by Miguel Mike Medina
Stanley and Iris is a 1990 Romance/Drama starring two talented actors: Robert De Niro and Jane Fonda – two living legends in Hollywood who are still going syrong to this day. Stanley and Iris is one of those movies that is a hidden gem, in my opinion. I never heard about it until two weeks ago when I discovered the film on Tubi. Yes, God bless Tubi for continuing to stream free movies. The platform is a God sent.
Robert De Niro plays Stanley Everett, a man who works as a cook in a bakery, but Stanley struggles with his lack of reading and writing. Stanley meets Iris Estelle King, portrayed by Jane Fonda, who works in the same bakery, and she has her struggles. She is still grieving over the loss of her husband and has a dysfunctional family, and one of those issues is to learn that her teenage daughter is pregnant. Both Stanley and Iris try to find some comfort in being around each other and bring some happiness into each other’s lives, which ends up being a happy story between them.
Iris became a massive part of Stanley’s progression because she became his teacher/tutor. Iris helped Stanley to learn how to pronounce words and sentences. Stanley improved his reading and writing. Stanley helped Iris by having more faith and believing in love again. He brought happiness and joy into Iris life again, something she didn’t have since her husband was still around.
One of my favorite scenes of the movie is when Iris catches her bus while it is raining profusely, and Stanley tells her by the bus door that he wants her to teach him how to read. It’s one of the most crucial moments of the movie because it sets the stage for what is about to come. Another scene I like is when a family member tells Iris’s son that he’s like the spitting image of his father. The camera shifts focus to Iris’ facial expression, and you can see the bittersweet moment in her face by reminiscing her deceased husband. I felt for Iris’ sadness. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I understood what Iris was going through at that moment.
Another scene that made me feel sad is when Stanley tells Iris’ son in the park scene that he had no other choice but to put his deceased father in a home. He did this because he couldn’t read or write, which limited him to have a steady job. Since he couldn’t keep a steady job, he couldn’t help his father. That scene was hard for me to watch because I’m against putting your parents in a home. They die more quickly. I prefer to take care of my parents and risk it all for them instead of putting them away. I feel it’s harsh when a son or daughter does that.
In addition, any and every scene of Iris’ tutoring Stanley is an intriguing scene. You can see the outstanding chemistry between them. Stanley considers Iris his favorite teacher.
The story ends with Stanley getting a job in Detroit, and he found an apartment as well. He proposes to Iris and wants her and her kids to come live with him in Detroit. Stanley is aware of everything. Stanley is willing to put up with everything because he wants to be around the family, and he loves and cares for them. Stanley is a kind-hearted person.
My overall review for Stanley and Iris is a 3.9 out of 5 stars. The film is directed and co-written by Martin Ritt. Stanley and Iris was Martin’s last film. He passed away ten months later due to heart disease. He was 76. Ritt is considered one of the most underrated filmmakers of his generation.
