes a chord with newcomer Dan. The comedy-drama film , featuring James Caan, Ann-Margret, Christopher Lloyd, Jane Curtin, Loretta Devine, and Elizabeth Mitchell, alongside Ellen, sheds light on the importance of second chances, friendship, and love even in the later stages of one’s life, sparking questions about the tale’s authenticity in the minds of the audience.

Queen Bees is Inspired by Real Life Experiences

Yes, ‘Queen Bees’ is based on a true story. The hilarious tale of romance and friendship has its roots in producer Harrison Powell’s wife Sarah Powell’s grandmother’s journey of finding love again after she reluctantly moved into a retirement community as a widow. Powell collaborated with Donald Martin to weave the enthralling story of an elderly woman based on the real events that took place in the life of the grandmother of the producer’s wife. In a statement, co-producer Dominique Telson said, “As a witness to the joy that finding love at 80 can bring, we knew it was a film we wanted to make and the amazing cast really brought it to life.”

Harrison Powell witnessed ‘Queen Bees’ unfold in front of his eyes as a family affair in the 2010s. When his wife’s grandmother, Sparky Moredock, tragically lost her husband on October 24, 2013, she made the decision to enroll in a retirement community. Upon moving there, Sparky couldn’t believe that the way things worked in the community was reminiscent of her old high school days, including the cliques, rivalries, friendships, flirting, and pranks. During a conversation with DirecTV Insider in May 2021, Powell explained, “Like our main character, Helen, Sparky wanted nothing to do with any of it.”

The Sandy Springs native added, “But after her initial resistance, she came to realize that it’s never too late to make new friends, to laugh, to go skinny-dipping or to fall in love. She eventually met a wonderful man named Don and they got married two years ago.” As a production executive at Astute Films, Powell saw potential in the story and pursued it. He wanted the entire world to hear Sparky’s inspirational and heartwarming tale and instill renewed hope and encouragement in other people that remaining open to new connections and optimistic at every age might lead to some life-changing friendships and relationships.

Confident about the tale of his wife’s grandmother’s happily ever after, he went to the company’s president — Fred Bernstein — and put forward the idea for a film based on her experiences. Fortunately, Powell’s idea resonated with Bernstein and he gave the thumbs up for Powell to go for it. Bernstein explained, “We believed it would find the right balance between heartwarming, meaningful, humorous, and emotional. It was a story that everyone at Astute could relate to.”

Next, even Astute’s Vice President of Development and Production — Dominique Telson — was in favor of greenlighting the story of Sparky. He said, “Astute wants to make films that matter and this has a message that matters: It’s never too late to enjoy life and move forward.” So, taking into consideration all the above-mentioned factors, it would be safe to say that ‘Queen Bees’ takes us on an authentic journey of an elderly widowed woman who finds new friends and love in a retirement community of all places.

Read More: Best Older Man Younger Woman Romance Movies on Netflix

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Queen Bees Parent Guide

The studio should market this film as a sleep aid rather than as entertainment..

Digital on Demand: Although Helen is fiercely independent, she's spending a month in a nearby retirement community while her home is remodeled. But once she's in, she finds a social world that she thought she left behind in high school.

Release date June 11, 2021

Run Time: 100 minutes

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by keith hawkes.

Helen (Ellen Burstyn) has no intentions of selling her home and moving into a retirement community, no matter what her nosey daughter, Laura (Elizabeth Mitchell), has to say about it. Until, that is, she accidentally locks herself out of her house while cooking dinner and burns down her kitchen. Unwilling to live with Laura during the repairs, she agrees to spend a month in the Pine Grove facility. Once there, Helen finds that seniors homes are much like high school: cliquey and ridiculous, but without the hope of graduation. The resident popular group, spearheaded by the rude and controlling Janet (Jane Curtin) certainly seems intent on making her stay at Pine Grove as unpleasant as possible – but every cloud has a silver lining. In this case, the silver lining is Dan (James Caan), a charming resident who seems intent on giving Helen a good reason to stay…

That description should sound pretty familiar. This is, intentionally (I suspect) Mean Girls on Geritol. Unfortunately, the Geritol seems to have reacted poorly with the plot, and the movie is pretty constipated as a result. It isn’t aggressively terrible or infuriating or anything like that, but it is slow and more than a little dull. Maybe the filmmakers’ intention was to market this as a sleep-aid to the elderly. If that’s the case, it’s hugely effective. I finished the movie half an hour ago and I’m still yawning.

