The More You Ignore Me (2018) User Reviews

Beautiful and accurate film.

[timb0-966-53179 · 7/10 · 10 November 2018]

Having worked with patients suffering from serious mental health problems for many years I am always interested in how the subject is portrayed on film. The film is set in the seventies and eighties and in terms of options available to people with bipolar disorder (this is essentially what is being portrayed) the options were largely around lithium (which is still used) and old style injectable phenothiazines that patients feel dulls their experience. Although the patient here appears to have bipolar disorder she is treated with injectables which did happen and probably still does. The picture presents the effect of such management well and the picture of someone who is too demotivated to leave their chair, sits smoking for hours and is unreactive is familiar to anyone who would have worked in mental health in the eighties.

I think the beauty of this film is that it is very engaging and very quickly I began to care about the characters. Jo Brand is always very good value and although she has been a writer, actor and comedian for many years the psychiatric nurse is just below the surface and this comes across in the film very well.

Keith English's direction brings one very close to the characters and I think accurately portrays the concerns of families caring for people with mental health difficulties. There are some minutes of high comedy but the tagline of 'you can't choose your family' is very accurate. You really can't choose family members and some of the ones depicted here you really would not want. I did think that the film depicted the concerns of family members well, from their lives being caught up with caring for a relative to the worry about whether they are in some way responsible for their relative's illness (they are not).

The nineteen-eighties are not that far away in time and with no internet, no mobiles and a world in which much of what was happening came through the television it was fun to see how far things have moved on. The over crowded décor of the seventies and eighties - the house being too cold for comfort and the isolation of small communities from urban centres all rang very true to me and although I live near London at the moment I grew up near many such places where a bus coming through was the highlight of the day. Keith English captures this all very well and there is massive attention to detail in making sure the illusion is not shattered.

A warm, kind and gentle film which stirs up some genuine emotions.

Happily for people with bipolar disorder there are better options too and the days of people being either so ill that they need hospitalisation or being overly sedated are now way behind us.

Not a comedy

[Abrazarse · 6/10 · 23 November 2018]

The performances of all actors was exceptional, mental health very cleverly depicted requiring hours of research. Whilst some of it was amusing, it was not funny and definitely not a comedy. Did not live up to its billing.

This Charming Movie (sorry)

[xyxxxxxx · 5/10 · 21 January 2024]

I'm American and a tad bit obsessed with British films lately so this showed up as recommended for me on a streaming service. It was described as set to "the music of The Smiths" and even the title "The More You Ignore Me" would indicate it's rife with either Morrissey or Smiths music. It's not. They actually only use two songs, This Charming Man and What Difference Does It Make, throughout the entire film so if you're looking for an insane soundtrack, you won't find it here. Also, it's definitely not a comedy. This is a drama with some lighthearted and touching moments that add up to a very sweet and special little movie. It starts with some background of a young girl being raised by both parents, but her mom has an undisclosed severe mental illness that prevents her from being able to parent. Her dad shows a great deal of love and sensitivity to both his wife and daughter and fast forward to the eighties and the girl is now a teenager. She is watching Top of the Pops one night and discovers The Smiths and becomes mildly obsessed with Morrissey. That is more of a sub-story, a thread that weaves throughout the film, but is not the main premise of the story at all. Her mom's illness has clearly worsened over the years, but they are managing and she receives ongoing treatment in the form of a "depo" shot and I assume they mean depakote, but in current times, a "depo" shot is progestin so it's a fertility drug. It was a little confusing. I also find it odd their close family friend and GP named Marie is treating Gina, not a psychiatrist. Again, different times so maybe it's actually not that far-fetched. Anyway, this med essentially turns Gina into a zombie, basically sitting in the den all day long and watching TV, barely able to speak. That is until her daughter convinces Marie to cut her dose in half so her mom comes back to life and surprise - she also becomes obsessed with Morrissey. There is an engaging storyline and get to know most of the main characters to the extent that you care what happens to them. Alice, the daughter, is so charming and such a good actress. She is the big draw for the movie and the primary character. Her mom Gina is more of a supporting role. The one thing I really did enjoy about this movie was the nostalgia of the times. It was very accurate in terms of music, clothing, attitudes... and I'm not British, but seeing that black wool coat with the little white specks and the brooch... we had the same thing and now I want that coat back. I wish they could have incorporated more music. The one thing that did throw me was the scene where we get a glimpse of Gina's arm and she has a giant tattoo. They should have covered that up with makeup. No suburban housewife or mom back then would have had a giant tattoo on her arm or anywhere else. It was like being jolted back into reality for a moment. I love seeing how close knit and stable their family was despite the mom's severe illness. However, do I think the acting was overdone to depict this unknown "mental disorder"? Absolutely yes. It became too forced. Like a farce. There are moments when it is very realistic and heartbreaking, and other moments where she reverts to this "child-like" persona that is NOT an indicator of either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder so I'm not entirely sure what that is supposed to be. A mental illness does not equal intellectual disability. It's actually a bit stigmatizing and wish they had gone a different direction with that portrayal of the mom's illness. Bottom line, love, love, the dad and daughter relationship, and the story overall. It was an entertaining movie and worth watching if you're a teen of the 80s, whether you like The Smiths or not.

