L IFESTYLES /C ULTURE
Paradise Eluded in ‘Some Kind of Heaven’
at tambourine class or a few
steps out of line when she goes
dancing. She is also the only
character who works full time,
and the dreariness of working
a desk while being surrounded
by the trappings of wealth and
leisure are evident on her face.

Dennis is not technically a
resident of Th e Villages; he’s a
van-dweller fl eeing a California
DUI fi ne and hoping to shack
up with a wealthy lady friend.

He showers at the pool and
frequents bars and dances as he
searches for someone to off er
him fi nancial security.

Having lived most of his
81 years as a drift er, he still
dreads sacrifi cing his freedom
for the comfort he craves as he
ages. Although his gold-dig-
ging comes off as slimy, his
FI L M
SOPHIE PANZER | JE STAFF
IN THE OPENING scenes of
“Some Kind of Heaven,” viewers
are treated to the well-choreo-
graphed dance that is life in a
Florida retirement community.

A parade of golf carts zoom
along in formation. A synchro-
nized swimming
group splashes merrily in a pool.

Later, an instructor leads a line
of women in a baton-twirling
routine. Th e message is clear:
Everyone has a place here.

So what happens to those
who can’t fi nd theirs?
Th e documentary is produced
by Th e New York Times and
Darren Aronofsky, the director
behind “Black Swan” and “Pi.”
It is the feature directorial debut
of Lance Oppenheim, a 24-year-
old fi lmmaker whose Instagram
account fairly screams “nice
Jewish boy.” In interviews with
various outlets, Oppenheim
said he headed to Th e Villages
retirement community in
central Florida and showed up
to as many clubs and events as
he could to fi nd his subjects and
their stories.

Th e community, founded
by Jewish developer Harold
Schwartz, markets itself as a
Disneyland for seniors, and
one retiree likens the beautiful
grounds, social activities and
robust dating scene to being in
college again.

While there’s nothing wrong
with older adults keeping active
and socially engaged in their
later years, the residents of Th e
Villages live in a bubble. Most
of them embrace the insularity
and predictability. Others,
aft er coughing up quite a bit
of money, fi nd they have fl own
into a gilded cage.

Th e fi lm, which screened
virtually at the Gershman
Philadelphia Jewish Film
Festival Jan. 10-13, follows the
lives of four residents.

Anne and Reggie are a
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM See Heaven, Page 22
A cheer squad in The Villages
Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

married couple whose vastly
diff erent approaches to retire-
ment strain their relationship.

Anne, an athlete, takes naturally
to days full of activities and
dominates the pickleball court.

Reggie, on the other hand, turns
to illegal and recreational drugs
as he pursues a vague sense
of spirituality. Anne’s nerves
fray as she struggles to make
herself heard in her marriage
and contends with Reggie’s
increasingly severe delusions,
which soon yield dangerous
consequences. Barbara is a widowed
Bostonian who moved to Th e
Villages with her husband
before he passed away. Despite
the fact that she is surrounded
by seemingly infi nite clubs and
opportunities to socialize, she
feels lonely and homesick.

Oppenheim captures
Barbara’s precise and peculiar
sadness at being alone in
multiple crowded rooms; she
is always a few beats behind
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JANUARY 14, 2021
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