Morning Glory

Morning Glory is one of those films where the plot is so obvious you don’t watch it to see what happens, more how it happens. In this particular example we have Becky (Rachel McAdams), a recently sacked producer of a small time breakfast TV show, finding a new job producing a similar show but on a majorish network in New York. However, her new boss (Jeff Goldblum) informs her that the show is due to be cancelled unless the ratings improve. Well, can you guess what happens? As this isn’t a film by Andrey Tarkovskiy, you probably can. The director in question is actually Roger Michell, and being the safe pair of hands that he is, we glide through the film with all the usual standards intact. To be fair to McAdams though, she doesn’t coast through this and is convincing as the determined career woman putting all her effort into proving she can be a success. Becky's masterstroke is to force respected news anchor Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) to present the show. Ford appears to have fun with the character of Pomeroy, grumpy as the day is long whilst trading snippy and amusing one liners with a fellow anchor played by Diane Keaton. Having said that Keaton, (and Goldblum) are the weaker links of the film, both seemingly unsure of how to play their characters. Keaton’s opening scene has her of somewhat of a primadonna, but before long she seems game for anything. Goldblum is so laid back his scenes appear to be from rehearsals. Meanwhile Patrick Wilson is wasted in a pointless romantic subplot. This is McAdams and Ford’s film though and they generate most of the laughs. In the end though, is director Michell having the biggest joke of all? The title itself is slang that would raise a few titters amongst his British brethren and squeezing the radio network name (IBS) that Becky works for past the suits at Paramount leaves you with an image of Michell walking off into the distance with a cheque in his top pocket and a cheeky grin on his face.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Pretty dumb stuff, but it's innocent enough and the cast seem game. Rating: 6/10

Sanctum

James Cameron executive produces Sanctum and it’s his return to his beloved watery underworld. Director Alister Grierson's film concerns a group of underwater cave explorers who have to find an escape route to the sea after becoming trapped down a cave in Papa New Guinea. How much you enjoy this film is down to two factors. How thrilled you are by the scenes of peril and how annoyed you are by dodgy CGI and some very ropey acting. Grierson actually does a good job of getting the claustrophobic feel of the caves and directs the action scenes well, giving a sense of tension and genuine danger. Accidents are a regular occurrence and their aftermath, including a few gruesome corpses, isn’t skirted over. However, it’s between these scenes that the film suffers badly. A very clunky script (including some oddly crude one-liners) is stumbled over by some very D list actors. One death scene in particular provides unintentional laughs when the actor in question (no spoilers here) mourns the death of another with a facial expression that can only be described as some who is constipated. Speaking of the actors, this is a very small budget cast and usually a group of unknowns works perfectly well in films like this as you really don’t know who’s going to make it or not. The problem here is that the group is headed by the relatively well known Richard Roxburgh and Ioan Gruffudd (complete with terrible US accent) so it’s not surprising to see that they don’t buy the farm first. The rubbish 3D adds nothing, but overall, despite its many flaws, if you’re not expecting too much from this you should get some level of enjoyment.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Some suspect acting aside, this has the occasional thrill without ever going on to be anything greater. Rating: 6/10

Gnomeo and Juliet

What a disappointment this is. A mildly amusing title is quickly lost amongst a mess of a movie that seems to have started with a collection of Elton John songs with a film then being constructed around them. Based, very loosely, on a Shakespeare play (can you guess which one?) Gnomeo and Juliet starts off badly and never really recovers. Basically, if you’ve seen the trailer you’ve seen virtually all the laughs in the film. In fact the first 45 minutes are so awful the majority of the audience that were in the cinema with me got up and left. I braved it out to the finish though, and it does pick up a bit, but it was still a struggle. The main problem is, frankly, who wants to watch a film about Gnomes? Pixar, Dreamworks et al have the nous to know that if you are going to pick something unusual as a subject matter, at least make the characters cute somehow (The rats from Ratatouille being a perfect example). Of the two main Gnomes Gnomeo (James McAvoy) is smug, whilst Juliet (Emily Blunt) is just plain annoying. Of the gags that aren’t in the trailer, the majority are barrel scraping Christmas cracker-esque and the filmmakers could be prosecuted under the Trade Descriptions Act for claiming this is 3D. Any redeeming features then? I suppose you can have fun guessing the voices of the British cast and the emergence of an hilarious plastic flamingo (Jim Cummings) does give the film a boost, but it’s a lone light in a film that is so tiresome I don’t think even old Bill himself would bother turning in his grave.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
For tiny tots only. Everyone else avoid or just listen to your Elton John Greatest Hits album at home instead. Rating: 2/10