Good movie

[ssantanuberaa · 6/10 · 7 November 2018]

Good story. Great acting, love Ella Hunt. Worth the time

girl with the dragon tattoo

[ops-52535 · 6/10 · 31 October 2018]

This film are nearly brilliant,authentic,almost antique when it comes to props,costumes and settings.but then came the camel through the needle eye,hitting like an upper cut,a gigantic tattoo on an innocent mums shoulder. thats like doing shakespear wearing virtual reality googles in the globe theater. but otherwise it is an allright flick,warm and soft humour,and a good flashback for us over the edge aged.if you like english smalltalk,then this is for you

Living with Bi-Polar condition

[gillianb-23901 · 4/10 · 15 October 2020]

As a survivor of the condition the main character experiences I thought it was an excellent portrayal but felt sad that the treatment back in the 70's and 80's was so poor. Thank goodness these days there are much better mood stabilisers and people can live a pretty normal life. I have been able to have a successful career and bring up 2 beautiful daughters who have a very mature understanding of mental health challenges. Relationships can be difficult and one is very vulnerable to making unwise choices but the patience and understanding of the husband and daughter in this film are beautiful and heart warming.All the characters were well casted and their acting, to me , was superb . I laughed and cried and am going to recommend it to everyone ! Well done Jo Brand. Now I want to read the book !

Loved it!

[dibsdale-70185 · 9/10 · 7 July 2018]

My wife and I went to this on the opening night. We both love Jo Brand and have read the book, so we were a little worried that the film would not come up trumps. Well, we knocked for six by the film. Wonderful to look at, the performances were all stunning - especially Sheridan Smith, Mark Addy, Sally Phillips and it made us both laugh out loud one moment then have a tear in our eyes the next.

The young lead, Ella Hunt, is a star in the making - what can I say?! Go see it. I had an aunt who suffered from mental health problems and it truly brought back the memories of her, good and bad.

Really Disappointing.

[WriteOnEjaleighBlog · 2/10 · 4 December 2018]

I love Jo Brand. No one can make me laugh as much. A few years ago she wrote a comedy set in the NHS called Getting On. It detailed the interaction between the staff and patients on a geriatric ward. It was shown quite late on BBC4 and it never received the recognition that it deserved. The funniest episode had to be when a memory stick containing photographs of many different examples of vaginal atrophy was mixed up with photographs for the hospital's Christmas Card competition. Brand's written some great autobiographies as well as her latest book Born Lippy: a sort of life guide for those who like their advice with plenty of wit and satire. One of the funniest jokes is, 'Just brought my husband home from hospital where he had to have fifteen stitches removed. That'll teach him to buy me a sewing kit for Christmas!'





I was really looking forward to this film. In her early life, Jo Brand worked as a psychiatric nurse and this film is evidently based on her dealings with people who had bipolar or manic depression, as it used to be known. Her experiences working in the NHS are detailed in her first autobiography, with plenty of Jo's unique self-deprecating comedy and pathos. No one does comedy as well as Jo Brand but the main issue with this film was that there was very little comedy.



