If you're planning on getting old, you may want to start by checking out Stephen Walker's documentary Young@Heart, because these people have it down. Based in Northampton, Mass., the Young@Heart Chorus, led by Bob Cilman, is a collection of golden oldies (average age, 80) who refuse to sing golden oldies. Instead, they tackle rock standards like Dylan's "Forever Young" and Bowie's "Golden Years," not to mention punk-rock standards like the Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go" and the Ramones' "I Wanna Be Sedated." They may not hit every note at exactly the right time, but the feeling's there. And the songs take on a whole new meaning, of course: Everything becomes a matter of life and death.
Walker takes us behind the scenes as the group prepares for a tour of New England, the West Coast and Ireland. And we get to know some of the members just well enough to miss them terribly when they're gone, but the group as a whole forges on. They're used to the adversities of age, smiling and laughing while the Grim Reaper goes about his business. Extremely moving and downright inspirational, Young@Heart looks death straight in the eye and is reminded of a song.
