The War Machine (Comandante)

 

   Co-written and directed by Edoardo De Angelis, this new Italian drama is based on a true story that occurred during the early days of World War Two.

    Italy had 115 active submarines during World War Two. By the end of the war, only 19 were left. This is the story of "The Cappellini", it's crew and most importantly it's captain, Salvatore Todaro. Brilliantly played by Pierfrancesco Favino, Todaro sinks a neutral Belgium cargo ship after the Belgium ship fires at the sub first. 26 crew members survive in a lifeboat and Todaro must decide what to do with them. Should he leave them to their own fate or go against orders and rescue them putting his own crew in danger.

    It's a difficult moral dilemma and it makes for a riveting drama. It's a different kind of war film that illustrates perfectly the fog of war and it will keep you engaged right to the end.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

 

      Co-written and directed by George Miller, he brings us back to the barren landscapes of the world of "Mad Max". It's been years since the success of "Mad Max: Fury Road" and now Mr. Miller brings us the prequel of that film's most memorable character, Furiosa.

      You can't miss the bold type marketing for the film "starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth".  It's interesting that while Ms. Taylor-Joy does in fact "star", she doesn't enter the film until almost halfway through the story and Mr. Hemsworth is almost unrecognizable wearing a prosthetic nose.

      Furiosa is played by Alyla Browne as a child and teen. She is terrific in the early half of the story. Once Ms.Taylor-Joy does appear, she dominates her scenes and holds our attention throughout the remainder of the film. Mr. Hemsworth is clearing having a great time chewing up the scenery as Dementus, and the decision to mask his familiar features behind the prosthetic allows him the freedom to go bonkers as the crazed villain. The film also features Tome Burke as Praetorian Jack, Lachy Hulme as Immortan Joe, and George Shevtsov as The History Man.

       While not quite on par with the mayhem in the previous film, there are exciting set pieces of volatile action, especially one excellent sequence involving the hijacking of the "War Rig". The story works as a stand alone film if you are new to the series, but also offers for the fans, a fun backstory that will have you running home to rewatch the superior "Fury Road" as soon as this one ends.

IF

 

     John Krasinski wears multiple hats in this "family-friendly" film. He wrote it, produced it, directed it, is one of the producers, and even acts in it. Wearing all these hats, he takes on too much and creates uneasy tonal shifts and a story that doesn't quite gel. 

     Aiming for a return to the innocence of childhood imaginary friends (If's), the story shifts too much between the fantasy elements and the real world, where the film is grounded. Mr. Krasinski asks a lot of his audience to suspend belief and allow a 12-year-old girl, named "B", to wander New York City alone as well as the ability to see multiple "If's", not her own, without any explanation. The logic of the film dictates everyone has their own "If" but why can "B" see all of them?

     The film starts with the death of a mother and a father with a bad heart in the hospital. This is not exactly fun stuff and then quickly turns to the discovery of odd imaginary friends that may seem too bizarre and scary to young children. There is a subplot about another child in the hospital that is never really explored (is he a victim of parental abuse?). It's hard to tell exactly what age group Mr. Krasinski is appealing to. His IF's are all voiced by celebrity friends of Mr. Krasinski (I assume) and adults in the audience can amuse themselves trying to match the celebrity to the character. Good luck trying to identity Brad Pitt.

      On a positive note, the visuals are excellent, a combination of CGI and puppetry and the human cast does an admirable job, especially Callie Fleming as "B". Ms. Fleming is an adorable twelve year old, mature for her years. (She grew up playing Judith on "The Walking Dead", which will mature a kid very quickly). Her co-star Ryan Reynolds is his usual wise-cracking, fun loving self, albeit with a hint of sadness in his character. Fiona Shaw also co-stars as B's grandmother. Liza Colon-Zayas plays Janet, a hospital nurse and Bobby Moynihan plays an adult who has forgotten his "If"

      The three major If's in the story are voiced by Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Louis Gossett Jr. There is a nice post credit tribute to Mr. Gossett Jr.

      Ultimately the film has too many detours to it's central story and loses it's way, despite Mr. Krasinski's best efforts to emotionally tug at our childhood memories.

