Ellie (Atwell) arrives at the retirement home owned by her
sister Kate (Brady) just in time to mind shop over Christmas. Most of the residents are going home to their families but four fractious souls remain. The self-described "Hardcore" ensemble - Georgia (Redgrave), a one time song-and-dance girl with a taste for martini; a curmudgeonly retired judge (Ackland); and two sisters (a neurotic Staunton and bossy Fricker) - are the bane of Kate's existence and they quickly test Ellie's patience with their demands.
The fact that the narrative arc - everyone is going to learn to be nice to one another - is predictable from the very first reel makes the film seem much longer than it is, but the script, by first-timer Jean Pasley, also makes very heavy weather of what should have been a sparkling idea. There are moments of sheer magic - the tender relationship between Ellie and a dying resident, a single sigh from Redgrave that seems to contain a lifetime of distilled longing - but they don't add up to much. The film's major contribution may be to research the role of marijuana in geriatric medicine.
Peter Calder
Cast:
Vanessa Redgrave, Joss Ackland, Hayley Atwell, Brenda Fricker, Imelda Staunton, Orla Brady
Director:
Anthony Byrne
Running time:
100 mins
Rating:
M, contains drug use and offensive language
Screening:
Rialto, Lido