Megamind

The thing you notice most about Megamind is, despite a decent set up, how quickly the film descends into scene after scene of complete unoriginality. I won’t say what films it borrows from but many of the ideas and character arcs have been seen in animated films over the last few years. Now, the good news. The film’s still a blast. Starting off with Megamind (voiced by Will Ferrell) defeating his long time enemy Metro Man (Brad Pitt), but soon realising this isn’t all it’s meant to be, he invents a new foe Tighten (Jonah Hill) to fight instead. This doesn’t work for Megamind either and when he starts falling for news reporter Roxanne (Tina Fey) he decides to become a “good guy”. Not all that easy though when you are feared by all and had previously kidnapped Roxanne. So, not many fresh ideas here, but as this is a Dreamworks production, it’s still a cut above your average animated film. Though not being a laugh riot there are some decent gags dotted throughout the film. The animation is also great, particularly the facial expressions of Minion (voiced by David Cross) which leads to a number of surprisingly emotional scenes involving Megamind’s sidekick. In fact, this actually hits home well in the dramatic department. There is plenty of heart on show and it doesn’t turn into a cheese fest either. Interestingly I also happened to see the 2D version of this over the 3D version. Of course, it makes no difference as to the quality of the film, but you do notice some superfluous moments (doughnuts flying upwards for example) that stick out as being included for a 3D audience. This does lead to a further discussion as to how many scenes are put in 3D films to take advantage of the 3D, as opposed to actually being an integral part of the story. You don’t need a mega mind yourself to work out it’s probably most of them.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Seen it all before? You probably have. This is still entertaining though, even if it won’t go down as an animated classic like a lot of recent vintage has. Rating: 7/10.

The Fighter

Taking into account David O Russell’s combative nature it’s with delicious irony that his latest film is called The Fighter. Then take into account the two main stars are Mark Whalberg and Christian Bale, seriously spiky off screen individuals themselves, you wouldn’t have been surprised to hear stories of “creative difficulties” on set (Whalberg was apparently unsure of Russell directing this having endured the mayhem of the Three Kings shoot with him) and persons leaving the production. However, it appears professionalism has reigned supreme as the film, despite a long gestation period before Russell’s involvement, is highly enjoyable with great acting from all. It’s interesting to note that Darren Aronofsky was set to direct this before dropping out (and eventually ending up behind the camera for Black Swan). I’m not too sure of the exact reasons why Aronofsky left, but surely a sense of déjà vu must have come over him as The Fighter is very similar to Aronofsky’s The Wrestler, both in style and tone. Both films concern comebacks and in each film the actual story is almost secondary to the characters and their portrayals by the cast. This film is based on the true story of Micky Ward (Whalberg) and his rise to world welterweight boxing champion, aided (and hamstrung) by his brother Dicky Eklund, a former boxer but now a crack cocaine addict. Out of the two leads, its, unsurprisingly, Bale that blows Whalberg off the screen, but Whalberg is half decent himself and this is the first film for ages I feel he’s really got into the character. Despite the two leads, this is pretty much a four-hander as good support comes from Amy Adams as Micky’s girlfriend Charlene and Melissa Leo as Alice, the Micky and Dicky's mother. The relationship between all four characters forms the matrix of the movie. Adams isn’t entirely convincing at first as a tough bartender but grows into the role, especially in one of the film’s best scenes where she meets Alice for the first time along with Micky’s seven bitchy sisters. Leo herself almost tops Bale on the acting front, playing Alice to perfection as a mother who would never hear a bad word against her family (particularly Eklund) but turns a blind eye when it comes to their, and her, imperfections. Finally we have Bale. Whatever you may think of his intensity and tendency to stay in character off screen, it clearly works for him as this is another great turn from Bale and it’s hard to think of any of his current contemporaries who could beat him in an audition for anything. Returning to Russell, his low key direction compliments the storyline as he concentrates on the relationship between the protagonists, though this may be to the consternation of the pugilists out there, as the fight scenes are rushed through and frankly, quite unrealistic. So, a boxing film with little boxing, but this still packs a punch thanks to the great acting from the cast and Russell’s insightful direction.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Helped by some subtle direction from Russell, Bale and Leo are the high points of a family drama disguised as a boxing story, with even the occasional laugh thrown in. Rating: 8/10.

