By: Anna Marie
March 31, 2017

Not every memorable film that arrives in the cinemas needs to be about blossoming love lives, out of this world fantasy adventures, or super strength action heroes taking on the burdens of a failing universe. No, over the years, Hollywood has become increasingly interested in an older, wiser, and much more mature audience, allowing various silver haired comedies and dramas hitting the big screen to prove that even geriatrically-focused films can in fact stand the test of time. The latest timeless-in-the-making, you ask? The Last Man Club motion picture.

Recall the successes of classics like Grumpy Old Men, the 1993 take on the original sixties odd couple comedy that reunited the neurotic slash slob dynamic of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau—two veteran comedians who are always “fun to see together, if for no other reason than just for the essence of their beings,” concluded Roger Ebert in a Chicago-Sun Times review.

Then there’s the fun of Ron Howard’s 1985 science-fiction Oscar-winning fantasy Cocoon, about a group of elderly people who get a new lease on life after stumbling upon a magical “fountain of youth” in a vacant holiday home. Unbeknownst to them, aliens have been making use of the on-site swimming pool to store cocooned brethren that provides the waters with a powerful, rejuvenating quality. Variety called it a youthful “fable which imaginatively melds galaxy fantasy with the lives of aging mortals in a Florida retirement home [and] weaves a mesmerizing tale.”

Fast forward to 2017 and you’ll find another rejuvenating, mesmerizing, and incredibly heartwarming tale about the inevitable hardships of life, love, family, honor, the inevitabilities of old age, and the fulfillment of destiny – this time in Bo Brinkman’s latest road trip movie following the exploits of a retirement-home bound WWII veteran who decides to escape his difficult family situation by embarking on a cross-country journey to find his old B-17 bomber crew. The twist is, he’s got the help of a beautiful young accomplice (Kate French), one who ultimately provides the grumpy old man and his fellow friends with a chance to forgive, forget, and to gain life affirming new views of themselves—helping to diminish any doubts and regrets they’ve held hard onto throughout the years.

With over 90,000 Twitter followers, a plethora of stellar reviews from everyone like the more Millennial-centric Gas Mask Magazine to retired Navy greats like former U.S. Commander Alan Pietruszewski, who described Last Man Club as an “excellent veteran themed film about friendship and service,” Brinkman’s passion project is making headlines. With ample help from Pandolph Productions, the film has already garnered numerous acclaims beyond control since its much anticipated release at various nationwide festivals like WorldFest-Houston (Grand Remi Winner / Best Feature Film), the Burbank International Film Festival (Best Dramatic Feature), Action On Film: International Film Festival & Writer’s Celebration (Best Director), Life Fest Film Festival, and the GI Film Festival, where it took home the Audience Choice Award and Best of Fest, respectively.

Similar to Grumpy Old Men and Cocoon, Last Man Club embraces the undying appeal of the old-buddy movie, easily telling a story about the hardships and occasional heartbreaks of life in the twilight years through the eyes of some washed out war veterans who feel unwanted and useless even after having served their country to the fullest extent possible. It is no doubt a brand-new kind of ‘last ride type’ of film. Yet, the film features old movie favorites like James MacKrell, William Morgan Sheppard, Richard Riehle, and Barry Corbin working seamlessly together with good intentions and good heart to teach important old world values, to provide uplifting insight, and to remind Americans yet again that even the most unsung of heroes need desperately to be celebrated, honored, and most of all, appreciated for their endless sacrifices.

Last Man Club will be opening the prestigious Garden State Film Festival on March 31st in advance of its official DVD/VOD release, which is set for Memorial Day weekend. So grab friends and family—young or old film lovers alike—to experience what Brinkman himself describes as a true “homage to the greatest generation.”

Unlike most projects, this one had been a long one in the making—but now that it will finally hit the digital market, Last Man Club is expected to stand tall alongside similar quality old-buddy treasures like Grumpy Old Men and Cocoon to remind us that age is but a mere number, that youth and vibrant energy is not bound by time, and that the comforts and solidarity of friendship, brotherhood, and comradery are truly what are most important in life and beyond.

So go ahead. Experience love, laughs, and life with Last Man Club on March 31, 2017 at the 15th annual Garden State Film Festival, New Jersey. Look for the VOD/DVD release on Memorial Day weekend, where it will be available on digital HD everywhere!