Michael Winterbottom has made many fine movies humanising the routinely despised - asylum seekers, alleged terrorists, and so on - but with 'Everyday', his portrait of a man with a long term prison sentence, he might possibly have done better to cast a harsher light on his protagonists. John Simm's gentle character hardly seems like a major criminal; and the struggle of his wife to raise their family alone is softened by its setting in the beautiful (and beautifully lit) English countryside. The drama centres on visits, rather than the routine of prison life, and uses a fair amount of soft-focus music . It's a sensitive but surprisingly unacerbic portrait of the consequences of being sent down; in places its moving, but its also clearly non-political - don't look here for an analysis of "broken Britain".
8 Reviews
Emperor's Clothing ?
Fairbrit15 November 2012
Take one art-house director, use non-actors in the most emotionally engaging roles (the children) and film it over five years. There you have it! A piece of work that receives amazing reviews and attention. Yet this drama has left me feeling strangely unmoved and disengaged. I wasn't interested in the adults and didn't care one iota about them, perhaps through the fault of the director? The only people that mattered to me were the kids but even their amazingly sensitive and natural performances struggled to keep my interest. Simm and Henderson were good, as they always are in their work, but no better than many other dramatic actors in far superior dramas. The scenes in Everyday were slow, and I found the accompanying music sounded like the film score from a Hallmark movie. Winterbottom's final shot was something that I have seen in endless films before... So why is everyone applauding this film? IS IT ME? Or is this truly a case of the Emperor's Clothing?
Everyday
jboothmillard6 December 2012
Warning: Spoilers
From director Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, A Mighty Heart), I heard bits and pieces about this feature length drama done in a relatively alternative way, where it is all filmed in real time, and it certainly adds to the realism of the story. Basically, filmed over a real period of five years, and with all four children played by real siblings, this tells the story of mother Karen (Shirley Henderson) who cares for her our children, Shaun (Shaun Kirk), Robert (Robert Kirk), Katrina (Katrina Kirk) and Stephanie (Stephanie Kirk) while their father Ian (John Simm) serves his time in prison for drug smuggling (although his crime may in fact be unspecified). When Karen does go with her children to visit Ian the journey is always long and laborious because he moves from prison to prison, and there is also a journey to get the children to school and back, but life goes on as usual. Day to day life for the family has repetitive routines, such as getting up early for the visits, brushing their teeth, working at the pub, eating meals, attending school, watching television and other mundane things, but Karen being lonely is also sleeping with Eddie (Darren Tighe) from the pub. Ian enjoys the visits from his wife and children very much, and despite being with bored with hardly anything to do in prison he always looks forward to hearing what his family are up to since they last saw him, the children grow fast and he misses spending personal time with his wife, and she feels the same. It is towards the end of his sentence that Ian gets the opportunity to spend a full day with Karen, Shaun, Robert, Katrina and Stephanie, so they go to their favourite spot the beach, before taking the children to town and the couple finally getting a room to be intimate in a short time. Finally the day comes when Ian is released having served his time, he is happy to see Karen and the children and be able to go home with them, he familiarises himself with life back where he belongs, but he is upset when Karen confesses her infidelity, but he forgives her in the end and they are all happy. Also starring Polly Kossowicz as School Teacher, Valerie Lilley as Grandmother and Peter Gunn as Shop Manager. Henderson gives a believably honest performance as the wife who is bored and needing her husband back and does everything she can to support and care well for her children, Simm gets his moments as the father who looks forward to every time he has with his family and looks forward to his release, and the four children who we see grow in real time are cute and endearing. The fact that this film was made over a period of five years is a very interesting concept, it definitely helps you believe the story of a troubled but loving family, the really related children ageing on screen is one of the key parts of what makes this film feel like a documentary, I agree it is emotionally draining in some way throughout, but it is an exceptional drama. Very good!
A quietly impressive film
roger-pettit117 October 2012
It's not very often that I enjoy a film in which very little actually happens! But "Everyday" is an exception. I saw it recently when it premiered at the BFI London Film Festival. It's a thoughtful, understated film with excellent performances. It held my interest right up until the end. And I enjoyed it very much.
Filmed over 5 years, "Everyday" is a worthy but never dull film about how a mother and her four young children cope while her husband and their father serves a term of imprisonment. Karen (Shirley Henderson) spends the time accompanying her children to and from school, trying to keep the family's home-life on a reasonably even keel and visiting her husband Ian (John Simm) with the children. At the same time, she is trying to hold down her job as a barmaid at the local pub. She is also having an affair with one of her customers.
"Everyday" examines the impact of Ian's absence on his wife and children. It does so in a naturalistic and unassuming way. There are no histrionics or very dramatic scenes. What we get are quietly effective vignettes that show how disruptive a husband and father's extended absence from home can be, particularly on young children. The acting is first rate. Henderson and Simm are very good indeed, as are all four youngsters who play the couple's children. The direction and the camera-work are also very effective. "Everyday" is a visually confident and a very impressive film. 8/10.
Filmed over 5 years, "Everyday" is a worthy but never dull film about how a mother and her four young children cope while her husband and their father serves a term of imprisonment. Karen (Shirley Henderson) spends the time accompanying her children to and from school, trying to keep the family's home-life on a reasonably even keel and visiting her husband Ian (John Simm) with the children. At the same time, she is trying to hold down her job as a barmaid at the local pub. She is also having an affair with one of her customers.
