Late Bloomers, Late Review

Oops, amid the chaos of SIFF, we neglected to include Gavin Borchert's review of this Swiss film in our June 4 issue. But you still have a second chance to see it, if you're so inclined.

Late Bloomers
From the land of neutrality, milk chocolate, and--as Orson Welles’ Harry Lime memorably put it in The Third Man--the cuckoo clock comes this formulaic feel-good comedy. Lest you thought those were strictly American exports, know that this mercilessly adorable confection became Switzerland’s biggest box-office success of the last 25 years. It’s essentially Chocolat a bit further east, with sex instead of food, and the magical realism omitted: A widow in the picture-postcard village of Trug decides to revive her long-dormant talent for sewing and embroidery and open a lingerie shop, liberating her friends, and eventually the whole village, from their smug Swiss ruts via the power of satin and lace. The opposition includes the stuffy local politician who yammers on about tradition and morality, and the local vicar—the widow’s son—who’s such a colossal prick he denounces Mom from the pulpit while cheating on his wife. Every single plot point gets resolved exactly as you guess it will; it’s good twinkly fun for any moviegoer who doesn’t mind not being surprised. (NR) GAVIN BORCHERT Uptown: 6:30 p.m. Sat., June 7.