Mrs Henderson Presents (Judi Dench)

(Amazon UK link)

Judi Dench is one of my favourite actresses, and Amazon regularly recommend her films to me. One of these was ‘Mrs Henderson Presents’, so I put it on my wishlist, and was given it for my birthday six months ago. We decided to watch it last night, with little idea what it was about other than - as was evident from the front cover - something to do with show business.

The DVD claims to be a ‘deliciously charming comedy’. But we’ve learned from experience that films labelled in this way tend to be dramas. They might have some amusing moments, but just as much that is poignant or even tragic. That’s certainly the case for ‘Mrs Henderson Presents, which is set in wartime London and is based on a true story.

Judi Dench plays the title role, as Laura Henderson, a recently-widowed society woman with a great deal of wealth. She really has little idea what she’s going to do, now she no longer has a role as wife. So her friend Margot suggests some nice activities for elderly widows. Some light and amusing scenes follow, as Laura tries various clubs or hobbies. She then decides to follow her friend’s final suggestion - to buy things. But instead of purchasing clothes or jewellery, she buys a run-down theatre.

Mr Van Damm (Bob Hoskins) is proposed as her new manager, once the Windmill Theatre is ready to be used. Their working relationship begins in a stormy way, but he is hired anyway, as Laura wants someone who is willing to stand up for what he believes to be right. She wants to run musical theatre reviews; he suggests a suitable name, and also running continually through the day, rather than just a matinee and evening performance, as run by other theatres.

This is a success at first, but other theatres decide to copy… and when Van Damm is concerned about closure, with dwindling audiences and low takings, Laura comes up with a radical, shocking idea…

A fair amount of the action takes place on stage or in the theatre itself. Inevitably, set in the 1940s, there’s a wartime background to the story, with inevitable disasters and some tragedies. There are some black-and-white scenes of air raids and the destruction of buildings. I found myself caught up in the story, understanding something of what it might have been like to live through the war as someone working in a theatre, in a way I hadn’t really thought about before.

The acting is excellent, the sparks between Van Damm and Laura Henderson feel real, and the pace is just right. I had not previously heard of The Windmill or the people involved, but I’m not likely to forget them in the future.

Definitely recommended. It’s rated 12A in the UK, which slightly surprised me as there’s a fair amount of nudity, albeit in the context of art. However there’s only one instance of ‘strong’ language, and the only violence is that shown in the historical context, with nothing close up or gory. The stricter US rating is R. I would personally have suggested 15 as a suitable rating, but doubt if anyone under the age of about 18 would be interested in the content.

Review copyright 2018 Sue's DVD Reviews

Lessons in Love (Pierce Brosnan)

(Amazon UK link)

Every so often I browse Amazon’s recommendations for DVDs, based on films I have previously liked. About a year ago it suggested ‘Lessons in Love’. While the reviews were mixed, I thought it could be a pleasant evening’s light viewing, so I added it to my list. I quite like Pierce Brosnan as an actor, which is probably what triggered the recommendation.

I was given it for my birthday a few months ago, and we decided to watch it last night. I found the opening sequences a bit too fast and confusing for my tastes, but it didn’t take long to get the gist. Pierce Brosnan plays a Cambridge University lecturer called Richard, whose speciality is the romantic era of literature. He seems to be quite a good lecturer, appreciated by the students.

However, at night Brosnan’s character changes, as he takes attractive undergraduate students to bed. If this isn’t illegal, it should be; it’s certainly unethical and should have resulted in his being fired. It’s also bizarre, and I had a hard time believing that anyone would have such a split personality.

Richard has an elderly father (Malcolm McDowell), who apparently behaved in similar style when he was a lecturer. He treats his son rudely, and is altogether a dislikable character, apparently on his fourth wife. He doesn’t at all disapprove of Richard being promiscuous, but is highly disapproving of his current girl, an American called Kate (Jessica Alba).

