The Leisure Seeker, based on the novel by Michael Zadoorian - Seven out of 10

The Leisure Seeker, based on the novel by Michael Zadoorian

Seven out of 10

Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren are established, popular, excellent, majestic artists that grace this feature with their aristocratic, superior presence, but this is not enough for audiences and critics to appreciate the film as overwhelming.

Helen Mirren – winner of the academy Award and so many other coveted prizes for her Queen – was nominated for a golden Globe for this role, albeit I would rather have Donald Sutherland in that position.

It may seem that he has the more challenging part, or in any case, from this angle here, it looked like his performance was more noble, serene, charming, while his partner seemed more exhausted and overcome by the challenges.

Indeed, the character of John Spencer is hard to handle, given that he is very old and ill– no, that is not accurate for at the present, inhabitants of Okinawa live past one hundred and are able to pass the threshold driving cars and motorbikes with resplendent control of their faculties, body and soul.

They embark on a journey – reminding one of About Schmidt, albeit that was a superb comedy with dark tones and a Jack Nicholson in top, exuberant form, while The Leisure Seeker finds not relief or serenity, but most of all tragedy.

Ella Spencer aka Dame Helen Mirren and her husband, John Spencer aka Donald Sutherland, embark on this Leisure Seeker in spite of their advanced – again, relatively speaking – age.

Their children, Will Spencer aka Christian McKay – excellent as Orson Welles in Me and Orson Welles and Jane Spencer, are naturally opposed to an adventure that may kill their parents.

Moreover, the danger is clear, especially if we consider the itinerary planned, travelling from Boston all the way to The Ernest Hemingway Home in the southern part of the United States, in Key West.

On the other hand, psychology studies have demonstrated that the key to a longer, happy life is not to stay at home, watch television and avoid any risk – so to say – but on the contrary, to keep busy.

The Japanese who live on the island of Okinawa call this Ikigai, a reason to wake up in the morning and get out of bed – the main reason why they live this long – the best life expectancy in the world – is that they keep busy.

In that place, they have no notion of retirement – the word does not even exist – and there are other ingredients of course – their diet, the fact that they only eat seventy- eighty per cent of what would constitute a “full stomach” at meals.

In other words, Ella and John would be doing the right thing in that they get “ikigai” in their life and lift their spirits with a wonderful change in their life, reaching Flow in the process.

Flow refers to another psychological phenomenon, explained in a classic written by the marvelous Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

Along the way, the couple experiences some highs and some very distressing lows – in one episode –there are quite a few – john forgets where he is and thinks he is talking to a friend, Lillian.

This is when Ella understands that her spouse has had an affair with the alleged friend of the family and in his confused state; the man reveals it had lasted for about two years.

The infuriated, devastated wife takes him to a retirement home to abandon him there, aggrieved by the discovery and insisting at the institution that she leaves his identity and he is their concern from now on.

At another stage in the Leisure Seeking, in the Key West home of a wondrous writer –and we learn from biographies, a rather repellant husband and lover – Ella has a breakdown.

She is taken by the emergency services to the hospital, while her absent, sick husband is enjoying his time at the place which is bizarrely functioning as a museum and a sort of bazar.

Weddings and other events are organized at the Ernest Hemingway home and John is dancing with some guests, unaware that in one of the corridors, his spouse is on the floor.

Later, when he will have had some fun – and Donald Sutherland is a pleasure to watch as he moves with grace, serenity and majestic ease – the surprised man is looking around.

He is not sure what he wants and asks for help and when a stranger tells him where the bathroom is, for a few moments he thinks this is what he wants, only to remember when he sees the purse belonging to his wife.

There are many good scenes and Donald Sutherland is surely worth watching, but the overall impression is that the motion picture does not deliver more than a pleasant feeling, mixed with the inevitable sadness, when the leisure delivered seems to be eternal, rather than intense and of this world.