Greetings again from the darkness. If you have seen the preview, you know exactly what the film is about. Regrettably, I have not read Zoe Heller's novel, which is evidently brilliant in its subtle manipulation. Director Richard Eyre's ("Iris") film adaptation is anything but subtle, but it is still loads of fun ... in a demented kind of way.
One should read or discuss the film as little as possible prior to viewing so as not to lose what little element of surprise exists after the trailer. What you can know is that Dame Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett are pure magic on screen. They remind of a great Bette Davis vs. Joan Crawford battle and that is lofty company indeed! Blanchett wreaks agony and Dench expertly delivers some of the best British stuffy one liners in film history. These two are what take the film from the Lifetime Channel to interesting movie watching. Throw in Bill Nighy's fine support work and you have two hours of entertainment, even though the subject matter is a bit tough to stomach.
Philip Glass' score adds depth and mood and the best advice I can give is to sit back and enjoy the performances. A bit campy at times, I just viewed this as a nice comic relief from the extremely heavy subject matter.
One should read or discuss the film as little as possible prior to viewing so as not to lose what little element of surprise exists after the trailer. What you can know is that Dame Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett are pure magic on screen. They remind of a great Bette Davis vs. Joan Crawford battle and that is lofty company indeed! Blanchett wreaks agony and Dench expertly delivers some of the best British stuffy one liners in film history. These two are what take the film from the Lifetime Channel to interesting movie watching. Throw in Bill Nighy's fine support work and you have two hours of entertainment, even though the subject matter is a bit tough to stomach.
Philip Glass' score adds depth and mood and the best advice I can give is to sit back and enjoy the performances. A bit campy at times, I just viewed this as a nice comic relief from the extremely heavy subject matter.