User reviews

I don't think I have rooted for a protagonist as much as I did for Edie. Sheila Hancock plays her beautifully, with a fine balance of crankiness and warmth. The chemistry between Guthrie and Hancock was wonderful and shone through in every scene. I think Guthrie's smile alone could disarm the most cold-hearted!

I didn't really know what to expect when starting this film but the quality very much exceeded any expectations I had.

Beautiful Scottish scenery with excellent acting and a story of never giving in to ageing

"We made this film for an audience" declared director Simon Hunter at the 2017 Edinburgh International Film Festival's world premiere of 'Edie'. That begs the question "For who else would you make a film?", but Hunter subsequently explained the intention was to produce a feel-good work, and in that he has certainly succeeded.

Newly-widowed after thirty years of nursing a demanding and invalid husband, Edie Moore (Sheila Hancock) is preparing to move into an old people's home when on a whim she decides to attempt a long-held ambition to climb a Scottish mountain. She employs local camping shop owner Jonny (Kevin Guthrie) as her guide and - when it turns out she is not as prepared as she thinks she is - her trainer. The relationship between this odd couple forms much of the film.

Nowadays I am more familiar with Hancock through her duties as guest panelist on BBC Radio Four's 'Just a Minute'. But she is still a dominant screen presence, believably conveying Edie's journey from resignation, determination, despair, back again to determination. The script allows Guthrie less scope, although personally I'm happy to just sit and look at him - very few men can look sexy in a beanie hat!

Director Hunter over-eggs the pudding at times: the opening scenes featuring Edie's life as a drudge are shot almost exclusively with her dressed in dull beige against a background of constant rain and in rooms blanketed in Stygian darkness (for Heaven's sake, turn the bloody lights on!); while scenes of great emotion are accompanied by about five orchestras' worth of violins. There is more than a hint of soap opera about some aspects of the film (the sub-plot involving Jonny's girlfriend's quest for a bank loan could easily have been deleted with no loss to the viewer). But overall this is an enjoyable film and I shall probably look at it again when it turns up on television.

If it was only about rating the acting of this wonderful actress I would have given 10 stars. She alone is worth watching this inspiring movie. It could have a bit more wit and some more pace here and there but beside that, it is a beautiful movie to tell us not to wait for better times and instead doing what we dream of. The fantastic scenery of Scotland is also helping and so is Kevin Guthrie, who plays the very helpful guide authentically.

No, I'm not referring to the wonderful Sheila Hancock! The underlying theme for both protagonists is "don't continue wasting your life" and "it's never too late". Using the staggering beauty of the Scottish highlands as a backdrop, 83 year old Edie and 30ish Jonny embark on a journey up a mountain(don't worry, there's no sex). The story is simple, the script is just about bearable, though forced at times but Hancock's performance is amazing. I have nothing but admiration for her ability to tackle this range of emotions and the purely physical demands of filming. The ending was rather sudden for me but the film was enjoyable. However "Best film ever" as one reviewer said, umm, no, I don't think so!

What you see is what you get here. This film could have been twice as long, with more background and a more credible script. But with the craft and experience of Sheila Hancock she carries the film almost entirely. thank God this wasn't made in America! What I liked most was that she's not a particularly nice person and her crankiness, irritability and defensiveness are entirely naturalistic and credible.

A beautiful film which makes you think seriously about how you view and treat older people. Loved every minute and Sheila Hancock is truly amazing. Why she's not received the plaudits of the likes of Julie Walters or Judy Dench is a mystery to me.

This film has so much heart, courage and determination that it should be rated at least an 8.5 or higher in my estimation. Be willing to dig a little deeper than any fault you may find with the script or whatever else you might see as "wrong", and you will find that this is a beautiful, heartfelt film that has the power to reconnect you to a deeper part of yourself and to humanity, friendship and the caring that lies within everyone, and that it can indeed touch you in most beautiful and profound ways.

Could very well have been a sweet, beautiful and inspiring movie, but was totally overshadowed by crazy marketing of Fjällreven,Primus and companies alike. Truly breathtaking cinematography on b-rolls deserves three stars, but after all you are better off watching a nature film without the cheesy storyline.

We often believe that some things can't be done after a certain age but this movie is all about breaking those beliefs and showing that if one has enough conviction they can accomplish great things at any age.

The cast, particularly Edie herself, is full of vitality and has a spirit to her that is abnormal for people of her age. It is a joy to watch the process of her achieving the last item on her bucket list.

This is a simple and emotionally gratifying movie that celebrates life and also shows an unlikely multigenerational relationship form between Edie and a younger man who accompanies her on her mission.

The movie feels satisfying but also a bit sanitized, which is to say I felt that there could have been more interesting moments sprinkled in to make it less formulaic.

Still, there is a real charm to this movie that I think makes it a important experience.

I had higher expectations for this but enjoyed it overall.

Could have had higher highs and lower lows? The pace was a bit slow with a 5 minute rush to the end.

Shiela Hancock was great in this though.

An inspiration to us older folks, I loved every aspect of this movie!

Started well but dropped away. Could have been made more interesting by including some of Edie's back story.

Follow the wonderful tale of Edith Moore (Sheila Hancock) as she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to rekindle childhood memories that have been clouded over by the fear of growing old. Employing Jonny (Kevin Guthrie) as a trainer and guide, we watch the relationship between two entirely different generations bond over their mutual love for the outdoors.

The soundtrack, created by Debbie Wiseman, is totally immersive and wholly original, adding to the beautiful depth of emotion that is explored.

The performances of Hancock and Guthrie aren't ones to miss, presenting you with feelings of disbelief and love for these two totally different characters.

A must watch, for those who want to be inspired, as well as those who want to watch a simplistic but not simple film.

From an 80 year old perspective this is an inspiring story well told and written with stunning views of the Scottish Highlands.

Eighty+ year old Hancock's husband finally passes and she realises she has wasted her life and decides to climb the mountain her beloved father asked her to climb with him shortly before his death. She makes the pilgrimage and is supported by a local camping shop manager.

Quite sweet tale about making the most of your time, with Hancock always a powerful presence. That said, it doesn't explore her life or the relationship with the camping shop owner to the level that would have made this more rewarding.

Pretty Scottish scenery, a nice soundtrack and Hancock make this worth catching though.

Incredible film, incredible set, unreal music. Such an important subject which does not get enough attention, but still accessible and interesting to a wide audience. Loved it, would recommend to all.

What a beautiful and inspiring film. Casting for this film was perfect. Edie has so much character and attitude. The relationship between the two characters is fiesty and entertainingly sweet. Spectacular Scottish scenery

Why so many Glasgow accents in Inverness? Story ok but annoying that casting cant get Scottish region accents right.