Charming and mostly predictable, Poms is like spending a cosy afternoon with wine and a good friend.

I expected an overdose of sentimentality in this tale of a pragmatic woman, Martha (Diane Keaton), facing her own mortality. Instead director Zara Hayes gives us a fun and sparkly comedy that rarely takes itself seriously and charms with its tale of retirees gone wild.

Martha has packed up her apartment and moved to the genteel manicured Hallmark card that is the Sunny Side Retirement Village. She’s a cynical fish out of water and at first tries to hide from the rest of the world but the irrepressible Sheryl (Jacki Weaver) won’t leave her alone. Their friendship prompts a plan to fulfil a teenage dream and upset the establishment – personified by petty dictator and Southern Belle Vicki (Celia Weston) – by forming a cheerleading squad.

The fun comes from the irreverence of the two leads and their posse of co-conspirators, particularly Olive (Pam Grier), Alice (Rhea Perlman) and, eventually, chief Carl (Bruce McGill). There are expected beats – the physical comedy of seniors doing exercise, bitchy young cheerleaders trying to undermine them and grown-up children who are embarrassed at their parents’ unwillingness to age quietly. The unexpected heart comes from the chemistry between Martha and Sheryl and Sheryl’s unabashed optimism and reluctance to be shamed.

The expected final cheer performance is a cracker and I was surprised how moved I was by the ending. It’s a good solid message and I left wanting more Sheryls in my life.