Dog dies. Husband is long gone. And you’re still hot at 72, you had better have a few male suitors. I’ll See You in Dreams is a highly entertaining, generally lighthearted and certainly touching drama starring Blythe Danner.

Danner plays Carol, who lives a content life by herself in an empty home. After her dog dies—and a black rat appears—her friends who live in a nearby senior living complex convince her to hit the dating scene. She meets another old dude (Sam Elliott) and also befriends her much younger pool boy (Martin Starr), and that’s pretty much all you need to know.

The three-way in this movie is ridiculous.

Just kidding.

Or am I?

Danner is great in the lead, even if her character/performance doesn’t command any major emotional weight. The movie isn’t particularly emotional, even though it takes one unexpected sad turn (two, if you count the dog), but it is touching, believable and heartfelt nonetheless. She and her co-stars have terrific chemistry with one another, and even the smallest of characters are well written and fun to watch.

I’ll See You in My Dreams certainly caters to an older crowd, but it offers an accessible, entertaining and enjoyable experience for all ages. Recommended.

Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.