Roommates 1995

In 1963 Pittsburgh, Rocky Holzeck is a cantankerous 77-year-old Polish-American baker who insists, despite relatives’ protests, on adopting his young grandson Michael after his parents die. The rest of the family resists, arguing Rocky is too old, but he declares that “Family takes care of family!” and the two build a life in Rocky’s apartment, often spent over long, patient card games. Rocky’s methodical way of arranging his hand slows down the action and tests Michael’s patience, yet that ritual becomes a steady heartbeat for their fragile new family.

Twenty years later, Michael is a medical intern in Columbus, and he is forced to take in his still-spry grandfather when Rocky is evicted from his apartment building. In a college history class, Rocky explains that the “S” in Harry S Truman’s name actually did stand for something, defying the professor’s claim and revealing Rocky’s stubborn, outspoken nature. He gets along with Michael’s Chinese college roommates and, despite the tension over his grandson’s girlfriend, he and the group continue their card games. It’s around this time that Beth enters the story, and Rocky’s initial enthusiasm for her is guarded, though a quiet fondness begins to emerge as they share space and time.

Eventually, [Michael] and [Beth] marry and head to Pittsburgh, where Michael begins his medical residency while Rocky keeps baking and staying close to the family. An illness forces Rocky to move back to Pittsburgh with his grandson and his wife, and he gradually warms to Beth, reinforcing the sense that this stubborn bond has grown into something deeper and more protective. The two men keep their cards close, but the house fills with a gentler rhythm as Beth becomes a steady, if wary, presence in the household.

Seven years pass, and Rocky lives with [Michael] and [Beth] and their two children as Michael builds a prominent medical career. Tragedy strikes when Beth is killed in an automobile accident, and Rocky again steps in to support his grandson through the loss. Beth’s mother seeks custody of the children, and Michael initially agrees, but Rocky’s enduring motto—“Family takes care of family”—persists as the deciding force. Michael refuses to give up the kids and, echoing Rocky, declares “End of discussion!” to Beth’s mother, who backs off and allows the family to stay intact.

In a final, intimate moment, Rocky is hospitalized while Michael and the kids visit to celebrate his 107th birthday. As Rocky’s EKG weakens, Michael quietly reads a newspaper and stumbles on a want ad for a Chinese bakery—a wink to his grandfather’s life. He turns to Rocky and asks, “You know anything about this?” The old man offers a warm, fading smile, and Michael recognizes the oracle of family care in Rocky’s eyes. With a final breath, Rocky passes away, leaving a legacy of devotion and a family that remains cared for, connected, and steadfast through the days ahead.