Few stars can grab some pom-poms with 73 years without looking ridiculous, but Diane Keaton It shines with charm and simplicity in “Poms”, a film about a team of cheerleaders formed by retired and that, according to the actress, highlights the value of friendship towards the end of life.
“What attracted me to this film is the role of friendship in the process of dying and how important friendship is, when you get older, you lose many family members, maybe you have younger relatives but they live in a different world. “he reflected.
“So I really liked that friendship was the central element that will save the last months of this woman's life (…) When you get older, friendship is even more important“he added.
The winner of Oscar for “Annie Hall” (1977) returns to his favorite field, the emotional comedy, in “Poms”, a film that arrives this Friday at US cinemas and that, under the direction of Zara Hayes, presents a very feminine cast with Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier or Rhea Perlman.
In “Poms”, Martha (Keaton) she is a lonely old woman who suffers cancer and that he moves to an urbanization for retirees with the only desire to let life go by.
But there he meets a group of women with a unexpected enthusiasm and with which he faces a surprising adventure for retired women: assemble a team of cheerleaders.
“This idea of having emotional ties and feeling close to others, even living in one of these residences, can greatly improve some lives because you are forced into social situations that might not be easy to do at this point in your life,” Keaton said. .
The smile of this actress is part of the golden heritage of Hollywood although, in vain, try to lower the merits of his career.
“I think this is my movie number 69. So I've done many bad movies and some good ones also “, the interpreter of the trilogy of “The Godfather”, “Manhattan” (1979) or “Reds” (1981).
As to “Poms”, Keaton He highlighted some themes that underlie his light comedy as the passage of time or the loneliness of the elderly.
“When you say 'it's over, I do not enjoy my life anymore', the thing is that's your problem, for Martha it's a lucky thing: she goes to this residence thinking she'll be on her own, leaving behind her life and her old friends , to be alone and go through that pain, “he explained.
“But, in reality, he changes his life completely, that's why it's important to be active and I think that's the essence of the film,” he said before pointing out that many retirees feel “abandoned” but that the worst thing they can do , is “give up life.”
The cheerleaders have a lot of tradition in the USA, although Keaton does not feel special appreciation for it.
“Personally, it does not mean anything to me, I do not care about the cheerleaders,” he said with a laugh.
“When I was young, I applied to be a cheerleader at the institute, I did not pass the court, they did not want me,” said Keaton, who said that after that he focused on acting and singing.
“But I had the opportunity to be a cheerleader in this film and, you know what, never again!”, He said amused.
“I hated it, I do not want to do it again, it was difficult for me, my classmates did it great and I did it well but I had extra help, I got more classes because it was the worst,” he said without losing his smile.
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With a woman as director and a practically female cast, Keaton valued the Advances for equality but he could not say if this tape could have been made 20 or 30 years ago.
“We're seeing more movies with women like 'Ocean's Eight' (2018), with many women united and taking responsibility and making money, so this has changed for the better (…) I think it is changing a lot and quickly, “he said.
For Keaton, the memory of his mother it is a constant source of inspiration.
“She was very talented but had four children, she had to give up things she would have liked to do, she played the piano, she sang and she was beautiful,” she recalled.
“She won a contest in our neighborhood and I remember, at about nine years old, that she was at the cinema when it was announced as the winner, they put the crown on her and I thought: 'I want to do that, I want to be on stage (…)'. It was for my mother, for what she gave me but also for what she did not have, “she said.
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