Cocoon
“Men should be explorers, no matter how old they are. I don't know about anybody else, but I'm going.”
Most everyone cherishes the boundless treasures that come from a good relationship with a grandparent. Those that have experienced this wouldn't trade those memories for anything. I was blessed enough to have a great one with my grandparents. I spent weekends, holidays, and summer breaks with them - building Hot Wheels racetracks, tagging along with them to swap meets and yard sales, and the occasional yard work (it was not perfect by any means, but it was perfect for me). The bond that I shared with my Grandpa was particularly special since I was his only grandson. And this is exactly why I love watching Cocoon – it reminds me of that unique connection I had with my grandparents and it makes my heart smile.
Ben (Wilford Brimley), Joe (Hume Cronyn), and Art (Don Ameche) are just a couple of retired guys who like live it up by trespassing in the pool of a vacant luxury home. When a group of vacationers decides to rent out the very same home, the three continue their “illegal" extracurricular activities. The benefits from the pool are remarkable: they discover a youthfulness now surging through their elderly bodies, Joe’s cancer goes into remission, and Ben’s eyesight is good enough to get his driver’s license is reissued. Everything changes when they discover that an alien species is responsible for their “fountain of youth.”
Cocoon is thought provoking but often light-hearted all wrapped up into one genre-defying film – a lot of drama, some comedy, a little sci-fi. Those who are quick to judge the film before seeing it – making assumptions that they would rather not watch a picture about a bunch of old people – would sadly be missing out on this gem. The characters and story are honest and sincere, living out what should be the sunset of their lives, enjoying life and their friendships yet faced with questions none of us really wants to deal with.
On a more personal note, I find Cocoon very satisfying and enjoyable because of how it portrays the relationship between Ben and his grandson, David (Barrett Oliver). While Ben and David share a special bond, displaying the kind of camaraderie that I had with my grandfather, it’s important to see the difference between someone “talking to you” and someone “talking down to you.” Ben never belittled his grandson, but instead showed him the greatest amount of respect that a grandfather could give. He never felt the need to be condescending or patronize his grandson, but always treated him as an equal member of his family.
Sentimental but not sappy, Cocoon addresses topics that are just as poignant today as they were back in 1985. Would you choose to live forever if it meant leaving everyone you love behind, never to see them again?
Film Geek Footnotes:
Most everyone cherishes the boundless treasures that come from a good relationship with a grandparent. Those that have experienced this wouldn't trade those memories for anything. I was blessed enough to have a great one with my grandparents. I spent weekends, holidays, and summer breaks with them - building Hot Wheels racetracks, tagging along with them to swap meets and yard sales, and the occasional yard work (it was not perfect by any means, but it was perfect for me). The bond that I shared with my Grandpa was particularly special since I was his only grandson. And this is exactly why I love watching Cocoon – it reminds me of that unique connection I had with my grandparents and it makes my heart smile.
Cocoon is thought provoking but often light-hearted all wrapped up into one genre-defying film – a lot of drama, some comedy, a little sci-fi. Those who are quick to judge the film before seeing it – making assumptions that they would rather not watch a picture about a bunch of old people – would sadly be missing out on this gem. The characters and story are honest and sincere, living out what should be the sunset of their lives, enjoying life and their friendships yet faced with questions none of us really wants to deal with.
On a more personal note, I find Cocoon very satisfying and enjoyable because of how it portrays the relationship between Ben and his grandson, David (Barrett Oliver). While Ben and David share a special bond, displaying the kind of camaraderie that I had with my grandfather, it’s important to see the difference between someone “talking to you” and someone “talking down to you.” Ben never belittled his grandson, but instead showed him the greatest amount of respect that a grandfather could give. He never felt the need to be condescending or patronize his grandson, but always treated him as an equal member of his family.
Sentimental but not sappy, Cocoon addresses topics that are just as poignant today as they were back in 1985. Would you choose to live forever if it meant leaving everyone you love behind, never to see them again?
Film Geek Footnotes:
- This was Ron Howard's third film as director. His brother (Clint Howard), mother and father (Rance Howard) all appear in the film. His wife appears also, as a receptionist/nurse behind a desk, and she was pregnant with twin daughters at the time. The reception area desk was used to hide that fact.
- Hume Cronyn was a Golden Glove boxer and lost sight in one eye. In the scene where he hits the young orderly (Clint Howard), without depth perception, he actually hit the young man and knocked him out.
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