There's no denying that Peter Yates is a gifted filmmaker with numerous directorial achievements on his resume. He's the mastermind of "Bullitt" and "Breaking Away" (put "Krull" in there too if you're feeling generous), but he's had more than his share of off years, periodically unable to will himself out of a bad creative situation. 1995's "Roommates" is mounted with the best intentions, with screenwriters Max Apple and Stephen Metcalfe trying to fashion a valentine for curmudgeonly old men and the pearls of wisdom they leave behind, forcing Yates to master a tone for the picture that's somewhere between lovable and combative, with a healthy dose of syrup added for taste. Sadly, "Roommates" doesn't really strive for a sophisticated understanding of multi-generational relationships, instead going a soap opera route that's wholly manipulative. Yates really wants viewers to bawl like baby during the feature, but there has to be a little more than superficial conflicts and cutesy antics with a senior citizen to melt the heart.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com