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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The film is Our Souls at Night (2017), a quiet romantic drama starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. Rather than beginning with flirtation or grand gestures, its love story starts with a practical proposal: two widowed neighbors agree to share a bed platonically so they do not have to face the night alone.
That unusual premise makes the movie less a conventional romance than an intimate story about grief, companionship, gossip, family pressure, and the possibility of beginning again late in life. Netflix currently lists the film as a TV-14 drama, although availability can change by country and without notice.
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A love story that begins with loneliness
In the small Colorado town where they live, Louis Waters and Addie Moore have been neighbors for years. Both are widowed, both understand the routines of living alone, and both know that nighttime can make grief feel especially sharp.
Addie is the one who proposes a solution. She asks Louis to come to her house and sleep beside her—not for sex, at least not initially, but so the two of them can talk and make the lonely hours less lonely. The arrangement is simple, candid, and socially disruptive. It also gives them a chance to discuss the parts of their lives that have remained unspoken.
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As Louis and Addie become closer, their relationship runs into the expectations of people around them. Adult children, neighbors, old resentments, and small-town gossip all exert pressure. The film’s tension comes less from external danger than from a familiar question: how much freedom should people have to pursue happiness when others believe they know what is best for them?
That setup is the central reason to watch Our Souls at Night. It treats older adults as people with continuing emotional and romantic lives, rather than reducing them to memories of who they once were.
Why Robert Redford and Jane Fonda make the story work
Redford plays Louis as reserved and regretful, a man who has spent years keeping his feelings under control. Fonda’s Addie is more direct. Her willingness to name what she wants gives the story its forward motion, but Fonda also allows Addie’s confidence to coexist with vulnerability.
The performances are restrained rather than showy. Much of the film’s emotional force comes from pauses, ordinary conversation, and the gradual adjustment of two people learning how to be honest with one another. Redford and Fonda bring the authority of long careers without making the film feel like a nostalgia exercise.
Their previous professional history also gives the pairing extra resonance. Our Souls at Night is a late-career showcase for two major stars, but it does not depend on spectacle or a glamorous fantasy of romance. Its appeal is the contrast between their public stature and the modest, everyday problem at the center of the story: wanting someone to talk to after dark.
Netflix describes the film with labels including “Heartfelt,” “Understated,” “Intimate,” and “Critically Acclaimed.” “Heartfelt” is a fair description of its emotional approach. Calling it “underrated,” however, is an editorial judgment rather than an objective measurement. A more precise case is that this is a relatively under-discussed Redford-Fonda collaboration that deserves attention from viewers who enjoy mature, character-driven drama.
Ritesh Batra keeps the drama intimate
Our Souls at Night was directed by Ritesh Batra from a screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. Batra’s direction favors emotional observation over melodrama. The film gives its characters room to talk, hesitate, change their minds, and sit with difficult memories.
The production team includes cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt, editor John Lyons, production designer Jane Ann Stewart, costume designer Wendy Chuck, and composer Elliot Goldenthal. Together, they create a subdued visual and sonic world suited to a story about domestic spaces, quiet streets, and the emotional significance of small changes in routine.
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Based on Kent Haruf’s final novel
The film adapts Kent Haruf’s novel of the same name, which was his final novel. The source material shares the movie’s focus on two older people confronting their pasts while considering what might still be possible in the future.
Haruf’s novel is a natural next step for viewers who respond to the film’s premise. The publisher lists a 192-page Vintage paperback published on June 28, 2016, as well as ebook and audiobook editions. Readers who want to spend more time with Louis and Addie can read the original novel after watching the adaptation.
Read it after watching: the novel behind the film
Our Souls at Night is the kind of adaptation that makes its source material especially tempting: the film presents the central relationship clearly, while the novel offers another opportunity to sit with the characters’ histories, hopes, and private reasoning. The Vintage paperback identified by the publisher carries ISBN 9781101911921. Availability and pricing will depend on the retailer and region.
Disclosure: This is an editorial book recommendation. If a retailer link is added, it may provide compensation to the site.
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How to watch Our Souls at Night
Netflix currently lists Our Souls at Night as a 2017 TV-14 drama. The listing includes English audio, audio description, multiple subtitle options, and offline downloading. A current U.S. streaming index also reports availability on Netflix, including the Netflix Standard with Ads plan.
Streaming catalogs are territory-specific and change frequently. “Currently listed on Netflix” is therefore more accurate than treating the film as permanently available or promising that every Netflix subscriber in every country will see the same result. Search for the title in your local Netflix catalog immediately before watching.
The film premiered at the 2017 Venice International Film Festival. The official festival program identified it as a 101-minute U.S. production and listed Netflix as its international distributor. Its Netflix release followed on September 29, 2017.
Who should watch it?
- Viewers who prefer character-driven romance: The story is built around conversation, emotional risk, and changing relationships rather than action or a complicated plot.
- Fans of Redford and Fonda: The film offers a mature two-hander centered on the chemistry and restraint of its leads.
- Readers interested in literary adaptations: Kent Haruf’s novel provides a direct route into the story’s original form.
- Anyone looking for a quiet film about later-life companionship: Its emotional concerns include widowhood, dignity, regret, family expectations, and second chances.
What not to expect
This is not a traditional Robert Redford vehicle built around thrills, glamour, or fast-moving conflict. It is also not a broad comedy about elderly romance. The film moves at an unhurried pace and finds its drama in the consequences of emotional honesty.
Its premise may sound provocative, but the treatment is gentle. The overnight arrangement is primarily a way for Louis and Addie to exchange companionship and conversation. The movie is interested in intimacy as a basic human need—not merely as a synonym for sex—and that distinction shapes its tone.
Verdict
Our Souls at Night is a sincere, understated romance about two people refusing to assume that loneliness is the only future available to them. Robert Redford and Jane Fonda give the film its quiet authority, while Ritesh Batra’s direction keeps the focus on ordinary moments that gradually acquire emotional weight.
It may be too subdued for viewers seeking a plot-heavy drama, but for anyone drawn to mature romance, literary adaptations, or performances built on conversation rather than spectacle, this relatively overlooked film is well worth seeking out on Netflix while it remains available in their region.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What movie stars Robert Redford and Jane Fonda as widowed neighbors?
Our Souls at Night (2017) stars Robert Redford as Louis Waters and Jane Fonda as Addie Moore, two widowed neighbors who begin sharing a bed platonically so they can talk through the night.
Is Our Souls at Night based on a book?
Yes. The film is adapted from Kent Haruf’s final novel, also titled Our Souls at Night. The publisher lists paperback, ebook, and audiobook editions.
How long is Our Souls at Night?
The film has a listed runtime of 101 minutes.
Is Our Souls at Night currently on Netflix?
Netflix currently lists the film, and a current U.S. streaming index reports it as available there. Netflix catalogs vary by territory and can change, so check the service in your region before watching.
Is Our Souls at Night a conventional romance?
Not quite. It is a quiet, character-driven romantic drama. The relationship begins as a practical response to loneliness and develops through conversation, emotional honesty, and the pressures placed on the couple by family and their community.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe Bottom Line
Bottom line: Our Souls at Night is a 101-minute, Netflix-listed romantic drama in which Robert Redford and Jane Fonda bring warmth and dignity to a story about companionship later in life. It is best approached as an intimate late-career showcase—not a conventional or action-oriented Redford movie—and Kent Haruf’s novel is the obvious companion for viewers who connect with it.
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