Contentar Best movie of this year hands down!

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

ritera1 I was constantly beaten about the head and body with the motivations for this film and it wasn't to shine a light on old people.It was to shine a light on the director and his apparently feeble career, to somehow prop it up and hide it behind the resolve of art or perseverance.Now this a double-edged sword. Anybody who wants to be in the film business wants the jobs this director had. But I've reviewed his resume and they are all very poor films.Which brings me to this film (which was his first after an 11-year gap and nothing after '07). Some very good acting talent but then it stopped there. The director himself is competent but the "flash" effect was WAY overused. The script was ham-fisted and unrealistic, even if you apply dramatic license. It was clear to me that the director had messages and intentions but no story. He then grabbed the first devices he could find and tried to cram those circles into square holes. He wanted us to have respect for old people but I wasn't buying it. I didn't hear the sincerity in it all. I did hear the bitterness. It was just a vehicle for this hallow and familiar film. If there still was afterschool specials, then this would have a place. As it is, I don't know where it would go.I don't think it's right but especially in the movie business they err on the side of the young. I don't see the surprise in it all.

bob the moo With its Hollywood setting, this film focuses on the disposal culture we live in as it applies to people – in this instance, those in Hollywood who no longer fit the "young and beautiful" mould or don't serve a purpose any more. We see this through the relationship between a troubled student (Cameron) seeking to make a short film and a bitter old man (Flash) who he meets in the cinema who was once a lighting man for one of the main studios. As the film progresses, Cameron learns about abuses in retirement homes and comes to appreciate the value of those that society puts to one side while they wait to quietly die.This film was suggested to me by another IMDb user and, while I have seen bad and good films off such suggestions, I will nearly always end up watching something I wouldn't have otherwise done – which in itself is a good thing I think. Man in the Chair interested me from the start thanks to the link to classic films, the main character being a film fan and of course the cast names in the credits. The plot offers potential to be something genuinely touching and smart and there is no denying that the subject matter is particularly worth your attention. I presume this must have also been a rather personal project for writer/director Schroeder given that his resume features performing these same functions on several films in the Cyborg "franchise" – a series of films very different from the one I was watching from him today! So all of this offered me hope that the film could be smart, pointed and moving. Such a shame then to see that the writing and directing are the weakest parts of this film because it is here (the material particularly) where the film is allowed to slip into sentimentality and cliché in a way that really prevents the potential and the real emotional connection come through to the viewer. The warning signs are there early on because there are things in the script that just don't work and one sort of accepts them in order to get past them and into the rest of the film. Cameron's character is odd and his "troubled" nature is a bit excess for the person we see in all other scenes. The way he gets into a relationship with Flash (and the way that develops) also doesn't really work. These little warning signs are shown for what they are as the film progresses and where one hopes for originality and insight, what we get is mostly easy sentiment, easy characters, easy scenarios and obvious plot development.It is a real shame because even with these the film still just about works – albeit at a level below what it could have been. Part of this is that the film is still a warming and slightly touching experience – it is loaded with weakness perhaps but it comes with a truth and a "makes you think" quality that will still strike a chord with many viewers – perhaps helping the film to some degree. A much better part of the film working is that Plummer is really good and he works very well in the scenes he shares with Angarano; again, with these two and a very starry cast of older names playing their roles well, the potential just continues to sit there. Certainly a lot of the charm that the film does have comes from the cast. In terms of direction it feels like Schroeder has left them to it to a point and they could have done with more. Schroeder may also be responsible for the terribly unnecessary blurry/edit effects that are frequently used – they seem gimmicky, add nothing and ultimately started to grate on me with their sheer unwarranted presence.Man in the Chair is a solid little film if you can accept the abundance of cliché and heavy sentiment and ignore the potential that the cast and subject matter gave it. It has a slight warmth to it and it is a worthy film but Schroeder just can't make it what it should be – if there is a cliché trap he falls into it; if there is emotion he finds sentiment. The cast and the idea carry it and make it reasonably engaging, but I'll be honest and say that the near-misses and problems with it really limited my enjoyment of it.

Darren Burtenshaw I fell in love with film again last night when I saw this film. Reborn faith in humanity and that a ending can be all things like in life, sad, happy, anticlimactic; probing one to start their own personal inventory of what life is really about. This done so effortlessly all wrapped up in one film with out feeling preachy or like an old cliché. A must for any future film maker and anyone still making film. The back story was also nicely done with just a few scenes of trouble youth and a old mans call to say hello to his estranged daughter only to be put on ice as she tells him she will have to call him back later(we know will never come.) How easy it is to discard people, things, animals(dogs)when they are not right in front of you. They lose their importance and we forget their worth which might be as simple as sharing a cigar(Cuban of course) or a bone. Great use of Los Angeles and reminds us why it is the City of Angels. Oscars watch out! Original Screenplay, editing and performance from Christopher Plummer.

TYR_project Man in The Chair is a 10 out of 10. Christopher Plummer delivers a leading Oscar worthy performance - filled with soul, depth and abundant range. A film that deals as much about respecting elders as it does about respecting the making of films and never forgetting those who help you at the start. Subjects that are often overlooked and "thrown away" or simply not interesting to younger audiences. This is a beautiful 9 year journey of a film. Michael Schroeder wrote and directed this gem from the heart, infusing uncovered social issues with intricate feelings of mentorship. This is simply put, the best film I have seen this year! The cast and crew deliver and the cinematography is uniquely soulful. And a (supporting) Oscar worthy performance by M. Emmet Walsh. WOW!