"Everyday" examines the impact of Ian's absence on his wife and children. It does so in a naturalistic and unassuming way. There are no histrionics or very dramatic scenes. What we get are quietly effective vignettes that show how disruptive a husband and father's extended absence from home can be, particularly on young children. The acting is first rate. Henderson and Simm are very good indeed, as are all four youngsters who play the couple's children. The direction and the camera-work are also very effective. "Everyday" is a visually confident and a very impressive film. 8/10.
quiet tension
p.newhouse@talk21.com18 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The film appears to have been shot in Lincolnshire and Norfolk, much in the Stamford area, and focuses on one family over five years, as they wait for the father to be released from prison. This is not one of those depressing 'true life' stories, but is a non-judgemental documentary style piece about a family living with an edge of expectation of what's round the corner, with real life pending for the moment. The film benefits from being shot over five years, as there are no changes of actors as the children age. John Simm and Shirley Henderson are completely believable ordinary parents, and the natural performances of the children, who are real-life siblings, help create the documentary feel.
A moving account of a "real" family
Pi_16 October 2012
I saw this movie at the Channel 4 building last night, I went with high hopes as I'm a fan of Michael Winterbottom's other work, but I wasn't really sure what to expect as all of his movies are quite different.
This movie focuses on a young family who are dealing with the fact that their father is doing a five year stretch in jail. We see these children grow up over the whole movie as it was shot over 5 years which just adds to the realism. The acting is outstanding, very natural, in fact it's hard to believe they aren't a real family. It shows the struggles that the children face not having their father in their lives and how they adapt to that. We see the father in jail who doesn't really take on board how difficult it is for this family to travel to see him, he has his visits and wants every single minute with his family, but as the viewer we have a better understanding of what it really takes to see him. The mother just gets on with, she's incredibly strong but my heart went out to her when I thought of myself being in that same position.
I was hooked until the last minute, laughing then crying, then laughing again. This is no glamorisation of prison, it's just the real mundane, human stuff and I found that extremely refreshing.
This movie focuses on a young family who are dealing with the fact that their father is doing a five year stretch in jail. We see these children grow up over the whole movie as it was shot over 5 years which just adds to the realism. The acting is outstanding, very natural, in fact it's hard to believe they aren't a real family. It shows the struggles that the children face not having their father in their lives and how they adapt to that. We see the father in jail who doesn't really take on board how difficult it is for this family to travel to see him, he has his visits and wants every single minute with his family, but as the viewer we have a better understanding of what it really takes to see him. The mother just gets on with, she's incredibly strong but my heart went out to her when I thought of myself being in that same position.
I was hooked until the last minute, laughing then crying, then laughing again. This is no glamorisation of prison, it's just the real mundane, human stuff and I found that extremely refreshing.
Chiaroscuro
carlesmiquel14 December 2015
One feat may be this film was shot in a five-year period of time. Boyhood in twelve. No problem. But a great deal, anyway. The thing is the story. Always the story. Here, Winterbottom takes us in the lives of people who have to do what they have to do, every day. And it's exactly that every day life which gives meaning to any life.
The kids (I imagine all of them siblings in real life) are just themselves all the time. No hidden tricks, no acting. They are the glue of everything here. And yes, they deliver what any kid their age would do in life: living as a kid. It has the feel of a documentary. The hand held camera is a clear sign of this, as is also the camera in the car, the perfectly captured whispers... as if we were intruding in their every day lives.
The beauty of the story is the chiaroscuro of its scenes and of its pace. Quiet and bucolic at times, raucous and city-driven in other moments. I applaud the way this film was made and all the people involved in making it happen. Beautiful.
The kids (I imagine all of them siblings in real life) are just themselves all the time. No hidden tricks, no acting. They are the glue of everything here. And yes, they deliver what any kid their age would do in life: living as a kid. It has the feel of a documentary. The hand held camera is a clear sign of this, as is also the camera in the car, the perfectly captured whispers... as if we were intruding in their every day lives.
The beauty of the story is the chiaroscuro of its scenes and of its pace. Quiet and bucolic at times, raucous and city-driven in other moments. I applaud the way this film was made and all the people involved in making it happen. Beautiful.
How can a family's everyday chores be this pleasant?
satatpark30 April 2014
Having seen some of the Michael Winterbottom movies...i am able to make out that he is an all rounder in making films of all kind..from erotic (9 songs) to sci-fi (code 46)..but "Everyday" made a everlasting mark in my heart which other films of his doesn't couldn't do.It makes me ready for my turn as a father..Really overwhelming to a see a women working hard with a smile on her face,though she has a Himalayan task of providing her 4 children with food,love and a void to fill left by the father whose is at jail for non-specified reason.Michael Nyman's tunes kindles and provokes the emotion of viewers greatly.Not to mention..the so realistic acting of Shaun and Robert..Shaun as a sensitive young boy idolizes his father to such a extent that he is ready to give anyone a black-eye who speaks ill of his father..A heart warming movies to watch for every 20+ people who are about to own a family of their own..
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