Then Richard meets and is attracted to an older woman called Olivia (Salma Hayek), who turns out to be Kate’s older sister. This, too, is hard to believe as the two have totally different accents; but perhaps they were supposed to be half-sisters. It would be in keeping with the rest of the film, which treats marriage as problematic and temporary.

Much of the action takes place in the United States, with yet more infidelities and promiscuity… it’s so far removed from anything I’ve ever experienced that I felt increasingly bemused. There are some good, even poignant scenes where we see Richard with his young son Jakey (Duncan Joiner). The two have an excellent relationship, and Jakey, of all the cast, was the most believable and likeable. But even these scenes are marred by the regular and unnecessary use of ‘strong’ language.

Other than in the scenes with Jakey, Brosnan’s character is sexist, degrading, and not remotely amusing. Perhaps there is a world where vulnerable women are taken advantage of by older men supposedly in positions of authority. But if so, it shouldn’t be a topic for a (supposedly) humorous film.

On the positive side, the pace is good, some of the scenery attractive, and the ending satisfactory, at least from Jakey’s point of view.

The UK rating is 15, which I suppose is about right; there are some rather direct intimate scenes although they avoid full-frontal nudity and detail. There’s a lot of bad language, too, although almost no violence. The US rating is, unsurprisingly, a more conservative R. 

Definitely not recommended for anyone under the age of 15 - and although we did watch to the end, mainly because of the excellence of young Jakey, it’s not a film I’d really recommend to anyone.

Note that in the United States, this film is called 'Some Kind of Beautiful', and in Canada 'How to Make Love Like an Englishman'.

Review copyright 2018 Sue's DVD Reviews

Philomena (Judi Dench)

(Amazon UK link)

I am pretty sure that Amazon recommended the film ‘Philomena’ to me because I have liked so many films starring or featuring Dame Judi Dench. I was given the DVD for my birthday a few months ago, and last night we decided to watch it.

The advantage of waiting some months before watching new DVDs is that I had entirely forgotten the blurb and reviews which I had read beforehand. I had even forgotten that the movie was based on a real life story, although as it progressed I realised that it almost certainly was. There was realistic film footage that was evidently of a real person.

The main character, Philomena, is brilliantly portrayed by Judi Dench. The actress must have been almost eighty when this was made, but we had no difficulty believing her to be the 68-year-old Irish Philomena, whom we first meet when she lights a candle in the church. Her adult daughter sees her crying, and Philomena shows her a photograph of a small boy, whom, she says, would have been fifty.

Philomena’s daughter had no idea that she had an elder half-brother, Anthony, who was adopted when he was three. She accepts this revelation in a way that seems rather too easy, and asks a former journalist, Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) if he would consider helping her mother find her son. Martin isn’t keen at first but he’s lost his former job, so eventually agrees.

Most of the film follows Philomena and Martin as they travel, first around Ireland and then further afield in the hope of finding some clues to Anthony’s whereabouts. This is interspersed with scenes from Philomena’s life as a teenager, played believably by Sophie Kennedy Clark. We see the young man she met and kissed, without any idea where this might lead. We see, too, the strict convent where she was sent by her family, who disowned her when she was obviously pregnant. There are scenes following the birth, which was traumatic in the extreme, and her years working in the laundry at the convent, seeing her son for only an hour each day. We also, eventually, learn of what happened when Anthony was adopted, and why she didn’t see him again.

Although billed as a comedy, it’s a bittersweet story of discovery, and also of the growing friendship between the unlikely pairing of a hard-nosed political journalist and an elderly woman who sometimes seems naive, yet has seen (and experienced) a lot of suffering. The on-screen chemistry between the two is excellent, with Philomena becoming more confident, and Martin realising that people matter more than stories.