The story itself has no similarities with Brand's own upbringing, which by all accounts was pretty nice and middle class. The film tells the story of a girl named Alice and her relationship with a mother who has severe mental health issues. The film claims that it tells the story of Gina, played by Sheridan Smith, who is unable to be a good wife and mother because of her declining mental health. I failed to see that the mother had ever attempted to be either of these because she seemed so self-absorbed and incapable of thinking of anyone else but herself. Sheridan Smith is usually a great actress but for some reason in this film, she descends into ham-acting. It probably doesn't help that she is forced to wear a wig that seems to be moving more than she does. She plays this part like an amateur in a church hall attempting to play drunk rather than suffering from mental illness. Most of her attacks descend into farce rather than the terrifying nature of psychosis and mania.

I hardly ever mention this, but I grew up with a parent, who for a variety of reasons, had a lot of mental health issues. When you are a child, you tend to normalise everything. I thought for years that everybody's mother hid in the wardrobe crying and had little pill bottles with cotton wool in the top. As difficult as my parent could be, it wasn't always that way. There were intense moments of happiness and I did believe that I was loved. In this film, all we ever see are the moments of anger, rage and lack of inhibition or the times when Gina is so drugged up and spaced out that she can barely notice anyone or communicate. That is why you simply can not believe that the characters are a strong family unit. In this way the film seems very one-dimensional. Against this backdrop, it is no wonder that the teenage Alice seeks solace with her boyfriend Mark, as well as developing a crush on Morrissey. The Morrissey link appears as though it has been tagged along just for the element of nostalgia. The plot seems to go in a direction that seems neither credible nor realistic.



There is no doubt that Ella Hunt who plays Alice is a fine actress and had she been given more of a chance to interact in a positive way with her Mum, then we might have understood her frustrations more. Without giving away any spoilers, I found the ending incredibly rushed and I just couldn't see it happening.Jo Brand has a brief cameo role in the film as a local shopkeeper. Again she is let down by a very overbearing wig which is far too distracting and more akin to something Joan Collins might have worn in Dynasty.

This is not the worst film I have seen recently, but as my Dad always says, 'I'm glad I didn't pay to see that at the cinema.' Jo Brand is a great comedian and her one liners are the best. Sadly, this film didn't feature either and that was its downfall.

Two stars: For trying to tackle a difficult subject.

Absolutely superb except one thing

[paulsmithson-192-243826 · 9/10 · 9 September 2018]

I loved every minute of this movie. It tackled a very difficult topic with grace, compassion and insight. To do all of this whilst being so watchable and entertaining is pure genius. The writing, directing and filming is never short of brilliant and a wonderful rollercoaster ride of comedy, sadness, and romance with touches of intrigue and excitement for good measure. And the acting. What can I say. There wasn't a single weak performance. It is hard to pick anyone out for special praise as the whole ensemble were top notch and deserve a mantlepiece full of gongs.

My one criticism, and my reason for deducting a star, is that the brilliant recreation of the 1980s, which was meticulous to the smallest detail, was shattered when Sheridan Smith's extensive ink work was revealed towards the end. Seriously? Did any woman have that much ink (or even any ink) in the 1980s. Why be so realistic with all the attention to detail of all posters in the background and then have clear shots of tattoos that are clearly post 2000? I'd consider this a major blooper.

But, tattoos to one side, and this still remains a brilliant movie and one that deserves as wide an audience as possible.

If you appreciate movies that are more than car chases and guns then this is worth adding to your must watch list.

The Closer I Get

[jfgibson73 · 5/10 · 6 March 2021]

I watched this movie almost purely for its title. Having Ella Hunt didn't hurt. It was fine. Just a quirky, independent UK drama. Slice of quiet lives and all that. They don't really mention the Smiths much.

A brilliant and heart warming portrayal of mental illness and how resilient their carers can be

[ian-deynzer · 9/10 · 13 October 2020]

Brilliant British production in every respect. It is in a genre of its own (certainly not a comedy) and a heart warming depiction of mental illness. Doesn't sound interesting or entertaining but give it a chance and you will be delightfully surprised. Out of the ordinary, moving and tearful at times, it is a great story of human emotions, understanding and tenderness. Written by the comedian Jo Brand, the casting and acting are excellent. Enjoy!

Great Cast, emotional and touching! Perfect!

[9plus1equals10 · 8/10 · 13 November 2018]

So I picked up my copy from local video rental called Visual Vibes in Lymington, Hampshire. The director Keith English is local and held a recent dvd signing session in this store. I collected mine and watched with my partner. This movie touches you with every emotion, from joy, to laughter to sadness, all emotions that we go through on a daily basis. The story was basic and simple to follow but the lead actress on this occasion Ella Hunt was fantastic as the daughter of Gina, played by Sheridan smith.

