A group of senior citizens residing in a rest home find their lives turned upside down after they are offered the gift of eternal youth by benevolent aliens in Ron Howard s wonderful tribute to the human spirit. Brian Dennehy is Walter, an alien who returns to earth to rescue 20 of his friends now hibernating in cocoons off the coast of Florida. With the help of a charter boat captain (Steve Guttenberg), the cocoons are stored in a deserted swimming pool. When three men from a nearby retirement village (the charming Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, and Hume Cronyn) sneak into the pool for a swim, they discover what seem to be oversized oystershells in the water. Suddenly they feel physically and spiritually rejuvenated, believing they`ve found the long elusive Fountain of Youth. The men`s frisky behavior causes something of a controversy in the retirement village as residents are forced to choose between a second youth or accepting the more natural aging process. The ensemble cast of experienced actors, including Ameche, Brimley, and Cronyn as well as Cronyn`s real-life wife, Jessica Tandy; Maureen Stapleton; Gwen Verdon; and the skeptical Jack Gilford all bring a dignity to the film s youthful, spirited theme. COCOON, one of the best films of the 1980s, is a heartwarming story that should be treasured for generations.