"Abe & Phil's Last Poker Game"

2017 1h 25min

This film could be subtitled “Martin Landau’s Last Movie” for that’s precisely what it is. I grew up watching “Mission Impossible” in the 1960s and Martin Landau played one of the coolest characters on TV. Everyone I knew wanted to be like him. So it was a bit shocking to see him years later in Woody Allen’s “Crimes and Misdemeanors” where he played a successful ophthalmologist who has his wife bumped off. And gets away with it! I know he’s been in quite a few movies over the years, and when I saw he was in this one, I had to see it. What a pleasant surprise.

 

In his swansong film, Landau plays Dr. Abe Mandelbaum, a retired doctor who has decided to sell his home and move into an assisted living facility with his wife. He’s a kindly, intelligent, and fairly reserved older gentleman. His wife Molly suffers from dementia and is usually fairly normal. Every once in a while she has a panic attack and can only be comforted by wrapping herself in her favorite fur coat. 

 

Abe soon meets Phil (Paul Sorvino) who’s quite a character. Phil was a gambler and real lady’s man in his day and loves to brag about his many conquests. The two become fast friends and it’s amusing to hear them talk about sex. Abe is somewhat shocked at how frank Phil is but eventually opens up. I have to admit; there are a couple of cringe-worthy scenes. 

 

As Abe starts getting comfortable at the facility, Angela (Maria Dizzia) a new nurse befriends Phil and Abe. She’s an orphan and is looking for her biological father. Angela was given a mysterious note that indicates he’s actually living in the assisted living center. When they get wind of the situation, they’re convinced they‘re the long-lost father. 

 

It’s a heart-warming little film that offers several delightful surprises. And as you’d expect, the acting is superb. I’m not sure how many other actors could pull it off quite as well. While there is a bit of a melancholy feel to it, ultimately it’s an hour and a half of satisfying movie viewing. As a side note: the movie was written, directed, and co produced by Howard Weiner, who is a Professor of Neurology. Nice work, Prof!