This successfully treads a fine line dealing with the last days of a wonderful, slightly eccentric Mother (Dame Thora Hird)and her loving middle aged son (Pete Postlethwaite). The film has has a lighter, more playful tone than that premise would suggest.
It's not that the film looks away from the sadness of death. It can be tough to watch this life- filled older woman slowly deteriorate through a series of strokes. But it's clear what she will leave behind are a lot of loving memories of her quirky, feisty and funny self.
Occasionally the film does tip over into over-sentimentality, and on the other extreme, some of the running comic bits, especially by some underwritten supporting characters get milked way too long.
But in the end, this is a 2 actor show, and Hird and Postlethwaite create a couple of wonderful and memorable characters dealing tackling difficult issues with love and a laugh along with the tears,
It's not that the film looks away from the sadness of death. It can be tough to watch this life- filled older woman slowly deteriorate through a series of strokes. But it's clear what she will leave behind are a lot of loving memories of her quirky, feisty and funny self.
Occasionally the film does tip over into over-sentimentality, and on the other extreme, some of the running comic bits, especially by some underwritten supporting characters get milked way too long.
But in the end, this is a 2 actor show, and Hird and Postlethwaite create a couple of wonderful and memorable characters dealing tackling difficult issues with love and a laugh along with the tears,