Fifteen minutes into this movie, I felt I wouldn't see it through. Emma Thompson was the reason I was looking at it in the first place. I had read in the TV guide there were four scenarios taking place in a bleak Scottish village. It certainly was very bleak. Not too much scenery to be seen, other than the bare street with houses running along either side; rocks covered in snow beside the sea wall; a frozen sea, and a lighthouse. That was it! However, it was the acting of the whole cast that kept me watching this strange movie. Certainly not a movie to watch when you need to be cheered up.
It was interesting to see Emma Thompson acting with her real mother Phyllida Law, who was born in Glasgow,Scotland.I guess this is why Emma's accent was very authentic. She does have an English accent in real life. The actual movie itself is a disaster. Both Emma and her mother played their parts well. The two young boys were incredible, and no doubt will be famous in the film world.The two teenagers were also excellent in their parts. Also the two old ladies dressed in black, but for the life of me, I don't know where they fitted in here. Three of the scenarios are eventually linked with Emma and her mother meeting one of the boys on the beach, and Emma's son and the teenage girl, but not the two old ladies ... maybe in the beginning when Emma's mother is looking at them through a telescope and pulling them to pieces, but that's it!
Strangest thing of all I found aboutthis movie was one of the young boys holding a kitten and walking on to the ice close to the end of the movie, and then being followed by his friend, and this is how it ends (?). Are we supposed to make up our own ending. The first boy keeps on walking until he can't be seen in the mist any more. Then his friend does the same ..into the mist and he's gone. I have to tell myself they walked back again. They were two lively kids talking about everyday day life, not about ending theirs. Yes, they definitely walked back to terra firma or I'll never sleep tonight. :-)
It was interesting to see Emma Thompson acting with her real mother Phyllida Law, who was born in Glasgow,Scotland.I guess this is why Emma's accent was very authentic. She does have an English accent in real life. The actual movie itself is a disaster. Both Emma and her mother played their parts well. The two young boys were incredible, and no doubt will be famous in the film world.The two teenagers were also excellent in their parts. Also the two old ladies dressed in black, but for the life of me, I don't know where they fitted in here. Three of the scenarios are eventually linked with Emma and her mother meeting one of the boys on the beach, and Emma's son and the teenage girl, but not the two old ladies ... maybe in the beginning when Emma's mother is looking at them through a telescope and pulling them to pieces, but that's it!
Strangest thing of all I found aboutthis movie was one of the young boys holding a kitten and walking on to the ice close to the end of the movie, and then being followed by his friend, and this is how it ends (?). Are we supposed to make up our own ending. The first boy keeps on walking until he can't be seen in the mist any more. Then his friend does the same ..into the mist and he's gone. I have to tell myself they walked back again. They were two lively kids talking about everyday day life, not about ending theirs. Yes, they definitely walked back to terra firma or I'll never sleep tonight. :-)