Having just fallen asleep watching The Lovebirds, you would think I would not have jumped into another film immediately. But there’s only so much time on a flight, and it isn’t as if I have had much opportunity to see new movies in theatres recently.

With only enough time to see one more film, it was tough to make a choice. Then I saw Meryl Street’s name as the lead in Let them All Talk. The woman is a great actress, and I figured she could make even a bad movie good. Or a good movie great.

I stayed awake for this one. Let Them All Talk explores the nature of friendship while adding a touch of comedy, with an Atlantic crossing as a backdrop. Given that none of us have been on a boat in a year, it was nice to see the Queen Mary 2 set sail for this one.

Though I will admit I began to wonder just how much the Cunard Line was paying to have their flagship featured in the film. At times it seemed more travelogue or promo piece than a comedic drama. I now know that while onbaord I can get a massage, go to a costume ball, swim, gamble or check out the panetarium. Not to mention eating.

Still, if the movie existed only as an ad for the boat, it sweems like a nice boat. I’m tempted to book a cruise, especially one of the longer ones, perhaps New York to Australia. The only thing that is stopping me is the cost.

The story line is simple enough. Meryl Streep’s character brings two old friends and her nephew with her on a trip from the US to the UK. it is a chance to reconnect with the friends, from whom she has been somewhat estranged,. As the film unfolds, we find out why. And we see that it isn’t easy to break out of old behavior patterns.

I suspect the nephew (and a romance) was added to the mix to provide a sub-plot to draw in younger viewers. Meryl Streep is 71. I’m sure there are marketing experts somewhere who are certain younger people won’t watch a film abou their parents’ generation. I’m not sure that would be true of a good film – and I found this one to be very entertaining. Well written, well performed and with a nice blend between the predictable and surprising.

Streep’s performace is excelent, and she is aided by two other excellent actresses: Candice Bergen and Dianne West. The three of them are quite believeable as old friends trying to rekindle or perhaps not rekindle their friendship.

Add to that a mystery (who is that man and why is he reading Homer) or two and it was very interesting way to pass time on the flight.

After watching Let Them All Talk, I spent some time thinking about old friends, wondering what it would be like to be reunited after 30 or 40 years apart. How much would our lives have diverged? Would we have anything left in common?

Mind you, if our reunion was on a luxury cruise ship, would we really care one way or another?