The 2023 film on Netflix titled Monday First Screening does have some very endearing actors to tell the story of how love is a decision, and one has to decide to choose love at the end of the day. The film does so in a very charming manner, but it does drag along the way. But this is a film about a love that must be chosen when one is nearing their autumn years, and for that kind of storytelling, the pace of the film did seem to work. There are some genuinely heartfelt scenes in the film that make the movie work like a short story, with the message that finding love is possible at any age. The actors do their job pretty well, but the writing falters a bit, making the scenes a bit more melodramatic than they need to be. But Monday First Screening portrays the problems of the elderly in an empathetic way, which is why it keeps us engaged throughout its runtime.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Film?
Lydia, a 60-year-old woman, retires from her teaching job and is given a reverent farewell, for she really did give it her all in her job. There was a hidden pain in her heart that made her turn a blind eye to worldly affairs and concentrate solely on her job. She felt loveless, as she had been deserted by her husband for another woman. Her daughter Eleanor didn’t call her, but at least there was Lydia’s granddaughter Sofia, who often came by Lydia’s house to check in on how she was doing. But when everything was said and done, Lydia was a lonely woman who wasn’t even willing to accept that. When her job was no longer there for her to fight her loneliness, she grew desperate, and luckily there was a man named Bob who was in a similar situation. Monday First Screening is the story of how their love began and the challenges they had to face to stay together.
Why Did Lydia Join The Film Screenings?
Lydia, thinking that she would hold free seminars to pass the time, was still not able to accept that she had retired. She still wanted to teach more, but in the Philippines, the retirement age was 60 years. Not knowing what to do, she continued with her routine, but now she was subject to the fact that wherever she went, all she noticed were couples. Whether they we’re old, middle-aged, or any other age, she noticed that even trash cans were coming in twos—one for wet waste and another for dry one. Luckily, she noticed a group that was full of life, even though the members seemed to be older than her. She followed them out of curiosity, as there was nothing better to do. The group ended up in a movie theater, and they eventually noticed Lydia following her. They invited her in and told her that the group was going to watch the Monday screening, as the first show of the day was free for senior citizens, and they weren’t going to miss such a chance. Lydia, who wasn’t even into movies that much, discovered the sheer engagement of the films, and it was there she met Bob, the retired architect.
How Did Bob And Lydia Grow Close?
Bob and Lydia were complete opposites of each other, but they shared a common dreaded condition: loneliness. Bob had been married for 35 years when his wife passed away, and he was drawn towards Lydia from the very beginning. Bob wasn’t desperate for company, as he still loved his wife, but she had made Bob promise that he would not be a grieving widower for long. Bob was trying to impress Lydia with his gentlemanly behavior, and he showed a lot of patience. He brought her flowers, and Lydia seemed to have no response. She was so uptight in matters of the heart that she couldn’t trust that Bob had any good intentions. But she liked his perseverance, and they became a ‘thing’ at the movie screenings.
Why Did Bob Feel Jealous?
Bob wasn’t expecting that he would have competition for Lydia’s love, but he did. It wasn’t a fair competition at all! The man who had come in asking Lydia for a date was her student from yesteryear, a handsome man named David, who was at least thirty years younger than her. Bob couldn’t match him in anything. He thought he had a chance to repair Lydia’s plumbing, but there too he failed miserably. Bob was a little insecure about David having come into Lydia’s life with the sole intention of starting a relationship with her. Bob didn’t see that Lydia was not too keen on being with someone that young, and the fact that she was once David’s teacher didn’t make it any better for her.
Why Did Bob Hide The Truth?
Lydia was certain that Bob was the man she wanted to be with for the remainder of her life. David was a little heartbroken, but he understood and respected her decision. He also promised her that he would look into what he could do for the Philippines to have an extension for the retirement age. David was a political scientist, and he understood that Lydia loved her job and was essentially forced to retire. David bid her adieu, but not before he helped some members of the group get a job, which helped them pass their time apart from the Monday screenings.
Bob was a regular at Lydia’s house afterwards. He tried to work out and fainted once, and Lydia thought it was cute that he was trying to compete with David. She put him at ease, and Bob began to share all his life’s details. He did, however, leave out one part, which became a problem, but only temporarily. Eleanor arrived one day and was aghast to see Lydia in a relationship with a ‘stranger’. Lydia had to hammer the point home that had Eleanor been a participating member in her daily life, she would have known who Bob was. Eleanor tries to paint Bob as an unreliable leech when she finds out that he has gambled all his wealth away. Lydia trusted Bob, but she had to confront him about this. This is when Bob revealed that his gambling problem began as a coping mechanism after his wife died. He couldn’t control it, but he rejoined his architectural firm and was happy for the second opportunity. Lydia was glad that he had come clean about it, which is why when he proposed at the Monday screening, her reply was a resounding yes. Later, Eleanor came around and apologized to Lydia for trying to drive a wedge between her and Bob. It was because she herself was having an affair, breaking someone’s trust, which is why she couldn’t trust anyone else easily. She thought Bob was coming in to rip Lydia off, but he truly loved her. Lydia forgave Eleanor and lived a happy life with Bob, and they did not miss their Monday first screenings!