Every once in a while, a movie simply gets it all right. It is funny, emotional, relatable, yet thrilling, well produced and acted out, but these movies often times float a tad under the radar, and receiving less than it’s fair share of viewership. This the life of many brilliant movies, and unfortunately so it is with “Hello, My Name is Doris”.

Essentially, the synopsis is that an elderly hoarder falls desperately in love with her significantly younger coworker, and learns how to be happy while trying to impress him. A bit of a strange concept, I know, but it was executed wonderfully. This whimsical gem, entertained the idea of personal growth, and its effect on our lives. While on its face, its an inspiring ideal, the film truly encourages this type of growth. For years, Doris was buried in monotony and loneliness. It was wake up, ride the ferry into New York City, go to her typical nine to five job in accounting, and return home to take care of her ill mother. After the death of her mother at the start of the film, Dorris begins to branch from her daily repetition and meets a young man, John Fremont. The story continues to unfold from there, proceeding to entertain the audience with comically adorable moments seen through the eyes of a relatable protagonist. What more can one really ask for in a good film?

The film was not without its faults however. It would often leap from tame family humor to the mildly erotic. Abruptly, the movie slaps of the audience’s endeared smiles, strangles the story’s valuable messages and left the theater cringing at some aggressively  uncomfortable moments. Though part of the plot, some sections of the film contained semi-intimate material,  that despite not being explicitly shown, were supremely suggestive, and perhaps not family friendly. Oddly enough, it fit well with the energy of the rest of the film. It was a contrasting outlook to the seemingly tame nature of the rest of the film, but it worked. Given that fact, it did its job. it fulfilled a section of the story that otherwise would’ve been left mores to the imagination.

So all in all, it was a worthwhile film to see. It was not only thoroughly enjoyable, but also shockingly inspiring. I drove home from the theater smiling, believing that anyone can change for the better at any time. After speaking with other audience members, I was not alone in thinking this. It was all grins and hopeful cheer as we exited the theater. That is exactly how going to the movies should be. If you leave your seat having learned something, if a film can genuinely helped you look at the world through a different set of eyes, than it was a success. It doesn’t have to be a box-office hit to be a good film, and so it is with Hello, My Name is Doris.