 

Back to Black

 

        Amy Winehouse was a star that shined much too briefly. This new bio drama chronicles her rise to stardom. It's a positive portrayal that, while it does show her dependency on alcohol and later drugs, doesn't really delve deeply into the dark side of her story. Director Sam Taylor-Johnson and writer Matt Greenhalgh have too much respect for their subject.

        Marisa Abela stars as Amy and she is sensational. Not only does she capture Ms. Winehouse in a physical way but she does her own singing recreating Amy's songs beautifully. The film co-stars Jack O'Connell as her great love, Blake Fielder-Civil. Mr. O'Connell is a fine actor but the script doesn't do justice ( I assume) to the bad boy influence of the real Blake on Amy's life.

        The rest of the cast includes Eddie Marsan as Mitch Winehouse, Amy's dad, who is also portrayed as too much of a good guy. Juliet Cowan plays Janis Winehouse, Amy's mum and the great Lesley Manville as Cynthia Winehouse, Amy's grandmother, a tremendous influence in Amy's life. Sam Buchanan plays Nick Shymansky, who helped Amy get her first record deal with Island Records.

          Bio films are always tricky. It's hard to tell just how much really happened and what parts are fictionalized. It's a known fact that Amy had problems with mental illness, Bulimia, alcohol and drug abuse but Mr. Greenhalgh can only imagine her state of mind when she was alone with her thoughts. 

          It's a star turn for Ms. Abela but ultimately another sad story of a great talent gone too soon.

           

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

 

      And a new trilogy begins...set "generations" after Caesar and the last film, this story has all new characters and is the first in a reported three film story.

       It stars Owen Teague, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, Lydia Peckham, Travis Jeffrey, Freya Allan, Dichen Lachman, and William H. Macy.

       The screenplay by Josh Friedman is surprisingly good, balancing thoughtful drama with exciting action and some interesting surprises. Director Wes Ball and his amazing effects team bring these apes, gorillas, chimpanzees, and one orangutan to incredible life. The motion capture and CGI work is stunning.

        If you are a fan of the series, you will not be disappointed. And if you have the chance, see it in IMAX. It looks and sounds tremendous.

       

The Fall Guy

 

        A rom-com wrapped up in an action heavy visual treat, this new film is very loosely based on the old TV show, "The Fall Guy" starring Lee Majors and Heather Thomas.

        The film doesn't take it self too seriously but rather begs you to be entertained. The chemistry between leads Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling is terrific and the stunt work is fantastic. The on again, off again, and on again romance does get tiresome but both attractive stars (at times, they even make fun of their own images) are fun to watch. 

        Co-starring are Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Winston Duke, Teresa Palmer, Stephanie Hsu and a scene chewing Hannah Waddingham.

        Director David Leitch used to be a stunt man himself and knows his way around an explosion or two. Here he does a great job paying tribute to all the stunt people who work so hard to entertain us. During the credits, he splits the screen to show outtakes and stunt folks at work and also runs all the names associated with the film. It's a bit of a disservice as you miss the names watching the outtakes.

        The film is lighthearted, loud, fast and has something for everyone. The definition of a popcorn movie.

Unfrosted

 

    Expanding on his comedy routine about Pop-Tarts, Jerry Seinfeld has co-written, directed and also stars in this full length feature about the unique breakfast pastry. It is quite possibly the silliest movie ever made.

    The snappy one-liners and visuals gags pop continuously and while most crackle, some fall as flat as the pop-tart itself. Mr. Seinfeld imagines a world where Kellogg's cereals completes with Post cereals for the creation of a new breakfast sensation. It's probably not far from the truth but, no doubt, was a lot more serious in the real world.

    Mr. Seinfeld stars as the head of marketing for Kellogg. Jim Gaffigan is Edsel Kellogg III, the owner of the company completing with Post's owner Marjorie Post, played by Amy Schumer. Melissa McCarthy is Donna Stankowski, a NASA scientist who joins the Kellogg team.

    The film co-stars a who's who of comedians, friends of Mr. Seinfeld's (including his wife) and serious actors taking themselves not very seriously. The list includes Max Greenfield, Hugh Grant, Peter Dinklage, Christian Slater, Bill Burr, Dany Levy, James Marsden, Jack McBrayer, Thomas Lennon, Bobby Moynihan, Adrian Martinez, Sarah Cooper, Mikey Day, Kyle Mooney, Drew Tarver, Tony Hale, Felix Solis, Dean Norris, Maria Bakalova, Kyle Dunnigan, Beck Bennett, Cedric The Entertainer, Freed Armisen, John Slattery, Jon Hamm and Sebastian Maniscalco. Many of the aforementioned co-stars are nothing more than cameos but many of them are pretty funny and Mr. Hamm and Mr. Slattery's scene steals the film.

