Movie review: 'Poms' proves more embarrassing than empowering despite cast

“Poms” - ★ ★

There's something irreconcilable about “Poms,” a movie about women in a retirement community who start a cheerleading club. The film wants us to laugh at the idea of older women trying to be cheerleaders, but also be inspired and empowered by their determination. There may have been a way to let it be both, but “Poms” evidently wasn't interested in digging that deep. Perhaps that's because it's too busy being embarrassed of itself, as though director Zara Hayes and screenwriter Shane Atkinson realized too late that they'd assembled a cast of rock star actresses - Diane Keaton, Pam Grier, Jacki Weaver and Rhea Perlman - and forgot to write a real movie, or characters, for them.

Keaton's character, Martha, is the most perplexing and underwritten. We meet her as she's selling all her things in a sidewalk sale to prepare to move to a retirement village in Georgia. We don't learn much about her, though. She had no kids, she was a teacher, her mother was very sick when she was in high school, she once wanted to be a cheerleader and she has cancer, doesn't want to continue treatment and wants to die. She is also very unhappy to be living in what honestly seems like a paradise retirement community full of big houses, active seniors and lush grounds, despite some Stepford Wives-y rules, including the stipulation that she has to join a club or start her own.

So, with the help of her new friend Sheryl (Weaver), she starts a cheerleading club to fulfill the only unfulfilled desire in her life that we get to know about. It gives her something to live for even if everyone else in the world is irrationally angry about the idea.

But six women go against the grain and try out. None are very good and they all have ailments, but nary a rehearsal montage later and they're performing at a high school pep rally where they are met with jeers and laughter.

“Poms” really wants to be a sweet movie with a sweet message, but it's hard to buy into it when none of the squad gets significant back stories, inner lives or even enough dialogue to give them distinct personalities.

It's fine to make a film that's just supposed to make an audience smile (hello, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”) but “Poms” doesn't even get close to that level of joy.

<b>Starring:</b> Diane Keaton, Pam Grier, Jacki Weaver, Rhea Perlman

<b>Directed by:</b> Zara Hayes

<b>Other:</b> A STXfilms release. Rated PG-13 for language and sexual situations.