Film Reviews by GEH

I can't remember why I chose this DVD but it was a a very pleasant surprise both my wife and myself thoroughly enjoyed this family drama which was very much like an Anne Tyler novel and was one of the best films we've seen for ages.

Why was it so compelling? hard to say really, there was certainly excellent acting from the two leads Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo playing two flawed but nevertheless likeable characters and a wonderful script that told its admittedly limited story with great charm and was totally believable from beginning to end. Good supporting cast featuring Matthew Broderick and also the young Rory Culkin who was very watchable without being cheesy or cloying. Like in Kenneth Lonergan's 'Manchester by the Sea' this film also contains a cataclysmic event but in this film that event occurs at the very beginning of the film and we are left wondering of its effects on the two principals as the film unfolds. Also like 'Manchester by the Sea' the story is told via a series everyday minor domestic episodes with the implication being that life goes on...

I can't say that I was a huge fan of 'The Mighty Boosh' but I do quite like Julian Barratt's understated humour and was a bit surprised by this film's low ratings and carping reviews. My wife and I both enjoyed it and she is normally quite critical of the films that I choose. Sure this is no 'Citizen Kane', it's a typical British comedy film, a bit old-fashioned and as others have said it's a bit like Steve Coogan's 'Alpha Papa' or a big screen version of 'Toast of London', with Barratt's down on his luck actor Richard Thorncroft very much like Matt Berry's down on his luck actor Steven Toast.

The 'plot' such as it is, is just a vehicle for few jokey set pieces and a quick romp around the Isle of Man's tourist attractions such as the Laxey Wheel but overall it's an enjoyable film with a good performance by Barratt and by some of the actors doing cameos - Kenneth Branagh, Steve Coogan and Simon Callow - although the normally excellent Andrea Riseborough seemed somewhat miscast.