Rabbit Hole

Hollywood loves a subtitle these days, so to help consumers along with the oddly titled Rabbit Hole it might have helped if the studio had re-named it Rabbit Hole: A Study In Grief. Obviously this is a jokey remark, not entitled to belittle the subject matter of the film (that of parents coping with the death of their young son) but it does give a fair description of this film which never escapes from its theatrical roots and thus has a movie of the week feel as to anything more substantial. The parents in question are played by Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart and both do fine work as they try to get their lives back on track whilst consumed with grief. The problem with the film is it’s unclear what director John Cameron Mitchell is trying to say. I haven’t seen the play so are unaware of the differences between that and the film, but if this is just to say how hard it is to accept and cope with such a horrific situation, then, well, the fact that the parents have got upset is hardly unsurprising news is it? Kidman’s contact with the young man who accidentally killed her son may raise a few eyebrows, but this again is hardly an unknown phenomenon in real life. If you want a film that explores this particular subject matter without pushing too many boundaries then you’ll find this an OK watch. It’s frustrating though that these avenues aren’t explored further, an example being Kidman’s discussions with her mother regarding religion, which only constitutes a few lines. Overall, from the low box office returns it’s clear that not many people want to see such a film such as this, but if you do fancy it, a showing on DVD (one of the few times I go against my mission statement!) would be the better outlet in this case.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Good performances from Kidman and Eckhart, but there’s nothing new here regarding this upsetting subject matter. Rating: 5/10.

The Dilemma

The Dilemma is a film that has one of those fortunate / unfortunate titles which is perfect for film reviewers. So do you see this or not? That’s the dilemma. Actually, it’s probably quite a simple decision to make. If you like Vince Vaughan you’re in, if not, you probably won’t be going and even if you do there isn’t enough support around him to make the film a success. The actually dilemma the film refers to is when Vaughan has to make a decision as to whether to tell his best friend (played by Kevin James) that his wife (Winona Ryder) is cheating on him. Easy decision you might think, but not when Vaughan and James are on the verge of making a major deal for their company and that Ryder threatens Vaughan with some revelations of her own. As I mentioned, if you like Vaughan you should like this, as the whole movie pretty much rests on his shoulders, and to be fair to him he does a good job. From an excruciating anniversary speech to a hilarious fight with Channing Tatum (playing Ryder’s bit on the side) he provides the film with its real moments of entertainment (despite again looking like he hasn’t slept for 10 years). It’s a good job he is in good form as James plays it very low key, only exploding into action on a couple of occasions and the two dancing scenes he has are pretty irritating. Ryder isn’t bad (though still only looking about 18 years old) but Jennifer Connelly (as Vaughan’s) wife is hamstrung as the straight part of quartet. Best of all though is Tatum, getting some decent laughs from his over-sensitive jock. One of the most interesting aspects of the film is the choice of Ron Howard as director. Hardly known for helming comedies, Howard struggles to get the tone of the film right as, at times, we venture into dramatic territory and it’s unclear whether you should be laughing at some scenes or not. At least he had the backbone to keep in Vaughan’s somewhat controversial “Gay” one-liner. Surely people are missing the point that it’s Vaughan’s character delivering the line? Anyway, throw in some decent guitar licks and some cars that will have petrol heads purring and you have a film that probably isn’t as bad as it looks. Now that’s a tag-line.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Vaughan’s performance pushes the rating up, but this still won’t be to everyone’s tastes. Rating: 6/10.

