Set in a US retirement home, Queen Bees is Michael Lembeck’s latest Hollywood production.
Helen, a fiercely independent older woman, unwillingly moves into a retirement village while her house undergoes repairs. Here she discovers a clique known as the “queen bees” – just like the popular kids in high school, they are mean and don’t play nicely with others. Helen is encouraged by her supportive grandson who is worried about her isolation at home, to make the most of the social life the village offers, and over time, she does.
The film is directed by Michael Lambek, and has a strong ensemble cast that includes Academy Award winner Ellen Byrnsten (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore), James Caan, Golden Globe winner Ann Margaret (Tommy), Jane Curtin (Saturday Night Live), Loretta Devine and Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future). The cast seem to be having fun with the roles, which are few and far between even for older women as accomplished as these actors are.
As is often the case, the film depicts the extremely wealthy end of retirement living, which is not the experience of many HAAG members. But it redeems itself by debunking ageist assumptions about older people’s relationships. If you make it to the end of the film, the montage of photos of real people over the credits is genuinely heartwarming, and shows that you really are never too old to find love.