      This lighthearted, ridiculous pastry war is best enjoyed with an actual pop-tart and a glass of milk. It's currently available only on Netflix.

        

Challengers

 

          Zendaya has great skin. I know that because of the endless close-ups in this new "sports" drama from director Luca Guadagnino. The film uses tennis as a metaphor for the love triangle between Zendaya, Josh O'Conner and Mike Faist. The relationship between the three volleys back and forth throughout the film with partners seemingly changing constantly.

          Mr. Guadagnino opens his playbook on camera angels, close-ups and various POV shots (even from the tennis ball's perspective) to the point of making one dizzy. The timeline of the script, by Justin Kuritzkes, changes constantly throughout the film as well to the point you can only tell by Zendaya's haircut, which time period you are watching.

          The sex scenes between the characters don't go beyond heavy kissing, leaving the rest to your imagination, which is certainly a tease on Mr. Guadagnino's part. His serve is out of bounds when he misses the chance to make the film sexier and more erotic than implied. The three leads are talented actors but their roles are one dimensional. Zendaya is the manipulator, Mr. Faist, the sad sack, and Mr. O'Conner, the bad boy. 

          Veterans of film music, the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is very disappointing. The pulsing electronic beat (added to build sexual tension I suppose) just becomes just more annoying as the film goes on.

          This match is pointless.

              

Monkey Man

 

    Actor Dev Patel has been busy. He has written the story, co-written the screenplay, produced, directed and is starring in this new action adventure.

    Integrating Indian culture and mythology into a "John Wick" type revenge story, Mr. Patel shines as the protagonist in this violent, bloody film but the story does have it's problems. Flashbacks in this case should be used sparingly but Mr. Patel finds it necessary to return much to often to memories of his mother and what led to his choices in the present. It does work as a stopgap between all the violence in the present but it also tends to slow things down too much. The motives for the people that rescue him at one point are not that clear and why they don amazing costumes to help him fight the villains is also unclear.

    Mr. Patel's co-stars include Sharito Copley as Tiger, a sleezy fight promoter,  Pitobash as Alphonso, Vipin Sharma as Alpha, Sikandar Kher as Rana, Sobhita Dhulipala as Sita, and Ashwini Kalsekar as Queenie Kapoor.

    The action scenes are well choreographed with some original moves (a scene in an elevator is remarkable in it's sadistic violence). The climatic fight scene between Mr. Patel and Mr. Kher starts out as the brawl we've been anticipating but ends much too quickly and what follows is a bit of a surprise.

     Credit Mr. Patel for creating a familiar story in a fresh new setting. As an accomplished actor, he shows promise in his new roles as a writer and director.

  

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

 

     Co-written and directed by Guy Ritchie, this untold story of World War Two is based on a true story. Apparently Winston Churchill recruited a small team of mercenaries for an unsanctioned mission to destroy German U-Boat supplies in the North Atlantic.

     The team consists of Henry Cavill,  Alan Ritchson, Henry Golding, Alex Pettyfer and Hero Fiennes Tiffin. Also working undercover with them on the island where the supply ship is docked, are Eiza Gonzalez and Babs Olusanmokun. Co-starring back in England are Cary Elwes, Freddie Fox and Rory Kinnear. The main villain is played convincingly by Til Schweiger.

     The dialog can be silly at times and also repetitive (the mission is repeated multiple times in case we didn't understand it the first time). It's a lighthearted script (a bit odd for a war film involving Nazis) and although there is not much suspense (the Nazis all die very easily), there is plenty of action and entertaining enough without straining your attention. 

     Mr. Ritchie has a knack for these kinds of films and I wouldn't be surprised it there is a sequel.

Civil War

 

        The title of this new film, by writer/director Alex Garland, is completely misleading. The trailer, as well, leads you to believe this will be exciting modern day war between the states. While it is true there is a civil war going on, the film is much less about the war than it is about the journalists and photojournalists covering the conflict.

