Rent Allelujah (2022)

What? - Allelujah review by Ellers

I was really enjoying this.

This seemed to be in the same genre of Best Marigold Hotel. Then what happened.

I would not recommend this film. Such a shame.

If you want to see a Richard Eyre film watch the children Act (2017).

Uneven 'comedy' that leaves you bemused - Allelujah review by CB

"a warm, humourous, and deeply moving story" - I'm really not sure that's an accurate description. If I'd read the film's reviews online I might have been prepared for this bemusing (rather than amusing) film that leaves an 'Eh??!' at the end of it. The incredible acting talent represented by the cast is sadly underused. This is like no care home that I have ever been into (and I've been into a few). And the one character who seems more realistic (the head nurse) - well? what can you say? It fails to deliver on many levels. The Evening Standard's summary feels spot on: "a loving but unrealistic and ill-judged portrait of an NHS in crisis". Disappointing.

A film of two halves....but worth the effort - Allelujah review by MT

The first half of the film is pretty slow, somewhat uncoordinated and provided very little engagement with the characters and that's with the stellar talent in the cast. I can't blame the cast as the problem lies with the screenplay. So having watched the first half with everyone in the family wondering if there was a point to it, we all enjoyed the second half and the completely shocking and surprising turn of events portrayed. Given the strength of the ending, we all forgave the slow and uncoordinated start and consider the film to be one of the better watches over the last few months.

For those reviewers who reference the NHS, well this is an act of fiction and no one should draw any comparison with the NHS on any scale.

So if you prepare yourself for a slowish start then I think the ending really makes up for this and turns the film from below average to very good. I actually feel three stars is maybe a little mean on my behalf but the ending is a solid four stars. We've talked about the film over the next few days which is clearly a sign of something which strikes a nerve.