iMordecai is the Taxi TV series reunion I never knew I needed, starring alums and fellow Oscar nominees Judd Hirsch and Carol Kane as a married couple navigating their golden years in a Florida retirement community. Hirsch plays a crotchety retired plumber and painter out of touch with the modern world, while Kane is his devoted wife dealing with the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
When Mordecai’s son badgers him into getting his first iPhone, he encounters a helpful young Apple Store employee named Nina who bonds with him during phone lessons. This unexpected friendship pulls Mordecai out of his normal orbit, exposing the octogenarian to new relationships and experiences even as he’s faced with the gradual decline of his wife. He also has unresolved issues with his son (Sean Astin), a cigar entrepreneur trying to get his business off the ground.
First-time writer/director Marvin Samel’s loving tribute to the true story of his parents is a thoroughly charming and heartwarming tale whose greatest fault is flying under the radar. There’s simply no market anymore for a micro-budgeted, feel-good indie without a predetermined and heavily promoted streaming release, making the throwback film’s uphill publicity battle feel much like Mordecai’s struggle for relevance in the modern world. Samel has crafted a hidden gem that is sure to be embraced by all viewers who manage to unearth it.
Hirsch and Kane are pitch perfect as the elderly couple, with Hirsch reveling in his lead role and Kane showing some surprising emotional depth beyond her normal ditzy characters. Astin’s Marvin doesn’t have much to do beyond throwing up his hands at his parents’ shenanigans, while Marvin’s wife (Tony winner Stephanie J. Block) has even less to shoulder as his supportive spouse. The catalyst character of Nina is lightly played by feature film novice Azia Dinea Hale, nailing the supportive youth vibe but working within a fairly limited range even when dealing with a shocking family secret that threatens to end her relationship with Marvin.
As I watched the dementia subplot play out, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Gaspar Noé’s brilliant but devastating Vortex. In both films, the elderly husband struggles to keep daily routines intact even as he’s faced with the inevitable decline of his wife and looming irrelevance of himself. However, where Noé’s downbeat film faces the anguish in unflinching detail, Samel mostly keeps the issue in the periphery, making it a tomorrow problem for the cranky but positive Mordecai. This keeps his film from becoming too maudlin, and allows Mordecai to remain entirely likable rather than pitiful.
The DVD is presented in 1.78:1 formatting with Dolby 5.1 surround. Picture quality is solid for a DVD, with not much detail degradation aside from nearly illegible end credits. At 102 minutes, it’s just long enough to cover all of Samel’s bases without wearing out its welcome. No bonus features are offered, aside from a collection of trailers for other films.
While its B stories about Marvin and Nina are slightly formulaic and undercooked, Samel’s principal focus on the lovable title character allows Hirsch to play one of the strongest roles of his legendary career. This is a film worth both seeking out and championing to others once you’ve fallen under its spell.
