Rupert Grint is a true find as a British teenager who gets a summer job working as the companion for an eccentric retired actress (Julie Walters) so, at his mother's request, they can help out the destitute elderly man she has taken in. Walters, once one of the most respected actresses of the RSC, ended her career on a British soap opera, and now lives in virtual seclusion. She becomes attached to him, and takes him off on the road against his mother's wishes, giving him an adventure and a view of life he wouldn't have had staying around his ultra-Christian surroundings.
Laura Linney, one of the most likable American actresses of today on stage and screen, has usually played the type of character we'd all like to have as a wife, sister or aunt. But here, with a convincing British accent, she plays a very cheery woman who is hiding a lot of secrets underneath, most of which point her out to be a hypocrite and a sinner in secret. That said, her performance is excellent, but she has only a little bit of screen time. Red-headed Gint is a delightfully rich young actor who I hope gets the same popularity as his "Harry Potter" co-star Daniel Ratcliffe, reminding us that not every young actor has to be a pin-up boy looking like Justin Bieber or have a muscular, tanned body the teenage girls all drool over. As for Walters, I have adored this droll actress ever since before "Educating Rita", and here, she moves her character acting skills into Maggie Smith territory.
The problem with the movie lies with the screenplay, moving in so many directions and leaving out some important details, so the ultimate result is sweet, yet unsatisfying. But with so few movies being made today that explore the relationships between young people and the delightful eccentrics around them, that is a small complaint. These characters benefit from each other's different kind of wisdoms, and for that, this film is truly worth exploring.
Laura Linney, one of the most likable American actresses of today on stage and screen, has usually played the type of character we'd all like to have as a wife, sister or aunt. But here, with a convincing British accent, she plays a very cheery woman who is hiding a lot of secrets underneath, most of which point her out to be a hypocrite and a sinner in secret. That said, her performance is excellent, but she has only a little bit of screen time. Red-headed Gint is a delightfully rich young actor who I hope gets the same popularity as his "Harry Potter" co-star Daniel Ratcliffe, reminding us that not every young actor has to be a pin-up boy looking like Justin Bieber or have a muscular, tanned body the teenage girls all drool over. As for Walters, I have adored this droll actress ever since before "Educating Rita", and here, she moves her character acting skills into Maggie Smith territory.
The problem with the movie lies with the screenplay, moving in so many directions and leaving out some important details, so the ultimate result is sweet, yet unsatisfying. But with so few movies being made today that explore the relationships between young people and the delightful eccentrics around them, that is a small complaint. These characters benefit from each other's different kind of wisdoms, and for that, this film is truly worth exploring.