         As the film opens, the war is already going on. California and Texas have succeeded from the rest of the country and have formed the Western Forces (highly unlikely in a real scenario). The film follows a small group of war correspondents as they drive from New York to Washington D.C. through a hostile America.

          Kirsten Dunst plays Lee Smith, a renowned  war photojournalist traveling with Joel, a reporter for Reuters, played by Wagner Moura. Their companions are Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) a veteran reporter for the NY Times, and Jessie, a young aspiring photographer (Cailee Spaeny),  Lee reluctantly takes under her wing. Nick Offerman co-stars as the President and Jesse Plemons has an uncredited and chilling one scene cameo.

        Ms. Dunst is excellent as Lee, stoic and numb from all the horrors she has witnessed. At first, I thought Ms. Spaeny was miscast but she successfully grows into the role. The rest of the cast is solid.

        As they travel the country, they bear witness to atrocities on both sides, navigating dangerous situations to get their photos and stories. Jessie matures quickly as she is thrown into the horrors of war. Mr. Garland doesn't take sides. Nor does he explain how the conflict started. The film is their story. It's all about the press and how they put their lives on the line to report what they see. 

        Based on the title, the film is a missed opportunity as it tells a very different story from what you would expect but once you realize the direction it takes, it does become riveting in its own way. 

            

Arcadian

 

     Nicholas Cage stars as Paul, a father of two teenage boys living in an isolated rural area, in a post apocalyptic world.  During the day the they look for food and salvage materials. The older boy, Thomas, played by Maxwell Jenkins,  when he can, visits a farm of other survivors a few miles away. It is there that he enjoys the company of Charlotte, played by Sadie Soverall, a girl his own age. The younger son, Joseph, played by Jaeden Martell, tinkers with projects and builds useful things for the family's survival.

     At night, the three board up their house, securing all the locks to protect themselves from strange creatures that started appearing after the apocalypse. The creatures only appear after dark so it's always a race to return home at sunset to protect themselves.

     The three leads are very good with Mr. Cage giving a stoic performance, stepping back and letting the boys handle most of the plot's heavy lifting. The film is well paced, suspenseful and builds to a strong third act. The creatures are original and quite menacing, a combination of CGI and puppetry.

      It's a better than average take on a well worn plot.

Wicked Little Letters

 

      Based on a 1920's true scandal, this black comedy is a period piece that follows the investigation of crude and insulting letters sent anonymously to various residents of a small English town. 

      At first a number of letters are only sent to Edith Swan (played by Olivia Coleman), embarrassing Edith and enraging her domineering, controlling and religious zealot father, Edward Swann (played by Timothy Spall) but soon other residents of the town start to receive letters as well.

      Edith and her father are convinced the author of the letters is their next door neighbor, Rose Gooding (played by Jesse Buckley), a single mom who smokes, drinks and swears openly and is living "in sin" with her boyfriend, Bill (played by Malachi Kirby). With just the accusations and little hard evidence, Rose is arrested for libel. PC Gladys Moss (played by Anjana Vasan) is the only one who thinks Rose may be innocent but being the only woman on the town police force in 1920, her suspicions are ignored.

     The film also co-stars Gemma Jones as Edith's mother, Victoria, Joanna Scanlan as Ann, Lolly Adefope as Kate, Eileen Atkins as Mabel, Alisha Weir as Nancy Gooding, Hugh Skinner as Constable Papperwick and Paul Chahidi as Chief Constable Spedding. 

     It's a wonderful cast anchored by the marvelous Olivia Coleman, Jessie Buckley and Timothy Spall. It's a comedy of very bad manners (with a serious undertone) that is very enjoyable. Be warned though, the language is deliberately most foul.

The First Omen

 

     The original "The Omen" scared me so much in 1976, I needed a stiff drink after seeing it. Now 48 years later, we finally have the prequel, explaining Damian's birth.

      Pregnant novitiate nuns seem to be the rage right now and this film, while not great, is far superior to the recent "Immaculate". That was so bad, I didn't even bother to review it but rather I'm trying to forget I even saw it.

