Women only have a very brief period of enchanting allure. As long as they have a male buddy to dote on, they are happy. Women are probably more comfortable with it than men. You could tell that she longed to be cherished and understood.īut the most profound aspect of it all, was the cruel reality of aging. I'll bet people don't given much credit to the young actor, but he was totally believable as the rather ordinary yet admirably enthusiastic optimist. The old lady's unrefined babbling was right on the mark too. The look of sheer hopeless anomie in the lead old guy's face was priceless. Life is about human connections and purpose.Īll of these actors were perfect in their roles. She also obsesses over her kids visiting. The old lady is constantly writing and mailing letters to friends back home, because that is her way of staying connected. Other reviewers have already mentioned that being on a permanent holiday is not as great as it may seem. I believed the angst of these characters. Yet I loved this movie set in the South of France. I just gave a bad review of a talkie picture about two people wandering around a modern metropolis and talking. Reviewed by dansview 8 / 10 Quietly Profound Nonetheless it captures the feelings of regret shared by many expats who have discovered that life abroad is not quite as edenic as they had once assumed. In the final sequences, when he is bed-ridden through exhaustion, Gilbert's camera emphasizes his feeling of nothingness he really has no reason to continue living, even though his only in his early seventies.Ī LONG WAY FROM HOME is a slow-moving film, interested more in mood and situation rather than plot-development. ![]() The film adopts a minimalist style there is little or no music, and Gilbert favors the long, lingering close-up, especially on Fox's features, as he walks aimlessly about the local village. Yet neither of them are capable of admitting their weaknesses like two old soldiers they stoically continue their existences. Brenda might or might not have the first signs of Alzheimer's Joseph simply cannot cope with the early summer heat. Whereas they obviously care for one another, they cannot admit that their decision to embrace the expat life after retirement was the wrong one. Gilbert's film makes much of the contrast between the idyllic surroundings and the unhappiness of the elderly protagonists. Nonetheless all good things come to an end, as Suzanne and Mark return to England, leaving Joseph to contend with his meaningless existence once more. ![]() Joseph takes a shine to her (although he is too much of a gentleman ever to behave improperly), and the two of them spent much of their time talking to one another. However all is not quite as it should be: Mark dislikes Suzanne's tendency to over-eat, while Suzanne questions whether she wants to marry or not. They seem to enjoy the ambiance: Mark takes a shine to the local vineyard, while Suzanne enjoys some of the historic sites. Into this world come tourists Mark (Paul Nicholls) and Suzanne (Natalie Dormier). Joseph tries to deal with the monotony of his existence by taking daily walks and watching the local retirees play pétanque. ![]() Brenda busies herself around the house the highlight of her day is the nightly visit to the local café where she exchanges pleasantries with the maitre d'hotel (Frédéric Largier) and eats steak. Life could not seem more perfect but neither of them are very happy. Joseph (James Fox) and Brenda (Brenda Fricker) have retired to the south of France and live in a chocolate-box medieval village in a sun-drenched climate surrounded by friendly locals. Virginia Gilbert's film offers a far more pessimistic vision. ![]() Roger Michell's LE WEEKEND (2013) offered a generally optimistic analysis of a late middle-aged English couple visiting France and rediscovering the point of their marriage. Reviewed by l_rawjalaurence 7 / 10 Downbeat Portrayal of Two Lonely Expats
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