Lily Tomlin and Sam Elliott Appear Together in “Grandma” – Their New Roles May Surprise You

Two of my favorite actors of all time are Lily Tomlin and Sam Elliott, so, I was so excited to find out that they will be appearing in “Grandma,” a new film by Sony Pictures. In the film, Tomlin plays an opinionated, yet ultimately charming grandma, who is refusing to be invisible after 60.

Grandma, which releases August 21st, 2015, in the United States, tells the story of Lily Tomlin’s character, as she tries to help her granddaughter through a difficult time. Along the way, they discover that they have more to teach each other than they could have imagined.

Sam Elliott, plays an old boyfriend of Lily’s character and adds some much needed masculine charm to the line-up. In the film, their paths cross when Lily’s character is forced to ask him for money to help her granddaughter.

From what I have seen, the character’s in this movie stray somewhat from the roles that Sam and Lily are known for. Sam’s character, Carl, in particular, has a bit of a dark-side, which women in the community may find a little surprising, or even uncomfortable. That said, perhaps this is one of the things that will make this film fascinating to watch. The characters seem to be complex and the issues that they face in the movie are also not black and white.

I’d love to know what you think about this. Please take a look at this short scene from the movie, then join the conversation at the end of this article.

Grandma is yet another indication that Hollywood really is starting to embrace older actors and actresses. Equally important, it shows that the entertainment industry may be willing to move beyond aging stereotypes to give older actors and actresses complex roles that focus on realistic situations.

Life isn’t simple. The lives of older people aren’t simple – and the films that portray them shouldn’t be either. Do you agree?

Are you planning on seeing Grandma? How do you feel about Sam Elliott’s character having a darker side? Do you want to see Hollywood produce more films that focus on the unique issues that older people face? Why or why not? Please join the conversation.