Unlike Mean Girls , there isn’t all that much content for viewers to be concerned about. Profanity is almost non-existent, and even the odd sex joke doesn’t go terribly far. This is the kind of movie you could take your grandmother to – which is good, because that’s the only real audience I can see for a movie like this. Maybe you just have to live in one of these communities for it to be amusing, or maybe I’m too young. But I’d like to put forward the possibility that the movie just isn’t all that funny. And for what they’re charging to watch it digitally at the moment, you can do a whole lot better. Maybe by the time you’re in a senior facility yourself the movie will be free and funnier…but that’s a big maybe.

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Keith hawkes, watch the trailer for queen bees.

Queen Bees Rating & Content Info

Why is Queen Bees rated PG-13? Queen Bees is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for drug use, suggestive material and some language.

Violence: A person is kicked and sat on. Sexual Content: There are several sexual jokes and references to anatomy and erectile dysfunction medication. People are seen playing strip poker without nudity. Profanity: There are occasional mild profanities and infrequent use of terms of deity. Alcohol / Drug Use: Adult characters are shown drinking socially and, on one occasion, smoking marijuana in a medical context.

Page last updated October 2, 2021

Queen Bees Parents' Guide

Helen is very resistant to the idea of moving into a senior living facility. Why? What are some reasons it would be good for her? How does she come to recognize her own limits? Why is it so difficult to acknowledge our limitations?

Related home video titles:

If you enjoy films about seniors, Poms sees Diane Keaton forming a cheering squad at their retirement community. Senior Moment , starring William Shatner and Christopher Lloyd, features a similar portrayal of ageing with even more failed jokes. A group of retired musicians live in a retirement home for musicians and old rivalries and longings come to the fore in Quartet.

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Readers helped named the queen bee who brought her swarm to the 2023 Indy 500. See the results

It's official: The queen bee who brought her colony to last year's Indy 500 has a name.

Janet Guthbee, now living at an Indianapolis-area farm, is named after Janet Guthrie, the first woman driver to qualify for the famed 500-mile race.

More than 500 readers voted in our online poll, which included the five top names suggested by IndyStar journalists. The runner up name was Dronica Patrick, after Danica Patrick, who's had six top 10 finishes in the race, according to previous IndyStar reporting . It could be a fitting name for one of her hundreds of thousands of daughters, if they ever have their own hives.

Previously: The queen bee from that 2023 Indy 500 swarm now has a thriving hive — and she needs a name

"I'm trying to get some of her daughters to become queens," beekeeper Ross Harding said in a recent phone interview. He explained that when beekeepers want to continue a line, they can take one of a queen's descendants, in larvae form, and put it with a colony that has no queen. "The idea is to get the bees to naturally respond to create queens."

If they've lost their queen, they'll want a new one, Harding said, so they will feed the queen a diet of royal jelly (which the worker bees secrete) and raise her as their new queen.

What to know about Janet Guthrie

The racing legend paved the way for women in driving. She raced in the Indy 500 in 1977, 1978 and 1979.

Learn more about her at the link below.

Indy 500 History: Janet Guthrie was the first woman to ever qualify and compete in the race

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy 500 bee swarm: Queen be named after a speed queen

WWE King & Queen of The Ring Review, Gunther & Nia Jax Crowned

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‘Solo’ Review: Listen to Your Heart

Sophie Dupuis’s sensitive French Canadian drama takes a turn when a young, starry-eyed drag queen (Théodore Pellerin) opens up to questionable figures.

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By Beatrice Loayza

The glittering “Solo” centers on Simon (Théodore Pellerin), a charming 20-something making a name for himself as a drag queen in Montreal. Simon’s life is glamorous and filled with loving support from the other performers who work at his nightclub; and from his family, particularly his older sister, Maude (Alice Moreault), his confidante and a costume designer who makes dresses for Simon’s drag alter ego, the blonde bombshell Glory Gore.

The third collaboration between Pellerin and the writer-director Sophie Dupuis (“Family First”), the film takes a turn from its blissful beginnings when Simon, starry-eyed and tragically naïve, opens his heart to questionable figures. His mother, Claire (Anne-Marie Cadieux), a famous opera singer who abandoned the family years ago to pursue her career, re-enters Simon’s life. Then there’s the gaslighter, Olivier (Félix Maritaud), a new queen at the club whom Simon starts dating.

Bitter disappointments and cruel manipulations seem to conspire to dim Simon’s light and idealism — his mother proves distant and superficial, cutting their meet ups laughably short. Then Olivier isolates Simon from his family, takes credit for his rise in the drag scene and smothers his confidence.

Simon’s drag performances, captured with sumptuous visuals, are peppered throughout these intrigues, allowing us to register his anxieties through the lens of his act. Before an audience, the tensions between him and Olivier, with whom he performs as a duo, are magnified; so is the agitation caused by his mother, his artistic role model, when she finally attends one of his shows.