To say much more about the story would be to give spoilers. We were caught up in the film almost from the start, finding it sad yet with some superb one-liners and comic moments to lighten the serious nature of the film. It was very powerful, demonstrating the cruelty that apparently wasn’t uncommon towards unmarried mothers in the 1960s, and also the power of forgiveness.

There’s one ‘extra’ on the DVD, explaining how the real Martin Sixsmith came to meet the real Philomena. Both of them were on the set and somewhat involved in the making of the film, although a book was written first to bring this kind of situation to the public eye. We found the extra, with commentary from most of the main characters and the director, as well as the ‘real’ people, to be almost as moving as the film itself.

The rating is 12, which I would say is about right. There are a few instances of ‘strong’ language, and some traumatic scenes, including that of childbirth; yet there’s no nudity or violence, and nothing explicit.

Very highly recommended.

Review copyright 2018 Sue's DVD Reviews

Just One Day (Andy Garcia, Vera Farmiga) aka At Middleton

(Amazon UK link)

As with most of the films we watch for the first time, ‘Just One Day’ was recommended to me by Amazon. I had not previously heard of it, nor - as far as I know - either of the main actors. So I suppose it was recommended based on the genre of other films I had liked, and I was given it for my birthday a few months ago. We decided to watch it last night, after quite a tiring day.

The story takes place during one day at the campus of an American university called Middleton. Indeed, the film is entitled ‘At Middleton’ in the US, which is rather more descriptive as a title. We first meet the somewhat uptight banker George (Andy Garcia) driving his son Conrad (Spencer Lofranco) to an open day at the university which George thinks is right for his son. Conrad doesn’t want to wear a smart shirt and tie, and is clearly rather unimpressed with the whole idea of going to Middleton.

We next meet Edith (Vera Farmiga) driving her daughter Audrey (Taissa Farmiga, who is apparently Vera’s much younger sister) to the same open day. However Edith is rather flaky, and really doesn’t want her daughter to go there, while Audrey is very determined and focussed. We soon learn that she has something of a crush on an elderly linguistics professor, whom she has been longing to meet after studying his books.

The two pairs meet when Edith drives into a parking spot which George had been aiming for, and the contrast between her flamboyant, bohemian attitude contrasts nicely with his formal, somewhat uptight personality. They’re caught up in a tour with rather a boring student guide, and the two parents get separated from the group, and join forces.

Initial antipathy makes way for a realisation that in some ways they are kindred spirits, despite very different characters. Edith persuades George to keep away from the tour, inventing an imaginary personal tour and lying without compunction to her daughter. They explore the campus on ‘borrowed’ bicycles, climb a high tower despite George’s terror of heights, join in various classes, and gradually realise they are extremely attracted to each other…

I liked the upside-down idea of the film: that the parents behave in ways that one might expect teenagers to do, while the potential students follow the group and don’t do anything dramatic. Their stories intersperse somewhat with their parents’ escapade. Audrey meets her idolised professor and hears some hard truths from him, while Conrad discovers some things about Middleton that he likes very much.

There’s some humour in the various antics that George and Edith manage during the course of just a few hours; there’s also some poignancy, and more than a hint that neither is particularly happy. The chemistry between them is excellent. The ending is left open, and I found that a bit unsatisfactory, but overall we thought it a well-made light-hearted film.

Rated 15 in the UK, and R in the stricter US. There’s one brief sexual scene (from a distance) and a few instances of strong language. No nudity, no violence, and I’d have probably rated it as 12 or PG-13. However there’s a drug-related scene, which is probably what pushed it higher; nothing disturbing, as it was meant to be humorous, although we thought that scene rather flat. Still, given the subject matter, it’s unlikely that anyone younger than 15 would be interested anyway.

Review copyright 2018 Sue's DVD Reviews

The Time of their Lives (Joan Collins, Pauline Collins)

(Amazon UK link)

This is another film which Amazon recommended to me, and which I thought sounded interesting. So I put ‘The Time of their Lives’ on my wishlist, and was given it for my birthday, earlier in the year. After a long trip out of Cyprus, where we didn’t see any DVDs at all, we decided to watch this one. We had no idea what it would be like, but the case proclaimed that it was a ‘hilarious feel-good film’. So it seemed like a good one to watch.

