Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont

Seeing this film made writing my annual “10 Worst Films of the Year” list 10 percent easier. Joan Plowright wastes her considerable talents in this tale about an elderly woman who befriends a young writer. It’s basically Harold and Maudlin with each scene played for maximum bathos. If you enjoy seeing people pause meaningfully and then utter platitudinous banalities, then you probably still won’t enjoy Mrs. Palfrey, because it’s not humanly possible to enjoy this film. At one point, the young writer utters the line, “Make the most of every moment!” The only proper response to that would be to leave the theater.