Poms

A group of spunky seniors defy ageist assumptions in this affable, featherlight farce from director Zara Hayes. Diagnosed with incurable cancer, Diane Keaton's former teacher moves into a retirement village in Georgia. After she befriends her poker-playing neighbour (Jacki Weaver), she starts up a cheerleading club, with Rhea Perlman and Pam Grier among the recruits. Although Poms is cheapened somewhat by its overly bright aesthetic and sentimental score, the witty script includes shots of dark humour and fun touches, most involving the community's overzealous security detail. The film credibly explores the ways in which older women are marginalised and belittled, with particular focus on the controlling behaviour of spouses and family members. Keaton and Weaver bring plenty of personality to their characters, and while the narrative is rattled through rather hastily, Poms just about transcends the cheesiness of its premise.