London Boulevard

Screenwriter William Monahan’s directorial debut London Boulevard is a gritty little film that makes the most of its fairly standard storyline. Colin Farrell starts as Mitchell, a recently released prisoner, who in trying to go straight is thwarted by the actions of his old friends and enemies in the criminal fraternity and his hard to suppress desire to be back in with the bad boys. This is pretty much the outline of all recently released prisoner story lines in books, TV series or films. However, feelings of over familiarity are just about overcome by a series of decent performances, though there are quite a few caricatures on show. This film is pretty much the Farrell show as he’s in virtually every scene. He does a good job showing Mitchell’s struggle to live a normal life against his tendency to resort to violence to solve problems as quickly as possible. Though this is good stuff by Farrell, he does spend a lot of the film just looking moody and it doesn’t really capture why just the mention of his name has people running for cover. The rest of the mainly Irish and British cast pop up every now and then throughout the story and the actors and actresses limited screen time means each doesn’t have that long to make their mark on the film. For some it works, for others it doesn’t. Anna Friel and Ben Chaplin are good as Mitchell’s sister and ex-criminal partner, respectively. Eddie Marsan is great as a bent copper, but his minimal screen time is a disappointment. Ray Winstone is also wasted as an East End gangster who Monahan just has swearing a lot (though Winstone still provides the needed gravitas) and, despite being second billing, Keira Knightley brings nothing to the show as a washed out actress. They say criminals only end up in two places, the prison or the morgue. Monahan’s film doesn’t deviate from that at any point and despite the screenplay plodding along at times, and a somewhat cruel ending, his direction is pretty much on the mark throughout and he gets great performances from a number of his actors.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Nothing new here, but this is well acted and even has a number of laughs amid the grimness. Rating: 6/10.

Hereafter

After a good run of well received films, Clint Eastwood’s latest film as director, Hereafter, breaks that run in spectacular fashion. Hereafter is pretty abysmal from start to finish and people who enjoy the many factual errors contained in Eastwood’s films will have a field day here. The worst (best?) being a tour guide at Charles Dickens’ London abode mentioning his novel “Edward Drood”. Huh? You really think someone would pick up on these things when reviewing the rushes (or whatever the equivalent is these days). Or are they too scared to approach The Man With No Name? Anyway I digress, which is, ironically, what happens with the screenplay to this film, which goes off in tangents, leaves many story lines hanging and comes to a limp conclusion. Principally a story about life after death we follow three main characters, a French woman (Cécile de France) caught up in the tsunami, a kid from London, who loses his twin brother and Matt Damon, a former spiritualist who can speak to the dead, but has long since retired doing readings. The three story lines eventually interact, but the film gets off to such a bad start it never really recovers. Taking an actual disaster, in this case the aforementioned tsunami is always walking a tightrope in films if building a storyline around it, but in this instance it really is unnecessary. de France is caught up in the disaster, appears to drown and then comes back alive. Couldn’t this have been depicted in a swimming pool or something? It’s bad enough anyone wants to relive such a disaster anyway, but this is done with such cheap and awful special effects it’s pretty insulting to the memories of the thousands that died. A similar error of judgement occurs later on with a tube bombing. That’s entertainment folks! There are some bright moments (a collection of dodgy spiritualists raise a wry smile) but the message of the film is never really clear. Damon himself actually does a good job up to a point, but even he seems to realise what a mess he’s in and is coasting long before the baffling finish. The worst bit is the portrayal of Europe though and Eastwood’s depiction of London, all shot through with some very murky filters. It’s so depressing you’re amazed that there aren’t suicide booths on the corners of the streets. The weather is grim, the people look miserable, they wear dull clothes and act as if just being alive is a punishment handed down from above. As for the accents, they are ridiculous, bordering on the farcical. The worst cockney Charles Dickens-esque mumbling possible ever committed to celluloid. What I don’t get is surely Clint must have noticed that people in England don’t speak like that when he spent months filming in the country? (or indeed the many times he’s been here over the years) This isn’t the rantings of an Englishman either as Eastwood also manages to make Paris look as appealing as an abandoned mid-west steel town. Paris, for goodness sake! All I can say is wait for this to come out on DVD. Then don’t rent it.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
What could have been half decent is lost amongst some dire direction and acting. Arguably Eastwoods worst film either in front of or behind the camera. Rating: 2/10.

