Article updated: 1/24/2013 6:25 AM

Performances and Hoffman's direction buoy plot-challenged 'Quartet'

Buy this photo Buy this photo
next prev 2 of 2
   

Billy Connolly, Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay and Pauline Collins star as residents in a musician's retirement home in Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut "Quartet."

Gallery Image

Maggie Smith, right, and Pauline Collins star as residents in a musician's retirement home in Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut "Quartet."

About this Article

Dustin Hoffman's impressive and modest directorial debut, "Quartet," stars Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Pauline Collins and Billy Connolly as residents of a British retirement home for professional musicians. Hoffman opts for an Altmanesque take on Harwood's script, letting the lovable, troubled characters (including Michael Gambon's bullying director) become the movie's center attraction.