Based on the real-life story of the Salt and Pepper band, Silver Rockers is a feel-good film, celebrating life at every age.
Aspiring rock singer Alex (played by Mathilde Seigner) is at a low point. Caught between her stagnant singing career, family issues and growing debt, she finds herself in desperate need of work and a fresh start. When offered a job teaching retired singers in a seniors-only choir, Alex accepts with only a little hesitation – it’s a regular pay cheque after all.
The group’s repertoire of tired nursery rhymes – chosen by the suits at the senior centre – reflects in their first performance for Alex. They’re bored and out of sync. Like Alex, the retirees have one passion – rock music. Eventually caving to their demands, Alex ditches the rhymes and moulds the group into a rock choir, not without some temporary challenges.
The film setup is formulaic – a newbie attempts to take charge of a close knit group and comes off second best, until an expected turning point forces the group to take the newbie seriously. The interwoven personal stories switch up the tempo a little, but it’s the film’s final moments that sparks interest and it’s here I wish the filmmakers had spent a bit more time.
Silver Rockers is part of the lineup at the 2023 Alliance Francaise French Film Festival. Check your local guides for screening times.
About Silver Rockers
Language: French with English subtitles
Rating: M
Length: 91 mins
Directed by Luc Bricault, Ida Techer
Stars Mathilde Seigner, Bernard Le Coq, Anne Benoit, Andrea Ferreol, Brigitte Rouan
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