The Tourist

Though I do my best to avoid mentioning Hitchcock in every review I do, The Tourist reminded me very much of some of The Masters not so great efforts. Similarity’s being The Tourist is a thriller, though you never feel anyone is really in any danger, there’s an innocent man on the run (natch), it’s got a fair amount of comedy in it, all the scenes look great, the actors are snazzily attired and there’s a twist at the end. Hmmm…To Catch A Thief, anyone? The Tourist is much like that film in the fact that it’s mildly entertaining, but doesn’t warrant any further viewings. Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s last film was the critically acclaimed The Lives Of Others so we’re in safe hands, but his calm direction means at times the film starts to wander. Luckily, a gag, action scene or plot twist comes along just as you’re at brain about to switch off mode. In said plot we have Elise (Angelina Jolie), who whilst being trailed by the police, befriends a tourist, Frank (Johnny Depp), in order to convince the coppers that he is her lover and criminal mastermind they want to apprehend. Before long mobsters are involved and we have the old classic of a couple on the run from both the police and gangsters. A lot of things in this film don’t work (don’t even bother to start picking through all the plot holes in this), particularly the non-existent chemistry between the skeletal looking Jolie (not sexy at all in this despite von Donnersmarck’s fawning camera) and Depp. Having said all that, its absurdity just about works in its favour and if you’re not too nit-picky you can enjoy some light entertainment whilst savouring the beauty of Venice.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
A non-threatening thriller, but whilst it all doesn’t add up to much there’s enough moments of enjoyment to help you get to twisty finish. Rating: 6/10.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

I’m writing this review a few weeks after seeing The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and I’m actually having a bit of trouble recalling what happens in it. Probably not the best endorsement of a film, but though it isn’t all that memorable it’s still a decent effort for Narnia devotees to derive some pleasure from. This is actually a salient point as it’s only the hardcore fans who will have a clue what is going on in this, as the film doesn’t really pander to any newcomers who have yet to watch either of the earlier films. Speaking of those films, after getting stung at the box office, Disney decided to ditch the franchise and its now 20th Century Fox that have taken up the reigns. Tone wise this doesn’t make any real difference when comparing the films but Fox do make the smart decision of making this film a good deal shorter than the last Disney outing and some of the effects, especially in the battle scenes, are a good deal sharper. In the film Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmund (Skandar Keynes) return to Narnia, this time with cousin Eustace (Will Poulter) in tow, meet up again with Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) and get into all sorts of scrapes involving the usual cast of pirates, dragons, dwarfs etc. There’s no doubt that Fox put their heart and soul into this movie and veteran director Michael Apted does a decent job. The film feels more confident than its predecessors and is perfect family fun. However, it’s no more than that and people who find the whole fantasy world genre a bore certainly won’t find this any different. British viewers may also be distracted by Poulter’s “posh” accent which makes him sound like Sandy Toksvig is dubbing his part. I think young kids will love this film, I’m just not so sure that enjoyment stretches too far beyond that demographic. Finally, if you’re eating Nachos during the film make sure you save some for the end as there is some serious cheese dripping off the screen.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Pretty fluffy, but fans and the target audience should enjoy another couple of hours of escapism. Rating: 6/10

The Green Hornet

There was much raising of eye-brows when Seth Rogan was announced to be playing the lead role in The Green Hornet. An acquired taste at the best of times, it appeared the fan boys weren’t too happy. I’m no fan either way, but considering The Green Hornet was originally a radio show how can anyone say who should be cast or not? More interesting is the choice of Michel Gondry being sat in the director’s chair. Anyone who saw the mediocre Be Kind Rewind would be allowed a shudder at the thought of him helming this. However, Gondry was originally slated as a director for this back in the mid-nineties so it’s safe to say he doesn’t come to the film unprepared. Storyline wise we have a slim looking Rogan as Britt Reid who on the death of his father, and the discovery that one of his father’s employees, Kato (Jay Chou), is an expert at martial arts, making gadgets and seeing time slowed down (ahem) decides to clean up the streets vigilante style. Plot wise this is as thin as Rogan. However, and crucially, Gondry realises this and moves the film along at pace with a knowing wink at the ludicrousness of it all. It’s fair to say that whilst Rogan does a good job, it’s unlikely that disapprovers will be swayed by him in this. The main plus point though is his chemistry with Chou. Almost becoming a funny man / straight man combination the duo banter and bicker to such a delight its clear Gondry knew he was onto a winner and smartly decided to focus on them over the action scenes. Speaking of the action, apart from the standard shoot em up at the end, fans may be disappointed that the fisticuffs only come infrequently and are over too soon. Though, a hilarious, non-bloody, set to between Rogan and Chou in the middle of the film is worth the price of admission alone. Acting wise the only real disappointments are Cameron Diaz struggling in a poorly underwritten role as a secretary / love interest (though she does give another entry into the worlds shortest shorts competition) and Christoph Waltz (as the main villain) trying to channel the ghost of Hans Landa, but falling short in both humour and menace. At least these roles are slightly offset by a funny opening cameo from James Franco and another tick in the book for the Tom Wilkinson American accent spotters (has he used that accent now more than his English one?). Overall, this has the feel of the classic Friday night film. Instantly forgettable, but great fun at the time.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Great rapport between the leads and Gondry’s non-serious approach mean the film is a welcome and enjoyable surprise. Rating: 7/10.

