Review of 'Grandma Bruce': This old lady gives pretty good directions

Grandma Bruce: This old lady gives pretty good directions

Cast: Laura Chirinos, Monica Piper, Fernanda Urrejola

Critic’s Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Director: Brooke Stern Sebold

Duration: 13 minutes

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Language: English

Release: 2023

What’s it about?

A lost and confused young lady gets support and guidance from an unlikely source.

Review: 

Will the voices of our older relatives ever stop ringing in our ears and tugging at our hearts? Will their legacy extend beyond mere physical heirlooms? These deep and penetrating questions are tackled in a serio-comic and moving manner, which should keep most viewers smirking and pondering. One might also be induced to reflect on one’s own multi-generational interactions in the family. That is, of course, if one has been lucky enough to be blessed with one.

Grandma Bruce opens with a mutually affectionate but constantly bickering lesbian couple. Sofia (Fernada Urrejola), a Hispanic doctor and her Jewish partner Brooke (Laura Chirinos), who has a rather weird and unpromising career, are to host the former’s parents to dinner. The haphazard Brooke who is struggling to find her path in life, not surprisingly forgets to pick up a key ingredient. So, after dropping off Sofia, she heads back to the store. 

But on the way, Brooke has a most astounding encounter. Her grandmother (Monica Piper) just happens to be in the backseat. Here begins a most remarkable exchange, which oddly enough begins with the old woman voicing her misgivings about the young lady’s choice of a particular accessory. Grandma feels that the item in question might plant the wrong impression in the minds of Brooke’s in-laws-to-be.

But from this cursory observation, the chat gradually assumes a far more profound hue. This tet-a-tet helps put Brooke’s meandering life into perspective. But will it be substantive and inspiring enough to give the wayward gal a sense direction and purpose? Also, could the conversation with a lady from a different era and culture actually help a 21 Century lass come to terms with her religious, professional and sexual identity?

While this Short is a tad talky at times, the dialogue seems mostly engaging and relatable while also being moderately humorous. First time writer-director Brooke Stern Sebold uses magical realism as a fairly effective tool to bring two familial generations together. Meanwhile, Piper as the grey-haired and wrinkled matriarch plays her part with charm and aplomb, almost compensating for the lack of more interesting characters in the film. Some viewers might be put off by the gooey sentimentality, while others might find the premise a little too obvious. Still, not too many films celebrate the impact of family on the individual as Grandma Bruce does.