Intimate Relations (1996) User Reviews

Has A Bizarre Feel

[Theo Robertson · 5/10 · 6 May 2004]

Harold Guppy leaves the navy and lodges with the Beasley family . Before he`s unpacked his case he`s bonking the middle aged Majorie Beasley and before he knows it the daughter , the thirteen year old Joyce Beasley is wanting a shot

Does this sound like a movie with a lot of potential of laughs ? I didn`t think so either but for some reason writer/director Philip Goodhew has gone all out to make INTIMATE RELATIONS a tragic black farce . I have to admit that I didn`t laugh once or even feel like smiling as I imagine was Goodhew`s intention , I just kept saying to myself " Gawd some people deserve to be strung up " , I can`t think of a movie I`ve seen recently with so many unlikable people . It should also be pointed out that the very serious ending jars with the saucy postcard humour of the rest of the film

I will give the director some credit for getting the best out of the cast . Rupert Graves manages to communicate the angst of his character Harold Guppy rather well while Julie Walters is also good as Majorie , but the late Laura Sadler is absolutely superb as young Joyce

But the cast are unable to stop me thinking that perhaps this is a movie that shouldn`t have been made , especially with its comedic feel

Based on actual events??

[afncsu · 7/10 · 3 October 2003]

This movie was good, but very weird. It is hard to believe that people can be so demented. Laura Sadler gave a great performance as young Joyce Beasley. I was looking forward to seeing her in future movies, but sadly, she passed away.

Intimate Relations

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 12 January 2024]

Based on a true story, Harold (Rupert Graves) arrives home after a spell at sea and finds rejection at home from his sister-in-law. Forced to seek lodgings elsewhere, he alights on Marjorie (Julie Walters) who shares a room with her teenage daughter whilst her husband sleeps separately for "medical reasons"! Initially all goes well, they all bond nicely and he settles in as one of the family. The applecart gets a bit upset, though, when Marjorie decides that she's got the hots for her new tenant and after some very timid rebuttals, he soon acquiesces to her demands! The daughter, Joyce (Laura Sadler), meantime, is fully aware of her mother's peccadilloes and threatening to tell her father, insists that she becomes part of their games. Not the sex part, no, but she essentially treats him like an indulgent new father - and one with whom she becomes increasingly infatuated. Needless to say, this situation cannot continue but it's only when he tries to end things that he discovers that his older paramour is quite prepared to make his life a criminal misery with some heinous allegations should he try to escape this web of deceit - before a picnic brings things to a tragic and definitive head! Walters and Graves are both fine here, but they don't gel especially well together and that's quite crucial to the addictive nature of this story. The sex scenes are almost comedic at times and the ease with which this menage-à-trois seems to thrive rather robs the film of much of a sense of jeopardy, or even that they might be doing something wrong and immoral. It does look good but the narrative is a bit flat and disappointing, I found.

Definitely Wierd and Dysfunctional Family Fare

[alicecbr · 19 September 2000]

If you feel that your family isn't quite right, see this movie and you'll be grateful for what you have. This mother is the mother from Hell, seducing the boarder...a baby-faced ex-reform school lad. But he's an angel compared to her and her pitiful completely wierded out daughter. Guess you would be too if you shared a bed with your mama doing the nasty. Then of course, he refused to play on the night he catered inexplicably to this kids' attempt at blackmail.

Loved the English countryside, despite the fact that it was splashed with gore. It's an interesting diversion from what passes as entertainment today. Wonder what the TRUTH was. Glad that the veteran with one leg at least got Christmas cards from the Veteran's Group over there;;;;that's ALL he ever got.

Captures your interest, but falls apart

[Undead_Master · 4/10 · 5 August 2003]

This movie doesn't really have a hero... Everybody in the movie eventually does something that causes you to question their integrity or decency and you never really understand the underlying motivations causing the behavior. As a result, it's impossible to identify with any of the characters and the movie breaks down. A film without a hero is not necessarily a bad thing all by itself, but you have to handle it properly. In this case, they didn't.

It starts off well enough and plays through the first 30 or 40 minutes as a black comedy... Then things get darker and not so funny anymore and that is when the movie begins to fall apart. You can't really stop watching it but you wish you could and by the time it's over you wish you'd never started.

The ending, especially, leaves something to be desired.. You never really feel the ending coming and when it happens, it's not only a surprise, but a disappointing surprise. It fails to shed any light on the rest of the film. I like surprise endings most of the time, but in this case it just didn't work for me.

There are probably many people out there that would enjoy this movie, but personally I can't recommend it. It's well made, and well acted, but in the end, it is a disturbing disappointment.

One of the best movies I've seen

[sundaygirl05 · 10/10 · 3 November 2001]

This movie is brilliant, really it is. The fact that it is based on a true story only adds to it and makes it that much better.

Basically, this movie is following Harold Guppy, a man who we want to like but does some pretty despicable things on our road to the ending. He seems like he's had quite a bit of trouble in his life (he lets us know in a discussion with his brother) and he wants to start fresh. This won't be the only time he has such ambitions.