Joan Collins stars as Helen, a former film star, who now walks with a stick and has fallen on hard times. She looks glamorous in an exaggerated style, and is very demanding. A chance meeting with Priscilla (Pauline Collins - who I assume is not related to Joan Collins) leads to the two of them embarking on a journey to France. Helen wants to attend the funeral of someone she used to be close to. She also hopes for the opportunity to find some more work as an actress.

Priscilla is a far more interesting character than Helen, in my view. She’s in a rather depressing marriage, oppressed by her husband and a rather demanding adult daughter. Her decision to accompany Helen on her trip is made spontaneously, with some apprehension. She soon discovers that Helen is just as domineering as her husband - and artificial, too. I didn’t like Helen much, while feeling some sympathy for her as we gradually learn more about her history.

There are some quite poignant scenes once the two arrive in France, and we found the film, on the whole, more depressing than amusing. There are some light-hearted moments in the journey, admittedly, and an unlikely meeting with a millionaire but that leads to something quite shocking, and a dramatic turn in the story.

It’s hard to say much more without giving spoilers. There’s really not much plot, as the film is character-based primarily. It focuses on the contrast between the two women and their gradual realisation that they do have some things in common. I never quite believed in their growing friendship, however; Helen is too self-centred, it seemed to me, ever to be a real friend to anyone.

Having said all that, the film is very well made, with some pleasant scenery, and we could believe in most of the characters. The more amusing scenes were nicely done with good timing, and the poignant ones made a clear contrast. We were quite engrossed in the storyline and a bit surprised when it ended quite abruptly.

Had it been billed as a drama, or a bittersweet story of friendship, we might have appreciated it more. It wasn’t really a feel-good film at all, in our view, and certainly not ‘hilarious’. But it wasn’t a bad film, and we may well watch it again one day.

The rating is 12A and I think that's probably right. There's very little bad language, some non-frontal nudity, and the end of a clearly intimate scene. But since the film features women whom I assume were meant to be in their sixties, it's unlikely to appeal to children or teenagers.

Review copyright 2018 Sue's DVD Reviews

Did You Hear about the Morgans? (Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker)

(Amazon UK link)

We wanted something light, perhaps mildly amusing, and not too long. We picked out several possibilities from our drawer of unwatched DVDs, and decided on ‘Did you hear about the Morgans?’ starring Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker. I assume Amazon recommended this one to me because I’ve enjoyed other films with these actors. It was given to me for my birthday earlier in the year.

Hugh Grant plays Paul - at least, his character’s name is Paul, although he doesn’t seem any different from most of the other characters Hugh Grant has played. It doesn’t matter. His slightly self-deprecating very English style works extremely well in this, a story which is essentially about a marriage.

Sarah Jessica Parker is Paul’s wife Meryl, who has a high-powered business leading an estate agency in New York. She's a slightly ditzy extravert. Paul is also a business tycoon, and we quickly learn that their marriage has broken up. They have been separated for three months. Paul is much keener than Meryl to get back together, or at least to spend some time together. During the dinner which they manage to squeeze into their busy schedules, we learn a fair amount about them both, and some of the strains that caused them to separate.

Then they go outside and witness a terrible crime… and the perpetrator sees them both. Their lives are in danger, so they’re sent, by the local police, to a tiny village in Wyoming. It’s about as different from New York City as is possible, and Meryl is at first quite resistant…

There’s an underlying tense thread relating to the criminal who is determined to find them. Interspersed with their attempt to fit into life in small-town Wyoming we see brief scenes of their PAs back in New York attempting to get on without them, and we see just how easy it is for them to be traced after a couple of foolish mistakes are made…

However the majority of the film is about Paul and Meryl’s marriage, as they are forced together in fairly small quarters, united in their culture shock in such a tiny, relaxed environment which is such a contrast to their usual lives. Gradually they learn to adjust, in ways that are sometimes quite amusing in a low-key kind of way. There are some great one-liners, mostly delivered by a straight-faced Paul. Hugh Grant excels at this kind of thing.

