Teddy and the Mountain

Directed by Stanley Roubaix

2024

In a world often focusing on the heady days of youth culture, it comes as a refreshing surprise to see a new film exploring the ramifications of getting older as well as the love and loss we face along the way.

David Mason plays Teddy, a retired navy man who is clearing out his house with his daughter - who also advises the set-in-his-ways pensioner to “get out more”. Unfortunately, among these nick-nacks he donates to a local charity shop, he accidentally includes a personal diary belonging to his late wife.

And despite returning later to retrieve it, the book has already been picked up by a lady (Linda Dootson as Rose) and thus begins an intertwining story of two lost souls.

Teddy is supported by his friend Dave, who helps keep Ted’s spirits up from his mobility scooter, whilst Rose’s friend Jean (a funny turn from Charlotte Claypole) helps her friend during a series of awkward dates. But as luck would have it, Jean encourages Teddy to come on a country walk after their own unsuccessful meet-up and finally meets Rose, not realising she’s in possession of his missing book.

Teddy and the Mountain has an intriguing set up and the criss-crossing of two contrasting personalities works well, as Teddy is shy and reserved whilst Jean is more outgoing. Both seek companionship yet find it difficult at their later stage of life.

Yet rather than dwell (too much) on the negative effects of ageing, the filmmaker also challenges the audience by tackling issues such as Tik Tok, “Silverfox” speed-dating and Jean’s brash work on a sex telephone line without shying away. It certainly doesn’t dance around these issues and they often are the source of much of the comedy.

Some other aspects felt a bit old-fashioned though. Despite the subdued pace setting it aside from other local films, a camp exercise instructor was a bit of an out-of-time  “Carry On” stereotype to say the least - and gets more annoying as we progress. (Although his fun YouTube video introduction had shades of local film Twin Leaps, which I also encourage people to check out).

Around the half-way point the film drops some of its saccharine tone and delivers some bad news to one of the characters, who then finds some appreciation of life they didn’t have before and decides to tick off a goal on their bucket list.

This is followed by further heartbreak, yet there is some hope as sparks start flying as a couple go on a sunny boat trip despite ultimately facing sadness as we head towards its conclusion.

Making the most of time and living for today is an honourable message that Teddy and the Mountain pushes to the forefront. It hits its theme about the “need to get out more”, although many scenes literally have similar lines within actual dialogue. My advice is to Ctrl + F to find these duplicates and delete. It’s way over-emphasised in general and an audience would easily get this idea early on and other standard plot points go exactly where you think they would. 

Yet the director has leapfrogged off his previous film Void with some sporadic drone shots of the countryside which are used sparingly and appropriately, and I felt it had the lighthearted tone of an afternoon ITV drama - 3 episodes stuck together perhaps? It did however feel a bit more “telly” than a cinematic movie though. And could do with a large dose of Richard Curtis or Danny Boyle style, as it takes a similar wry look at quirky British life.

However, the story does confront the fact we all face sadness at the end - but encourages us to enjoy the friends, families, lovers and acquaintances we make during our journey.

And although this feature stretches its content given its runtime, it mostly delivers what it says on the tin. A world moving fast as we get older and making the most of life is also a solid theme despite the cliches and stereotypes the movie includes.

Overall, this heart-warming and mild comedy-drama feature gives us a big old dollop of schmaltzy and sometimes risqué lifestyles, but maybe slightly too quaint for my sensibilities overall. But it certainly has plenty to recommend, and as it touches upon many issues we can all relate to whatever our age, Teddy and the Mountain shows Midlands films are not ready for the scrapheap yet either.

★★★★

4 / 5

Michael Sales