      This story introduces Novitiate, Margaret (played by Nell Tiger Free) in Rome to perform her vows while working at an Orphanage. Of course things turn sinister in time and people start to die. There are a few deaths that attempt to copy the novel deaths of the original but the shock value just isn't the same.

       Sinister nuns abound and there is lots of chanting and blood flows freely but I can't say I was actually scared. The film builds its suspense slowly but ramps it up in the third act. Ms. Free is convincing as Margaret, becoming more and more unhinged as she unravels the mystery and her involvement. 

       The film co-stars Sonia Braga as Sister Silvia, Ralph Ineson as Father Brennan, Billy Nighy as Cardinal Lawrence, Tawfeek Barhom as Father Gabriel, Maria Caballero as Luz, and Nicole Sorace as Carlita. Charles Dance has a quick cameo as well.

        There have been many films in this franchise. I would recommend watching the original after seeing this one. It still holds up.

In the Land of Saints & Sinners

 

          The year is 1974. Liam Neeson stars as  Finbar Murphy, a hitman for hire at the end of his career, living out his life in a quaint, but remote Irish village. When four IRA terrorists end up hiding out nearby, a confrontation becomes inevitable. 

          Kerry Condon plays Doireann McCann, the leader of the terrorists, in quite a change from her usual roles. The film also co-stars Ciaran Hinds, Colm Meaney, Jack Gleeson, Sarah Greene, and Desmond Eastwood.

          The film reflects a true Irish nature in it's visual beauty and authentic cast. The setting and pace are different from most of Mr. Neeson's action films. The suspense only builds after a murder leads to more violence as the peaceful village comes under the ire of McCann and her men.

          While we've all seen films similar to this, there are enough unexpected moments to keep the story fresh. It would make a good double feature with "The Banshees of Inisherin". 

           

           

    

Asphalt City

 

        This is a hard hitting new drama taking us very realistically inside the world of EMT's. While "Bring Out The Dead was similar in structure, this film plays almost like a documentary with unrelenting closeups and non-stop action driving call to call.

         Sean Penn stars as the veteran EMT, Gene Rutkovsky (Rut, for short) and Tye Sheridan plays Ollie Cross, Rut's new rookie partner. The film also co-stars Michael Pitt, Katherine Waterston (in a one scene cameo), Raquel Nave, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Mike Tyson (in a credible role), and Kali Reis. Ms. Reis (so good recently in "True Detective: Night Country") is almost unrecognizable as a addict who has just given birth by herself in a shelter.

          Director Jean-Stephane Sauvaire's "in your face" hand held camera works puts you riding along inside the ambulance and right in the middle of the emergency calls. It is breathtaking but at the same time, very difficult to watch. The territory is East New York and the majority of the people they try to help are not easy going or friendly. No one looks like actors. It's all seems very real and at times, scary to see what these people go through on a daily basis. It is a harrowing film.

           There is little dialog for the first half of the film but slowly we begin to learn more about Rut and Cross. Cross meets a woman at a Rave and finds a sexual outlet for his pressure. Rut visits with his ex-wife to see his little girl. These short interludes give way to the job and it's not long before they are back making life and death decisions, doing their best to keep people alive, whether they think they deserve it or not.

           The film is dedicated to all the EMT's and first responders who work tirelessly trying to save lives and in the balance, many times lose their own.

Sting

         AMC Theaters  has found a way to fill seats on a Monday night (slowest night for theaters) by offering a five dollar ticket to "Unseen Cinema", a surprise new film. This past week I took a chance on what I only knew would be a horror film.

          "Sting" is written and directed by Kiah Roache-Turner. It is a horror film made in Australia but taking place in a small apartment building in Brooklyn New York, during a terrible snowstorm. An extended family lives in the building along with a few other tenants. The main character is Charlotte, a precocious preteen who discovers a small black spider while exploring the building though the air ducts. Unbeknownst to Charlotte, the spider has arrived from outer space and is not a normal arachnid.  She names it Sting and keeps it in a jar but it grows bigger each time she feeds it. Of course that becomes a problem very quickly.

           Alyla Browne plays Charlotte, Penelope Mitchell plays her mother, Heather. Ryan Corr is her stepdad, and Noni Hazlehurst is her grandmother, Helga. The film also co-stars Jermaine Fowler as Frank, the exterminator. Other tenants are played by Silvia Colloca, Robyn Nevin, and Danny Kim. Ms. Hazlehurst steals the film as the hard of hearing and memory challenged, Helga.

