Synopsis
Siblings Maisie and Tony, along with their mother, gather for their sister Eileen's wedding. It is a joyous occasion, but through flashbacks, it becomes clear that the family was not always happy. Their father was physically abusive to his wife and left the children emotionally traumatized. As a result, the children have grown into unhappy adults, looking for love they didn't receive when they were young.
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Cast
- Freda DowieMother
- Pete PostlethwaiteFather
- Angela WalshEileen
- Lorraine AshbourneMaisie
- Dean WilliamsTony
- Sally DaviesEileen as a child
- Susan FlanaganMaisie as a child
- Nathan WalshTony as a child
- Michael StarkeDave
- Debi JonesMicky
Recommendations
- 100
The Guardian
Few British film-makers have dared to attempt such a thoroughly poetic treatment of their native land, and Terence Davies is the only one to have succeeded so spectacularly. - 100
Slant Magazine
Davies transcends the facile trap of misery-porn by tapping into the basic notion that could make musicals so enlivening—music as direct expression, music as emotion felt. One of the most profoundly spiritual films in recent decades. - 100
Time Out London
It’s a heartbreaking work. Its cast are phenomenal; its songs flow through the film like blood; and Davies is unflinching in his hunt for truth and full of nothing but love and understanding for his characters. A masterpiece. - 88
Rolling Stone
When a forty-four-year-old man makes a movie about his family and friends sitting around singing old tunes, you certainly don't expect an unforgettable amalgam of humor and heartbreak. But that is precisely what Terence Davies delivers. - 88
Chicago Tribune
A gripping and original piece of work, itself sure to be remembered as one of the finest films of the year. - 80
The New Yorker
With an unfailing eye for place, décor, costume, and gesture, the director glides his camera through tangles of memories to evoke joys and horrors with a similar sense of wonder. - 80
Empire
Exposing the bleak reality of a supposedly more innocent time, this inspired blend of musical and melodrama succeeds in being both fond and forlorn, artistic and authentic. - 80
Variety
The film is full of singing, as the characters break into familiar songs at family gatherings or in the local pub. This isn’t a film based on nostalgia, though; its very special qualities stem from the beautiful simplicity of direction, writing and playing, and the accuracy of the incidents depicted.