‘Did you hear about the Morgans?’ fit our requirements perfectly. It’s not the greatest film, although I’m sure we’ll see it again at some point. But we enjoyed it, and afterwards watched one of the extras which showed the locations of the film and how they were chosen.

The crime thread makes it a bit different from the average rom-com. There’s some violence though no gore, and some quite tense scenes, not just the ones involving the criminal. The UK rating is PG which slightly surprised me, but I suppose that’s because of the lack of bad language and intimate scenes.

I wouldn’t want a sensitive child to see this. Some of the tense scenes could lead to nightmares in some young children. I would have rated it 12, and note that the more conservative US censors have given it a PG-13 rating. However, given the subject matter, I can’t imagine anyone under the age of about fourteen or fifteen would have any interest in it anyway.

Recommended.

Review copyright 2018 Sue's DVD Reviews

Tea with Mussolini (Maggie Smith)

(Amazon UK link)

Browsing through Amazon and checking my recommendations, as you do, I kept seeing the DVD ‘Tea with Mussolini’. This is probably because both Maggie Smith and Judi Dench are in it, and I have thoroughly enjoyed all their films, particularly when they appear together. I wasn’t too sure about the setting of this one though, or the evident focus on Italian politics as it related to one of the World Wars.

However, eventually I succumbed to curiosity and put it on my wishlist. I was given it for my recent birthday, and we decided to watch it last night. I did not realise until afterwards that it’s not just historical fiction, but a semi-autobiographical film based on the memories of the director, Franco Zeffirelli.

The main focus of the first part of the story is a group of middle-aged women, mostly British, who are well established in the upper class echelons of Italian society. Maggie Smith is brilliant as Lady Hester, the self-defined leader of the group, as she is the widow of a former ambassador. Judi Dench is delightful as a bohemian artist, determined to preserve ancient frescoes. Joan Plowright is also excellent as Mary, secretary to a somewhat promiscuous Italian man. His illegitimate son Luca lost his mother recently but hates living in an orphanage.

Luca, we learn at the end of the film, is the young Zeffirelli, and he is taken to heart by the elderly women. Mary looks after him and the others help with his care and financing, particularly a flamboyant American women called Elsa. She is played (a little surprisingly, to us) by the singer Cher. We had not remembered that she is also a competent actress.

As war looms, the British are advised to leave Italy but this band of women refuses to depart. Lady Hester is convinced that her friend Mussolini will look after them, and manages to get an audience with him. However, it becomes increasingly clear as the film progresses that he has forgotten her entirely.

It’s a bit difficult to work out what the plot is, exactly; it’s a coming-of-age story as far as Luca is concerned, and it’s also a fascinating contrast between the advance of the war and the determination of the band of elderly women to keep their integrity and their traditions. Even when they are taken into custody they want tea at four o’clock…

The pace is good, the settings realistic. The women are exaggerated, but perhaps that’s how a boy like Luca would have seen them. Luca himself - played by Charlie Lucas as a child, and Baird Wallace as a young man - is excellent, his expressions as speaking, sometimes, as his actions and words. While I found some of the action a bit tense, I appreciated the gentle humour in some of the interactions, particularly those involving Lady Hester.

All in all, we thought it an unusual and interesting evening’s viewing. The rating is PG, and I think that’s fair, though the war scenes, and one mild bedroom scene could be disturbing to younger children. I can’t imagine it would be of interest to anyone under the age of about twelve or thirteen anyway.

Recommended.

Review copyright 2018 Sue's DVD Reviews