           The film is well paced and mildly suspenseful but never really scary (unless you have a fear of spiders). It has horror film required gore but also a few amusing moments as well.

            It was worth the five dollars but otherwise, if you're interested in this sort of thing, wait for streaming it at home.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

 

   Based on the success of the sequel, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife", it was inevitable that the franchise would continue. Building upon that story, the cast from "Afterlife" has been transported to New York and taken up residence in the firehouse from the original film.

    Returning are Carrie Coon as Callie Spengler and as her kids, Finn Wolfhard and McKenna Grace. Paul Rudd is also back as Gary, Callie's boyfriend and surrogate dad. Celeste O'Connor and Logan Kim also return (with a poor excuse for their move from Oklahoma). 

     The additional casting of Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and even William Atherton (all from the original film) add a jolt of welcome nostalgia to the story. In addition to the returning cast members, we also get many references from the original film and even a snippet of Ray Parker Jr. singing the original song. 

      Joining the cast this time are Kumail Nanjiani (in a significant role), Patton Oswalt, James Acaster, and Emily Alyn Lind. Ms. Lind plays a ghost in scenes with McKenna Grace that almost seem romantic and out of place for this story. Of course the story itself is overstuffed with the odd mix of ghosts, an undead God and the coming of a second ice age (which has nothing to do with ghosts except here to fatten the plot).

       Individually, Ms. Grace has the largest part. Mr. Rudd is there to basically wisecrack (which he does so well), Mr. Wolfhard's scenes involve "Slimer" from the original film but everyone does team up for the big finale. And of course, lets not forget the cute army of "Staypuff" marshmallow men who even have a cute mid-credit scene.

        It's harmless family fun for preteens and up and definitely nostalgic fun for adult fans of the original.

Knox Goes Away

 

       Once in a while a film with no fanfare, advertising or any real press means the studio that releases it has no faith in it. But sometimes a film like that can sneak up on you and you find yourself pleasantly surprised. This is one of those films.

       Michael Keaton stars and directs himself, as John Knox, a criminal diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. This is a rapidly moving form of dementia that he is told will completely take hold of his mind and body within weeks. With time running out, he tries to make amends by protect the life of his adult son, while also being pursued by the police who are investigating his involvement in a murder,

        Mr. Keaton is absolutely terrific as Knox. Whether it was because he directed himself or simply because he is such a good actor, this is one of his best performances. The film co-stars Al Pacino as his mentor, Marcia Gay Harden as his ex-wife, and James Marsden as his son, Also featured are Ray McKinnon, Joanna Kulig, Lela Loren and as the detectives in charge of the investigation, Suzy Nakamura and John Hoogenakker.

        As a director, Mr. Keaton keeps the film well paced without any theatrics and getting good work from the whole cast, including Mr. Pacino who, of late, can sometimes be rather manic. The script, by Gregory Poinier, is an original twist on the crime genre pitting Mr. Keaton's disintegrating mind in a race against his plan to protect his son, all while the police and other criminals keep getting in his way.

        This is an Indie drama worth your time.

One Life

 

       This new drama is based on the true story of Nickolas Winton, a British stockbroker who took it upon himself to organize (with a small group of others) the rescue of over six hundred child refugees (most of whom were Jewish) from Czechoslovakia on the brink of World War Two.

       Sir Anthony Hopkins plays the elder Winton, who, when cleaning out old files finds his scrapbook with details of the rescue and decides to bring it to public attention. Flashbacks take us to Prague in 1938 where the young adult Winton is played by Johnny Flynn.

       Mr. Flynn is subtlety dashing in his resolve to help as many children as he can, get safely to England. Sir Hopkins gives a superb performance as the elder Winton, who wants the story told. The film co-stars Helena Bonham Carter as Babi Winton (Nickolas's mother in the flashbacks), Lena Olin as Grete Winton, Jonathan Pryce as the elder Martin Blake, Ziggy Health as young Martin Blake, Romola Garai as Doreen Warriner, and Samantha Spiro as Ester Rantzen.

       This little known, remarkable, story is deeply moving and heartfelt. It should be seen by the largest audience possible. It will restore your faith in humanity.