“Solo” is a subtle snapshot into a gay man’s profound yet familiar upheavals. Simon’s drag spectacles may be intentionally fierce and operatic, but there’s something refreshing about this drama’s intimate scale and lack of interest in sweeping tragedies, especially in the context of queer cinema.

Solo Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 41 minutes. In theaters.

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‘Queen of the Deuce’ Review: A Fun Footnote About a Behind-The-Scenes Mogul of the Sexual Revolution

Valerie Kontakos’ documentary entertainingly relates the saga of a refugee from Nazi Europe whose American Dream was realized via 42nd St. raunch.

By Dennis Harvey

Dennis Harvey

Film Critic

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Over half a century ago, movies were changing at warp speed, with censorship boundaries falling and artistic ones expanding, as remembered from such game-changers as “Bonnie and Clyde,” “I Am Curious (Yellow)” and “2001: A Space Odyssey.” You probably do not remember the likes of “Whip’s Women,” “Come Ride the Wild Pink Horse,” “Once Upon a Body” or “Scare Their Pants Off!” — and good luck finding them now, since many such disposable late-1960s “adults only” features are assumed lost now. But they, too, made the ’60s “swing,” while making fortunes for individuals like the subject of “ Queen of the Deuce .”

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But she also reigned over an ever-shifting cast of live-in gofers, lesbians lovers, employees and friends (including a husband), in addition to visits from her relatives. Now-grown grandkids are interviewed here, recalling how intrigued and mystified they were by the living-room banks of surveillance-camera monitors showing patron hijinks at her various XXX holdings around town.

Aggressively climbing a multi-career ladder (at first to send money home), Wilson initially dipped a toe in the seventh art by importing and exhibiting films from her homeland for New York’s Greek community. By the mid-’60s, however, there was much more money to be made in showing racier stuff, and she did not hesitate. Soon she’d acquired half a dozen downtown theaters in which to titillate “the raincoat crowd,” as mild as those less-than-graphic “nudies” and “roughies” may look now. In order to meet demand (and further maximize profit), she then also went into production and distribution, bankrolling such luridly titled cheapies as “Scarf of Mist, Thigh of Satin” and “Shootout at Beaver Falls.” Clips are shown from an assortment of these, though scant attention is paid toward the talent involved, including low-budget sexploitation maestro Joe Sarno. 

The home videos, photos and other memorabilia glimpsed give little indication how Wilson felt about the industry she was in, beyond that she lived life entirely on her own terms, and suffered no moral qualms, save perhaps survivor’s guilt over having outlived so much of her family. Sheer force of personality attracted kin, mobsters, gays and more to her hearth. While her explosive temper often ignited, no one else was allowed to quarrel. For some years she delegated some film-related responsibilities to others while preoccupied with Mykonos, an ethnic restaurant whose success drew myriad celebrity patrons. 

Her primary trade was already on the wane by the time Mayor Giuliani’s aggressive cleanup of Times Square ended its heyday as a mecca for adult entertainment. But Chelly’s real estate holdings kept her in good stead for the rest of her life — and it seems unlike everyone else who made bank from 42nd St. sleaze, she never had the least desire to ditch the neighborhood for more upscale surroundings herself. 

Psychotronic cinema fans may wish “Queen of the Deuce” spent more time on her celluloid stomping ground, and a bit less on family ties. Still, she did have a fascinating backstory, and surviving relatives’ (as well as some colleagues’) reminiscences are colorful. If the lady remains something of a cipher, one suspects that is exactly as she would have preferred it.

Director Kontakos’ smartly paced feature deploys animation (by Abhilasha Dewan) in various styles to illustrate some of the subject’s off-camera episodes. Ken Myhr’s original score likewise runs a stylistic gamut from traditional Greek sounds to disco in limning the times Chelly Wilson kept changing with. 

Reviewed online, May 20, 2024. Running time: 75 MIN.

• Production: (Documentary – Canada-Greece) A Greenwich Entertainment release of an Exile Films, Storyline Entertainment production, in co-production with ERT, in association with Channel 8, RTS, Documentary Channel. Producers: Ed Barreveld, Valerie Kontakos, Despina Pavlaki. Executive producers: Ed Barreveld, Valerie Kontakos, Don Walters, Bondi Wilson Walters.
• Crew: Director: Valerie Kontakos. Writers: Valerie Kontakos, Despina Pavlaki, Christos Asteriou. Camera: Patrick McGowan, Martina Radwan. Editor: Rob Ruzic. Music: Ken Myhr. 
• With: Bondi Wilson Walters, Don Walters, Paulette Pomeranz, David Bourla, Dina Pomeranz, Kosmas Sklifas, John Colasanti, Arthur Morowitz, Jeffrey Escoffier, Efrain Gonzalez, Barbara Nitke, Efrain Gonzalez. (English, Greek dialogue) 

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