Grumpy old Arthur (Terence Stamp) takes terminal cancer sufferer wife Marion (Vanessa Redgrave) to weekly practice at her pensioner choir even though he has little patience for it. But after Marion's death he feels strangely drawn to it...
Carefully sold in the trailer as Britain's latest geriatric comedy, this is not a comedy at all. Yes, there are amusing moments, but most of them are in the trailer. And, although it is unashamedly sentimental, it isn't entirely a schmaltzy heartstring tugger, either.
It is a portrait of Arthur. All the joy in Arthur's life has come from Marion, who had enough for them both and for everyone else her life touched. Once she is gone, Arthur's morose nature leaves him stranded, incapable of connecting easily with others, and estranged from son James with whom he has never had an easy relationship. Perhaps the choir, and jaunty choir leader Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton) will enable him to make those connections for himself.
I'll be honest, I have never greatly rated Terence Stamp. I have always felt that he has coasted on the back of his extraordinarily striking looks (still every bit as striking as he marches into his seventies) and that his performances have showed little variation, skill or technique. But here – and without downplaying the wonderful support he gets from Redgrave, Arterton and Ecclestone – he is superb. It helps that the part suits his "less is more" approach, but that is not to disparage the way that a small performance highlights big emotions. It is a subtle, wise and touching performance in a film which has no great truths to impart, but which always entertains nevertheless.
Carefully sold in the trailer as Britain's latest geriatric comedy, this is not a comedy at all. Yes, there are amusing moments, but most of them are in the trailer. And, although it is unashamedly sentimental, it isn't entirely a schmaltzy heartstring tugger, either.
It is a portrait of Arthur. All the joy in Arthur's life has come from Marion, who had enough for them both and for everyone else her life touched. Once she is gone, Arthur's morose nature leaves him stranded, incapable of connecting easily with others, and estranged from son James with whom he has never had an easy relationship. Perhaps the choir, and jaunty choir leader Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton) will enable him to make those connections for himself.
I'll be honest, I have never greatly rated Terence Stamp. I have always felt that he has coasted on the back of his extraordinarily striking looks (still every bit as striking as he marches into his seventies) and that his performances have showed little variation, skill or technique. But here – and without downplaying the wonderful support he gets from Redgrave, Arterton and Ecclestone – he is superb. It helps that the part suits his "less is more" approach, but that is not to disparage the way that a small performance highlights big emotions. It is a subtle, wise and touching performance in a film which has no great truths to impart, but which always entertains nevertheless.