The Next Three Days

Paul Haggis’ The Next Three Days is a remake of the French thriller Anything For Her (coincidentally one of the first films I reviewed on this website. Click the title to go to the review). If the first film has been a decent watch, seeing a remake can be an odd experience. You don’t really want to see a scene for scene copy, but at the same time you don’t want it to go so far off what made the original great that the film ends up a poor imitation of its superior cousin. See Pelham and Let Me In for evidence of that. If you’ve see Anything for Her, or just read my review, then the plot for The Next Three Days is almost identical (that of a normal schmo planning to break his wife out of prison), with a number of scenes exactly mirroring the original film. However, this isn’t a problem as it’s well directed by Haggis and if you haven’t seen the first film its fairly riveting stuff. Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks take over the lead roles and give steady, if unspectacular performances. So, any improvements on the French film? Not many, but as the source material is so good that’s not really a problem. What is a problem is, at the end of the film, Haggis’s decision to show whether Banks’ character is guilty or not of the murder she has been jailed for. It’s a huge miss-step. Though it was hinted at in Fred Cavaye’s film it was left to the audience to decide. I honestly can’t believe an American audience wouldn’t have been able to cope with the same scenario. It’s one of the main talking points of the film! Just in case the screenplay didn’t spell it out clearly enough, Haggis then compounds the problem with an utter ludicrous scene revolving around a tiny piece of evidence, just to make we are comprehend whether she is guilty or not. Overall, if you haven’t seen the original, then this is still worth your time. You just have the nagging feeling though it could have been even better.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Loses a mark due to the ending, but for a remake this isn’t bad at all. Rating: 6/10.

Another Year

Has there ever been a more character driven director than Mike Leigh? You certainly don’t watch his films for any snappy camera work. It’s a good job then the majority of Leigh’s back catalogue is full of great performances in decent, if hard to enjoy films. Another Year is no exception. The film tells the story of Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen), a couple in their later years, and the family and friends they interact with throughout a calendar year. The film is split into four sections, that being the four seasons, and the cinematography, lighting and props give a great impression of the relevant seasons themselves and the passing of time. There are a few story lines on the go, but the main one concerns Tom and Gerri’s ditsy friend Mary (Lesley Manville) and her uneven lifestyle. Manville is superb here, running a gambit of emotions as she goes from bubbly and smiling to something much more emotional as jealously and depression take over as the realisation hits her that her crush on Tom and Gerri’s son will never prove to be more than just that. I’m actually writing this review the day after the Oscar nominations have been announced, and though most hardened film aficionado’s know the Oscars are a joke most of the time, the fact that Manville hasn’t even been nominated proves what a farce the annual back slapping ceremony has begun. Just as great on the acting front is Broadbent playing his part so effortlessly that during a background scene at a funeral it appears you are just watching a real life documentary. It’s not all brilliant though, an opening scene with Imelda Staunton is unnecessary and Sheen eventually just grates with her monotone “No / Yes, Mary” dialogue. Plus, some may find Tom and Gerri a touch smug and their relationship with Mary sometimes borders on the wrong side of teasing. A cropping of some scenes might have helped as well, but overall this goes to show that when it comes to actually directing actors Leigh is still one of the top operators around.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Too slow at times, but this is an acting tour de force from Broadbent and, especially, Manville. Rating: 7/10.