Alex Carver (Morgan Freeman), an artist, and Ruth (Diane Keaton), a schoolteacher, have been married for 40 years. Although they love their spacious Brooklyn apartment, they are both feeling the aches and pains of old age as they trudge up five flights of stairs. Deciding it might be time to sell, they hire a broker, host an open house and begin looking for a new apartment.
The 40-year marriage of Ruth (Diane Keaton) and Alex (Morgan Freeman) Carver is the heart and soul of 5 Flights Up.
Director Richard Loncraine does a fine job orchestrating this comedy. He nicely mixes in flashbacks of young Alex (Korey Jackson) and Ruth (Claire van der Boom) in the early years of their biracial relationship. their marriage is the heart and soul of this story. We were reminded of what is called plum-blossom courage. The plum blossom appears soft and glowing even when the winter winds still blow — it knows spring is coming. The plum blossom symbolizes the resilience of the human spirit, its ability to open again to love and go forward into another opportunity for celebration. Alex and Ruth have that kind of courage, supported by their being perfectly in sync with each other and what they want for their future (Universal, PG-13 — language and some nude images). Now available on DVD.
