Poms review — This film about the unlikely pairing of seniors and cheerleading has a fab cast, but a drab script.

Bless this movie’s heart!

Southerner’s know that “Bless her heart,” is the socially correct preface to a thorough skewering. And since this film takes place in the south, I thought that was appropriate.

Diane Keaton is Martha, a skeptical New Yorker with terminal cancer who, for some unexplained reason, decides to move to a Southern retirement community she apparently hasn’t researched.

With unsold motivation, Martha decides to join forces with a group of like minded ladies, played by Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier and Rhea Perlman, among others, who are all game to give death and aging the finger by forming a cheerleading squad. Cue the senior creaky joint jokes, ad nauseam.

Now as someone who has a lot of close personal experience with both cheerleaders and seniors, I can honestly say that the Poms filmmakers manage to offend both groups equally, by reducing everyone to negative, two-dimensional stereotypes. 

And we don’t even get the payoff of a well choreographed routine in the end. Couldn’t someone have given them some decent, age appropriate moves and rehearsed them a few times? One remarkable senior splits incident does not a movie make.

I can’t help but wonder what an esteemed, Oscar-winning actor like Keaton was thinking when she read the script and signed on. She produced this sloppily directed and ill conceived film, for heavens sake!

While there are a few literal and figurative moments of in your face pom pom shaking, this movie is nothing to cheer about. I will say this for it, however: it’s blessed heart is in the right place.

Rated PG-13

1 hour 31 minutes

If, after reading this Poms review you still want to see it, get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

Poms review — This film about the unlikely pairing of seniors and cheerleading has a fab cast, but a drab script.