Rocky Holzcek (Peter Falk) is a cantankerous Polish immigrant in Pittsburg. His grandson Michael becomes an orphan. He insists on taking in the young kid rather sending him to a home. Years later, Michael (D.B. Sweeney) become an intern doctor and takes in Rocky after the family home is condemned. Michael falls for Beth (Julianne Moore) who has a disapproving mother Judith (Ellen Burstyn).

Growing old is sometimes a less appealing aging story. This is a pretty good one despite a few speed bumps along the way. Rocky's disapproval of Beth seems wrong in terms of story progression. At least, he should foreshadow that stuff by being more religious. I would have liked to see him deal with a black Beth or something more substantial. His fight with Beth comes out of nowhere. There is also an issue with Judith. It's unlikely that a court would pick her unless there is a better reason. These and other bumps keep this from being better.

There was times during "Roommates" when I was reminded of director Yates' 1979 film, "Breaking Away". That, like this movie, was a comedy/drama. But the real difference between the two is how the earlier production struck a believable, painfully human balance, and "Roommates" just barely achieves status quo. It's also somewhat uneven. Early on, it sets out to be a light comedy, with a bit of drama to ground it. This basic tone never shifts, but with the entire third act being so miserable, it's prevented from being convincing. There's no point where it's especially unlikable, just frustrating.

The acting has something to offer, even though I've seen nearly everyone give better performances. Julianne Moore, Ellen Burstyn, Peter Falk - three of my favorites - aren't really offered enough to show their respective talents. Falk, even though he's the star of "Roommates", seems like an afterthought, a minor character who steps in to offer periodical clever quips. And I didn't find the makeup work to be particularly convincing.

An overall problem comes down to the script. Although the film seems long enough, even too long at times, it feels truncated in order to fit in all the chronology. There are breaks of years, seven or five, or however many, and people don't seem to change or age normally. It's like watching a stage play when you know there's been no passage of time, and can't be properly convinced otherwise. "Roommates" is a film that doesn't really know what it is or what it wants to be. The VHS cover shows a scene from the film involving a garden hose. In the photograph, it looks playful. It the actual movie, it is part of a serious argument. That just about sums up the dichotomy that is "Roommates".

This movie is all about Peter Falk, and what he's capable of when released from his Columbo role. Not that I have anything against Columbo -- it's one of the all-time great cop characters, along with Sgt. Friday and Sipowicz -- but in a police procedural we're mainly interested in what happens next, and any good director keeps that in mind. Here Falk gets to display the breadth and depth of his powers, and keeps us enthralled from the first scene to the last. He was "only" 68 when this film was released, but is convincingly aged during its course from something like 60 up to 107 (yes, really),which is a tribute not only to him but to the formidable makeup department (IMDb lists nine makeup credits). And just because grandfather is such an overpowering character, we shouldn't ignore the fine performances by D.B. Sweeney as his physician-grandson and Julianne Moore as the young social worker. In all, this is a moving story, well made and superbly acted. If you haven't seen it, do.