It may have taken nearly 50 years, but somebody finally made a movie about The Villages and it was an Official Selection of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.
The 81-minute movie Some Kind of Heaven, directed by Lance Oppenheim, will be available in selected theaters and On Demand beginning Jan. 15, 2021.
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Here's the Official Trailer:
The developer does not like anything that depicts The Villages in a negative light, so it will be interesting to see whether this movie makes it into any of The Villages movie theaters.
I can't wait to see it, and I'll be updating this article once I've seen the film.
Here's the summary of Some Kind of Heaven that appears on IMDB and on the director's website:
Behind the gates of a palm tree-lined fantasyland, four residents of America’s largest retirement community, The Villages, FL, strive to find happiness and meaning.
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In an article on the Sundance blog, the director said this about why he made the film:
I was fascinated that hundreds of thousands of people were moving from across the country to live in this kind of isolated Truman Show–like bubble town, and I wanted to see what that was like for myself.”
This is not the first time that life in a Florida retirement community has been committed to film.
The 2012 documentary Kings Point explored some of the darker, more depressing, aspects of life in the once popular Kings Point retirement community down in Delray Beach.
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Agnes says
This was a documentary, not a movie.
What I felt after watching this dreary depiction of life in the Villages was that whoever created this piece of crap had an agenda against The Villages, against Florida?
This was filmed by NYT? No wonder I thought. People moving from that miserable crime ridden, over taxed state in droves to Florida. I worked in home health at the Villages. I met so many people who were enjoying their lives. There is something for everyone there. Don’t waste your time watching this nonsense. Where’d they find the gigolo? How much was this actor paid?
Pure trash this entire show was.
Elle says
The fact that you are promoting this depressing piece of trash film makes me question your judgement about everything else you’ve written!
Shalda Nelson says
I have lived in The Villages for 13 yrs, I have not seen the movie but the Trailers disgust me. What they show is just a minute portion of The Villages. I have so many friends here I can’t count. All of them are monogamous and none take drugs. Absolutely disgusting movie, totally fiction.
DJB says
I watched this film. I really do not think the Morse family will be too positive about this film. The stories portrayed were of vagrants/ gold diggers, people with personality issues/ substance abuses and lonely single people. I’m sure that there are people like that in The Villages and I’m unsure why they depict these models of people. They do list activities and clubs ongoing in The Villages and that’s about the only good thing about this documentary. It really is a downer documentary and anybody else that watches it will be as disappointed as I was. Horrible portrayal of this place. DJB
Peter Bunzl says
I have rented in the villages for several years.
This film is a poor portrayal of Uighur in the villages. They picked a gigilo as one of the three people they focused on. They picked a couple whose husband I’d drug addicted. The only character that I could sympathize with was the widow. This film was dark and a poor portrayal of life in the villages.
Jo Jorgensen says
I do not live in The Villages but did watch the movie. Found it to only focus on the one homeless man trying to find a rich Widow and using the pool shower to bath. Another couple where the husband has a drug and mental problem. I have been to vist and it really is a nice place but just to over whelming for me and my husband. Movie did not show case the Villages at all. Sad!
Tilley Harris says
I am glad we still have the first amendment and an American can say and depect anything to be good or bad depending on their bias and agenda. I have a feeling this will be more fiction than non fiction, but I Look forward to seeing it.
We live here and thank God everyday that we were blessed to find such a fun, loving and kind retirement community. It’s not for everyone, but for ex-military, hard working and active people it really is a slice of heaven.
PV says
Yes, first amendment, but this awful depiction of the villages should be entitled, 4 disturbed individuals that just happen to live in the villages” I can’t believed I watched that depressing documentary. It’s in no way showcases the villages or the lifestyle. They just follow these distressed individuals who have serious personal issues. The film actually demeans the villages. It’s sad and VERY DEPRESSING.
Jan Mondy says
Lived in The Villages for 20 years. Age and health- had to leave to be by family. Miss The Villages every day, a wonderful place to live. Miss golf, had 4 holes in one, all different courses in The Villages. Every thing is there.
Ivan Joslin says
I am a Retired Submarine Navy CAPT, a 15 year resident of The Villages, and we thank God every day that we made the move here in 2005. We absolutely love everything here, and still enjoying every day as a Blessing from God!
We’ve been here long enough to see the phenomenal growth, and extend our kudos to the 3rd generation of the Morse Family for their vision, planning and foresight, and their insistence on quality and class in everything.
I ordered your 2020 Updated version of “Inside The Bubble” as a Christmas Gift for my
TN Daughter & her recently retired husband, in hopes reading it would entice them to consider moving here. They’ve so enjoyed visiting us, that they’ve rented several weeks during previous summer vacations, and last summer rented a home on our street for a 5 week “Taste of The Villages”.
After receiving your book as promised, I sat down to read your ‘Introduction’ and couldn’t put it down until I’d read through to the last page!
Before I could gift-wrap your book & get it in the mail, our doorbell rang, and was our Daughter & husband announcing they’d just signed a contract to purchase a 3BR, 2 BA Home in the Fenny Area in the new Village of Monarch Grove!
They ‘closed’ a few days before Christmas and stayed through January 2020, outfitting their new home, buying a Golf Cart, and becoming the consummate VILLAGERS!!
I still have your Book, and plan to give it to them when they return in February. ( I’ll probably LEND it to them, and retain it in my own library!)
You did a superb job in authoring both the Book and the 2020 Update. Respectively, Ivan L. Joslin
Herb says
Love living in the Villages!!!
Hellen Hoffman says
I live in The Villages. I can’t wait to know more about this movie. Although it sounds more like a documentary to me,
J. says
This was a horrible portrayal of life in The Villages. Narrated in a very low key depressing tone, by 4 individual, very weird parties. There must be a hidden deeper meaning , because these people were definitely out there. I saw it for FREE at Mystic Ice Cream, & it was a waste of time. Save your money!
Jim says
I couldn’t agree more. My parents live there and we visit often, and my wife and I are buying in. But what I see and experience in the villages is nothing like what I watched. The Villages are alway upbeat and fun. I’m sure for people that have lost loved ones after moving there it can be difficult but it would be no matter where you live. The movie was just sad.