Roommates

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Roommates ★★½ 1995 (PG)

Rocky Holeczek (Falk) is a cantankerous coot who, at age 75, decides to care for orphaned seven-year-old grandson Michael. Over the 30 years they are together, they fight over Rocky's old school ways and a grownup Michael's (Sweeney) attempt to have a family of his own. But despite their bickering, Michael soon realizes that his 107yearsold grandfather's words are truly pearls of wisdom when faced with tragedy. Film hits the right sentimental buttons without going overboard with the tissues and Falk's performance, underneath the layers of latex make-up, is charmingly irascible. Based on cowriter Apple's own grandfather. 108m/C VHS, DVD . Peter Falk, D.B. Sweeney, Julianne Moore, Ellen Burstyn; D: Peter Yates; W: Max Apple, Stephen Metcalfe; C: Mike Southon; M: Elmer Bernstein.