I would highly recommend your purchase of this movie!

Loved it!

[martsal · 9/10 · 22 November 2018]

A warm, funny, poignant british film. A real treat!

Nobody had their phone out !

[smwoodford-46802 · 9/10 · 30 November 2018]

The real measure of how good a film is in our house is how many people have their phones out while watching! During this really funny and, at the same time, very moving film not one phone was seen! Our house consisted of a 15 year old girl, 2 20-somethings and 2 50-somethings and we were all engaged from start to finish with the wonderful story line from Jo Brand and the great acting from the whole cast. The whole issue of mental health is handled well - I think a lot of people will relate to those moments when you have to laugh or else you'll cry. Highly recommended !

brilliant performance and a very real story

[timberlake1202 · 10/10 · 14 November 2018]

Absolutely brilliant performance by the entire cast. Sheridan Smith is phenomenal! It's great how they can make mental illness so real in front of our eyes and yet make it funny. You gotta laugh at everything, while raising awareness.

BRILLIANT PERFORMANCES

[csusan-69613 · 10/10 · 12 September 2018]

Didn't really know what to expect, but this film written by Jo Brand, who once worked as a Mental Health Nurse, gave a full insight into what it can be like to cope with Mental Illness. It was Sad, Weepy, Silly, Awkward but extremely Funny all at the same time., I thought every member of the small cast gave an excellent performance, including Gina's ( Sheridan Smith ) family, who I thought were all Nutcases. ( sorry ) Films like this bring home to us all what it's like coping with such difficult illnesses.. WELL DONE TO JO BRAND FOR WRITING SUCH A FUNNY YET POIGNANT BOOK/FILM. AND TO THE CAST FOR THEIR WONDERFUL PORTRAYALS OF THE PARTS WHICH THEY PLAYED.

An emotional yet fun rollercoaster ride

[phillipmead · 9/10 · 15 December 2018]

One minute you find yourself reaching for a tissue as an emotional scene tugs on your heart strings and then a breath or two later you're having a belly laugh. A delightful movie with meaning and messages embedded within it. A good watch.

Fantastic cast. Life affirming story of enduring family love.

[mandy-93-30241 · 9/10 · 24 November 2018]

This film is so cleverly written and sensitively directed portraying a family coping with mental illness with tenderness and great humour.

The cast is absolutely stellar making the film compelling viewing. You need to see it more than once! So many well known names and talents playing true characters with the challenges, cheekiness and continuing stoicism of a long, complex family story.

You will laugh out loud at hilarious moments delivered by the amazing Jo Brand, Sheila Hancock and Sally Philips and then be touched by the talents of young newcomer Ella Hunt. Sheridan Smith is by no means the only absolute star in this great film.

Incredible , Heart warming and Authentic Movie !!!

[dbaker-01364 · 10/10 · 10 November 2018]

Just watched the movie. Wow !!! I wiped my eyes twice with emotion of deep sadness and laughed in great scriptural moments. I need to see this again !! My wife has worked in care with these symptoms and recognized the effects of not only the one enduring this condition but the effects of how the family deals with the ripples. This movie has captured the reality in a way that is so grounded that it has created the awareness beyond imagination. The direction behind the camera and editing brought the eyes of the viewer out of the chair into a parallel of equal understanding of the issue, brought us into the zone and hit us both with the emotion as if we were living the same lives as the characters. This movie, to us, was an enlightenment and a hit of reality, this is exactly what we wanted to see. Amazing!!!! Great era , great soundtrack adds to the mood of the times.

Clever script and brilliantly acted

[stevemeaton · 8/10 · 24 March 2021]

I loved this, a moving story of mental illness in a dysfunctional family.

Great acting with an amazing cast. Well worth a watch.

Touching and quite beautiful.

[sas_smr · 10/10 · 27 March 2021]

Beautifully written and acted. We've worked in this environment for 30 years, seen loved ones sectioned &. Pals spending time getting the help they deserve. A few sad moments, but full of hope, love, kindness and gentle humour. Just watched it and could watch it all over again. Absolutely superb.