What would you do if an alien craft crashed in your backyard? It seems with recent news, this may be a question a lot of people are asking themselves. But in the new Bleecker Street movie Jules, Milton (Ben Kingsley) is faced with that situation and has to figure out what to do now.
Milton is aging, starting to have memory issues, and has no concept of how technology works. The character is very relatable for anyone who has parents or family members who are aging, or older neighbors in similar situations. He hyper focuses on issues in his town because he has nothing else to do, and no real connections with his kids. His main activity is attending the weekly town meeting to try to get the issues he’s fixated on fixed. That is until a UFO crashes in his backyard. Even mentioning it at the city meeting, he’s disregarded, and instead of being afraid – he decides to help the alien in any way possible.
In a mixture of weird situations, the other older residents of the town who are considered busybodies as well, get brought in on the secret of Jules and help Milton take care of the alien and try to get him back home. Together they help Jules and even find a way to communicate. Jules doesn’t even say a word through the whole movie but helps the characters build bonds and takes care of them in his own way.
The movie doesn’t seem to have big conflicts, just small ones along the way. The UFO crashes, Milton and his newfound friends help Jules (or Gary) out and there is a somewhat bittersweet ending. But there doesn’t need to be a big conflict or battle for the movie to make a point, instead, it gives viewers a good reminder about connections, friendships, and what is needed still at any age and stage of someone’s life.
Jules is a bit slow at times, but a quirky and kind of fun film. It really highlights the need for human connection no matter what your age. It is a good reminder that despite family members aging, they still want to be connected and feel like they’re part of your life. But at the same time, it’s never too late to start over again and create new connections, even in the most unlikely friendships. Jules won’t be a groundbreaking movie or one that takes home piles of awards, but it is an enduring one and will have you laughing at the story throughout the whole movie. It’s simple, sweet, and slightly goofy – and really – it doesn’t need to be much more than that.
Jules is now in select theaters.
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About Jules:
Jules follows Milton (Kingsley) who lives a quiet life of routine in a small western Pennsylvania town, but finds his day upended when a UFO and its extra-terrestrial passenger crash land in his backyard. Before long, Milton develops a close relationship with the extra-terrestrial he calls “Jules.” Things become complicated when two neighbors (Harris and Curtin) discover Jules and the government quickly closes in. What follows is a funny, wildly inventive ride as the three neighbors find meaning and connection later in life – thanks to this unlikely stranger.
