[Bilyclub]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

If that's your takeaway, then you totally missed the point of the movie.

I rented it this morning. It isn't ABOUT "people that live here in The Villages enjoying their life." That's not what the movie is supposed to be about. It's not a movie about The Villages. It's a movie about a set of people living in The Villages. And I'd say it isn't even truly about people living in The Villages. You can substitute that for any close, planned community of people who are trying to spend their lives being happy.

There's a planned eco-village in Missouri where residents live free on the land, striving for zero waste (and doing a pretty good job of it), living in a semi-communal community. The press they present to the public is that of happy people living happy lives in a happy place. And for the most part, that is true. But not everyone is happy all the time. Sometimes, stuff happens that creates a rough period in your life. Meanwhile, you're still living in a place that prides itself in being a "happy place." So that makes you a square peg in a round hole. How do you manage to experience your depression, or addiction, or sadness, regret, mournfulness, anxiety - how do you manage that, when you are being surrounded by people who insist on informing you that you're happy happy happy and life is wonderful and just line-dance your way through the best years of your life?

Right now, I'm feeling pretty good about my life. I still hate Florida as a state, but I'm loving the Villages Lifestyle. What happens though, if some tragedy were to strike and I'm not feeling so good anymore? Who will say "okay you know what? I GET that you need to not put on that fake smile and pretend life is wonderful. I get that, and you can count on me to GET that, and not make you feel like you need to do that."

Or will they all just say "c'mon, let's go for a margarita, you'll feel better after a night out in the square?"

This movie is about people for whom a night out in the square, or line dancing, or watching a golf cart parade, isn't going to fix what's wrong.

That's what the movie is ABOUT.

For everyone else, they aren't experiencing anything "wrong," or what's wrong, is easily fixed by a night out or watching a parade.

But the people in the movie - need something that can't be fixed by simply living in the Villages. That doesn't mean the Villages is a bad place to live. It just means that it isn't the medicine that cures all ails, and these are examples of life in the Villages for a few people for whom the Villages is not a cure. For all of the people focused on in the movie, what needs to change is themselves. And they CAN be happy in the Villages - once they make those changes.

That's what the movie is about.

The movie would never have been made if the location was On Top of the World, Lakewood Ranch, or Spruce Creek. They chose TV because it's the biggest and most successful. Then there also is politics involved with the NY Times kicking in cash to make it. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the characters were imported just to spice things up. just like the scripted reality shows.