Starring Bob Cilman and the Young@Heart Choir

Directed by Stephen Walker

Heidi’s Illustrious Rating: 5

This is a 110-minute documentary from Fox Searchlight Pictures. It is rated PG and suitable for almost any age group, though it may be a little slow for children under 12.

Occasionally a film hits all the right chords and “Young@Heart” is one of these films. This film is about a chorus from New England that has been touring the United States and Europe since the early 1980’s. Their staying power is quite unique, however, not as unique as their members. The average age of the choir members is 81. The faces in the chorus have changed through the years, but not the leader. Bob Cilman is the brainchild and director of Young@Heart.

While working at a meal site for the elderly, Cilman developed the idea for Young@Heart. Through the years, many filmmakers interested in doing a documentary about the chorus had approached Cilman and finally he relented. However, he had parameters, he wanted the crew to follow the choir through the process of learning new songs. “I love the rehearsal process,” said Cilman in an interview for Fox Searchlight Pictures. “Just watching how things go from nothing to something is so much fun to watch.”

You might expect a chorus of this type to sing old fashion songs, but Young@Heart is anything but conventional. Their song list includes hits from such bands as U2, Radiohead, Sonic Youth, The Rolling Stones, Coldplay and more. In the documentary, we follow the chorus as they learn seven new songs with less than two months until the next show.

Once I got past the novelty of people who look like grandma and grandpa singing contemporary rock and roll, I began to see what really makes this chorus tick. One member said he enjoys learning the new songs, even though it is not the type of music he listens to at home, because this new music “expands his horizons.”

The film introduces the viewer to people with an incomparable lust for life; a 92 –year-old flirt, an 86-year-old with more weekly engagements than a soccer mom, an 81-year-old who drives a convertible sports car and many, many more. None of these elderly people were sitting around reminiscing about the good old days because they were still living good days. These chorus members live lives in the here and now and thrive.

Whether 95 or 25, viewers of “Young@Heart” will be forced to examining their own lives. We all know death is imminent. As soon as we are born each of us is on the same path leading to only one end. However, the members of the Young@Heart chorus have learned how to live – not just how to get through life, but to love every minute of the time left. A lesson I will not take lightly. When I find myself getting comfortable with status quo, I will think of the Young@Heart chorus members and ways to expand my horizons.

Despite the upbeat nature of the film and the inspirational message there are some sad moments in “Young@Heart.” As I walked about of the theater, my face hurt from laughing, my eyes were puffy from crying and over the next several days I began to encourage everyone to see the film.

If your reside in Northern Colorado, “Young at Heart” is playing at Lyric Cinema & Café (www.lyriccinemacafe.com) located at 300 E. Mountain Avenue in Fort Collins, CO. For chorus tour dates, visit www.youngatheartchorus.com.

**Review also appearing in the Berthoud Weekly Surveyor.