Cocoon

Here is a feel-good movie sort of in the mold of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It asks the question, “If you were real old, soon to die, and found a magic pool that restored your youthful vigor, would you take off on an alien spaceship?” Well, duh. It’s all very well done by Ron Howard, and stars a galaxy of old pros like Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Jack Gilford, Gwen Verdon, and Maureen Stapleton, as well as Brian Dennehy and Steve Gutenberg. What can I say? It made me feel good, as it was intended to do, but once more I felt the “transcendent” ending went on a little too long, as it did in Close Encounters and E.T.: The Extraterrestrial. Howard contracted a mild case of Spielberg Syndrome there at the finale. The only sour note was Tahnee Welch, who is as talentless as her mother, Raquel. Maybe even worse. But don’t let that stop you. This is worth seeing again.