Writer: Gavin Steckler
Director: Marc Turtletaub
Mention films featuring an alien from outer space hiding in a suburban household and the average viewer will think of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Gavin Steckler, author of Jules tackles this awareness head-on: the opening speech by the main character features variations on the phrase “Phone home.” The main difference between Jules and Spielberg’s classic is that instead of children young enough to have a sense of wonder the alien visits a trio of septuagenarians who are coming to terms with loneliness, increasingly fragility and an awareness of being regarded as obsolete.
Milton (Ben Kingsley) resides in a small American town and, possibly to retain a sense of self-worth, regularly addresses the town council on the need for road safety measures and the inappropriateness of the town motto. The fact Milton constantly repeats the same concerns may be a sign of the age-related dementia with which he will later be diagnosed.
Widower Milton retains contact with his daughter who helps keep his affairs in order but is estranged from his son. He has a noneventful existence until one night a spaceship crash-lands in his back garden. The authorities to whom Milton reports the crash do not take him seriously reflecting society’s dismissive attitude towards old people. Against his better judgement Milton brings the injured alien into his home and finds his life is transformed for the better, enjoying the company of someone who will watch television without commenting.
The presence of Milton’s visitor is discovered by other elderly petitioners to the town council; Sandy (Harriet Harris), who names the alien Jules and Joyce (Jane Curtin). All three find Jules to be therapeutic company willing to listen to their stories without judgement and discover their mutual interest in him causes an unexpected friendship to develop. But the authorities are finally closing in on the possible location of the spacecraft and Jules requires a particular type of fuel to make his escape.
The character Jules is not a CGI creation or animated puppet but brought to life by actor Jade Quon, non-speaking and wearing prosthetics so as to resemble the classic ‘Roswell’ alien. Hairless and sexless with blue-tinged skin, Jade Quon has an unearthly angelic tone.
The cast is of a high quality. Harriet Harris showing unexpected bitterness in the ever-smiling Sandy who resents being ignored by the daughter she supported when determining her sexuality and who now spends all her time trying to win around her partner’s judgemental mother. Jane Curtin articulates one the themes of the movie on the benefit of having a sense of purpose when Joyce reflects her ailing pet cat is no longer all she has but is now what she had.
Kingsley gives Milton a degree of dignity and authority reflecting ruefully on the bleak future he faces. Parental authority arises as he apologises to his son for poor parenting but concludes the rift between them is now an indulgence and enough is enough.
Director Marc Turtletaub seems to feel the age and quality of the cast should exempt them from any actions or gags which are too extreme or in questionable taste. This works well when the humour is discrete, Milton’s initial reaction to the spacecraft landing is to complain it has destroyed his azaleas. When Sandy gasps at the sight of the craft he naturally assumes she is shocked at the state of the flowerbeds.
But there are moments in the film when the humour has potential to turn dark. The unusual fuel required by the spaceship necessitates the friends undertaking extreme errands, and when Jules exerts psychic powers to save Sandy from a burglar the result leaves the investigating police baffled and a bit revolted. In all cases, however, it feels like the film is building towards punchlines which are never delivered.
Jules is a bittersweet treat with an impeccable cast, but one cannot help but wonder if a more demanding approach would have resulted in a funnier movie.
Signature Entertainment presents Jules in Cinemas and Digital Platforms 29th December
