Movie Review: 'Loren and Rose' is a Movie that Loves Movies

Loren and Rose

Directed by Russell Brown

Written by Russell Brown

Starring Jacqueline Bissett, Kelly Blatz, Paul Sand

Release Date January 28th, 2025

Published January 30th, 2025

Loren and Rose is a movie that loves movies. The film, written and directed by Russell Brown, uses the story of a down on her luck former movie star, played wonderfully by Jacqueline Bissett, to poke at how Hollywood treats actresses after a certain age, while also indulging his love for Hollywood classics. Loren and Rose contains visual references to Citizen Kane, vocal allusions to Casablanca, and the film itself is an homage to the brilliantly experimental, 1981 movie, My Dinner with Andre with a Hollywood spin.

It’s been years since Rose (Bissett) has been a Hollywood sensation. After a few years at the top of cast lists with her name up in lights, Rose was cast aside by Hollywood for the crime of entering her forties. This, plus a few poor business decisions, and a quirky personal life, led Rose to take whatever role she could find. This means a lot of low budget horror, well beneath the dignity of a former screen icon.

As we meet Rose, she’s become something of a Hollywood myth. She’s been followed by rumors of personal scandals, and been labeled as difficult to work with and unreliable. This reputation however, does not stop a young up and coming director named Loren to seek Rose out for his first feature film. Meeting at Rose’s favorite cafe, Loren is meeting with Rose over the protests of his producers, while Rose thinks she already has the part and speaks as if working together is already a done deal.

Naturally, this first meeting is a bit awkward due to the misunderstanding. But it quickly becomes a showcase for Rose who dazzles her new young friend with a winding monologue about her life and career and her desire to get another shot at a starring role. She believes in Loren’s vision for the film and by the time this first meeting has ended, Loren is eager to cast Rose in his movie. It’s a risky choice but, we’re later told, it works out really well.

Cut to two years later and Loren and Rose are old friends reuniting at the cafe. Now it’s Loren who is eager to cast Rose for his next movie and Rose is the one with some awkward hesitation. But why? Her comeback in Loren’s debut feature was a wonderful success. Why would she be so reluctant to do another movie with her friend? You will find out but I won’t spoil that here. It’s not a bizarre twist of any kind, you can probably see it coming, but it’s still better to see it for yourself.

Loren and Rose have another meeting coming down the road, a late night get together that is melancholic but lovely. By this point, Rose has become like a mother to Loren and Loren, having grown up without his mother or much familial support, is in complete adoration of his new mother figure. This meeting has a few surprises, tears and stories to tell and what we witness is a lovely, sprawling conversation wherein Jacqueline Bissett shines and newcomer Kelly Blatz provides sensitive and compassionate support.

And that’s Loren and Rose, a series of engaging conversations involving two compelling characters, one of whom happens to be a remarkably magnetic leading lady whom you can’t take your eyes off of. Essentially, Rose is the Andre Gregory of this My Dinner with Andre homage and she’s more than up to the challenge, offering insightful, kind, and charming monologues about life, career, and the path she’s walking now that she’s in her late 70s. I adore these conversations and by extension, I adore Loren and Rose.

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