Harold is immediately welcomed into a family who are looking to rent a room. Enter Julie Walters. Although it's a nice, friendly, relationship at first, Harold and Mrs. Beasley's relationship soon turn sexual (though he's in his 30's and she her 50's), where they even result in having sex in bed with Mrs. Beasley's (or as he calls her, Mum's) daughter Joyce.

Their relationship is smooth enough until Harold decides he wants to get out. Mum has this psychological control over him and it isn't healthy. They are now regularly sleeping together (with Joyce still in the bed) and Harold needs to get out of the situation. So he escapes, at least, for a while.

Soon enough Mum has control of him again, saying she'll tell the police that Harold sexually abused Joyce. So here he is again, back in Mum's control.

We are led to believe that Harold really is a good boy, just a weak one. We have compassion for him, as he really needs Mum (it's not as if he ever had one growing up), and he can't escape. But he must.

All the way to the end, we pity our Harold as everything falls apart. And it does fall apart for poor Harold.

This movie is sad in its simplicity and we do feel for many of the characters, Harold's brother and wife, Mum's children, Joyce, Mr. Beasley, the list goes on.

I'd suggest this movie a million times over. The film-maker films each shot so coldly, there never really is any sunshine, and everything seems so grey...it's reminiscent of the relationship Harold and Mum have. Icy.

Julie Walters and Rupert Graves deliver masterly performances, as well as the young girl who is Joyce. Congrats to everyone who worked on this film, it's amazing.

Nothing funny about this at all

[cathyannemoore-66196 · 1/10 · 8 January 2024]

Totally not what I expected. I watched it expecting to see Julie Walters in a comedic role, parts she plays with excellence. Not in the least bit funny. On the contrary rather a disturbing film. The subject matter would not be portrayed like it was if today's standards were applied. Interesting from the point of view that the setting in the. 1950s came across as very authentic. Wardrobe did a good job with costumes. Also interesting to see a young Amanda Holden and Les Dennis in the cast. Overall it is little more than a made for TV film that covers a disturbing subject matter in a somewhat inappropriate way.

Strange bedfellows...

[Foreverisacastironmess123 · 8/10 · 22 March 2014]

Wow, I am the first person to review this film in eight years, and I have a feeling it will be even longer than that before anyone cares to do so again.. Bloody depressing thought! I very recently rediscovered this purely by chance when I put in a search engine the only, very vague details that I remembered about it - "British black comedy, daughter Joyce", and voilà! A virtually unheard of dark gem was lifted from the mists of obscurity by the wonders of modern technology! And it really was a great find for me, it turned out to be just as sharp and strange as I had very dimly remembered it. Very well acted by the three main cast members around whom the drama revolves, effective if not a little dull and dreary 50's setting, I find something so fascinating about the films set in that whole era that are all about scratching under the painfully restrained starchy veneer of the time and revealing the hotbed of seething sexual frustration lurking just beneath... And it's based on a rather grim true story too - although that's the problem with the movies that are based on real events, you never know just what's true and what isn't. It has such a powerfully odd and edgy tone to it that I've never come across with any other film ever. It's like a self-aware spoof of sexual tension, and is pretty funny in a saucy 50's British kind of way that in this instance I can really appreciate, but what I most enjoy about it is that despite it's mostly mundane and deceptively simple quietude, it's also at the same time in a really sly and insidious way quite subtly dark and more than a little disturbing. Although much of this dire tale is somewhat lighthearted and tongue-in-cheek humour there's also a sense of urgency to it, the humour is balanced out with moments of well-placed intensity, and the comedy and suspense is brilliantly intertwined. It's very much a black comedy with a real edge and rawness to it, not just for the dialogue, but for the increasingly tense atmosphere and mood generated by the character interactions, which work to humorous and unnerving effect, as the three very different tones of the three very troubled and overly-close individuals just collide and cause all kinds of mayhem in their wake, and the situation slowly builds and escalates until things become downright deadly by the end. I just love the way you can feel that madness slowly simmer and grow! It's astonishingly well acted by all concerned, but I was most impressed by Rupert Graves who's low-key performance as the seemingly weak-willed and naive Harold was probably the best in the film in terms of complexity and character development. His character gets more and more confused and aggravated as the nightmare he's essentially trapped in works on his mind, and you get a strong sense of this man's desperation and need to escape. The dynamic between the three leads is amazing. At first it appears that they are merely getting sick of each other, but it soon turns into outright hostility, and it was only a matter of time before such uncontrollable anger would turn them against each other, their behaviour becoming ever-more erratic and aggressive until it all reaches a boiling point in the chaotic scene of violent murder at the end. There is something so chilling and distressing about the way that whole final scene is shot. It's so stark, and right in the middle of a bright beautiful day, and even though you somehow just know that the film is not going to end well, I doubt anyone watching for the first time would have been expecting such a horrendous scene. It seems to come out of nowhere and is so sudden, it's born out of spite and barely-contained loathing and is almost gruelling to watch. It left me stunned. ::: A startlingly well-realised and controversial film that doesn't pull any punches is how I would describe this one. It's presented in a no-nonsense fashion and avoids melodrama and remains plausible and realistic, while still maintaining the humour. I find it complex for its plot, themes and characters. It's planned and carried out with great care and at its heart is quite twisted and delves deep into the motivations of three people who get very carried away and keep blaming each other, instead of taking responsibility for their own actions until it's too damn late. A very well executed and unique film that deserves to be seen and gain a real audience.

