The Plot: Bereaved older woman Elle (Lily Tomlin) receives a visit from her 18-year-old granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner), who desperately needs money to have an abortion. The pair then embark on a road trip to scrape up the cash and work through their problems. Why It's Awesome: Lily Tomlin has been waiting thirty years for another leading part, and what a doozy she's ended up with. The legendary actress gives an Oscar-worthy performance as the prickly, forlorn and hilarious titular character, while Garner impressively manages to keep up with her pound-for-pound. At less than 80 minutes in length, it doesn't waste a frame of screen time, tightly riffing on the disparity between young and old as a highly unconventional road movie unfolds. There's also a brilliant part carved out for Sam Elliot, who robs the movie away from Tolin during his extended cameo. Most impressive of all is that, amid all this, it never becomes a lecture about abortion, and smoothly takes the non-judgemental, seemingly agenda-free approach.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.