Forty-nine years later, all of the 14 are alive and only one chose not to participate. A man who had dropped out of the series after "28" returned this time, in part to publicize his band. The "kids" have grown up, gone to university (or not), taken jobs, married, had children and grandchildren, moved, divorced, grieved over lost parents, prospered, gone on disability, wandered and arrived.
In honor of Oscar weekend, a mini-review: This is the best of the series (apart from the first), I think, and that may have nothing to do with film making and everything to do with the age, 56. Maybe it's just a happy accident, but most of these folks have a good attitude about living and aging, about learning from their mistakes. What else can you do but go on, they say. And there's not just resignation in their voices but happy expectation. Even Neil, who is homeless and suffering from some sort of mental illness or mood disorder earlier in the series, seems to have righted himself, is on the town council of the little village where he lives and also a deacon in his church.
What's the best thing in life, he was asked. Friends, he said. Talking with them, walking with them. What this film doesn't tell you (but an earlier one does) is that other people in the series came to Neil's aid when he was homeless. Bruce took him in, gave him a home; others helped, too. There are so many lovely stories-within-a-story in this series. And seeing the people age is not depressing. Their expressions stay the same, their smiles, too. And their attitudes improve.
I saw the film with a good friend, and as we left the theater a woman overheard us talking and joined our conversation. She was 56 too, she said, and the film affected her deeply. We talked like we'd known her forever, and then we parted. "I'm going home to change my life," she said.
Seven times eight. "56 Up." It was that kind of film.