A disturbing drama

[Tapio-5 · 4/10 · 26 April 1999]

Well, I usually like english movies but this is absolutely boring and most disturbing. It is based on a true story, but still this movie is boring. Actors are good. The end is so stupid, that almost it is hard to believe that it is a true story. I would give this movie ** from *****.

very well acted and executed

[passa · 8/10 · 11 January 2001]

I thought this film was very well acted especially by the lead actors. Julie Walters gives a brilliant performance, as always, and the story was kept tight and interesting throughout.The ending was very brutal but honestly approached, although of course no-one can be sure exactly what really happened as the two main witnesses couldn't testify.

breathtaking

[RoyStead · 8/10 · 22 August 2002]

A movie which is breathtaking in its simplicity and honesty. The cinematography perfectly complements the storyline, and the director/writer manages to carefully deliver each item of character backstory precisely when it's needed, without seeming in any way contrived.

A true character-driven movie with the always-reliable Julie Walters.

where can I get a copy?

[bill-354 · 25 July 2006]

I cannot find a copy (DVD or VHS) of this film. I have checked Amazon.com, Movie Unlimited, Sunburst and a couple other less known sources.

It is difficult to imagine a film with such good reviews not being available. If anyone can e-mail ([e-mail]) me a lead on where I can obtain a copy compatible with U.S. player/VCR standards I would appreciate it.

Or if anyone knows of any plans to reissue copies of this film, I would appreciate any details. Similarly, any leads on who I could write to for information would be appreciated. Thanks.

Will stand the test of time.

[philipdavies · 7 May 2004]

Brilliantly accomplished descent into a domestic suburban normality whose 50's banality masks the dysfunctional morbidity of a household which is an almost Ortonesque symposium of 'inappropriate behaviour'. Except that the black humour turns to a sense of hysteria. Even the last attempt by the sexually triangulated characters to escape the emotional miasma of their huis-clos by pic-nicing in the countryside is tragically doomed.

Ultimately, they destroy each other in a distinctly incestuous and furious resolution by people hopelessly isolated from decent society, beyond the pale of ordinary acceptance, forgiveness, or indeed of any possible closure but that of death.

Horrific and disgusting - most definitely.

But infinitely pitiable, as well, and a tragedy of truly Greek proportions, reminding us that the respectable shibboleths of civilised morality, such as 'Mum' constantly employs in her sententious middle-class way to 'shore against the ruins' of a collapsing private world, are not necessarily sufficient to guard us against our own flawed nature. The drama in this film has a Sophoclean power, and leaves us humbled and cleansed by the spectacle of puny individuals destroyed by forces greater than themselves.

We shudder at the spectacle, and are perhaps purified thereby of the temptation to indulge too readily our own baser natures. In Greek terms, we learn a new respect for the gods that rule over our mortal nature.

The dramatisation of such awe and pity restores us to our right mind. This is a very unusual object for a contemporary film: So often it is the 'authenticity' of transgression which is lauded and extolled in modern culture, no matter what the cost. Perhaps this film is seen by modern audiences as in some sense therefore 'reactionary' in its revulsion from the fate of its characters, who are seen by the writer and director in Classical terms as having been trapped and destroyed, rather than as having achieved any meaningful selfhood? Not for this director the typically adolescent Romanticism that so admires the supreme perversity of self-immolation. It is not that he condemns his characters for their weakness, or even that he harps particularly upon their evil natures, for he does neither, choosing instead to regret the selfishness, the solipsism, that has excluded them from the human family. Much as Mankind in general is excluded from the innocence of its early, Edenic, dreams by the psychological burden of a self-consciousness that actually is the guilty sense of being regarded as having drawn attention to the Self: The whole psychological evolution of modern man seems to demand that we must constantly seek to submerge our sense of the obtruding and distracting self to our sense of the Other. Whereas, in 'Mum''s household rebellious emotions finally overwhelm all pretence of domesticity, and the world beyond their walls, for them, ceases to be of any relevance or significance, and therefore becomes absolutely untenable and unsustainable. There is no 'consequence-free' zone where they may be permitted to go off and begin new lives, in any conceivably more sympathetic milieu: As much as in Arthur Penn's film of 'Bonnie & Clyde' these are lives driven to their own destruction by their own interior demons. They are by no means the exemplary free spirits that some might wish them to represent. Quite the opposite - they are the damned. They are a lesson, and a warning.

It is possibly for just such conceptual offence against the reckless modern creed of untrammeled and indulged Individualism that this film has been punished at the box-office, upon its release. It is made a more important film thereby, and will stand the test of time, that destroys the transient glamour of fashion.

All the acting is very fine, but Julie Walters gives a phenomenal performance. Altogether a great piece of work.