This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

A heinously self-indulgent love letter to herself from Barbara Windsor, penned by her long-time friend and collaborator, Tony Jordan, with heavy input from herself including far too many cameo appearances speckled throughout.If the subject matter wasn't so self-serving, and if it hadn't already been done better previously (also with Ms Windsor in a cameo as herself), this might have been a little less vomit-worthy, since technically it is a pretty well-made film with excellent cinematography, production design, and editing. There are also some very good performances.However, the structure of this piece is annoyingly self-conscious, with a middle-aged Babs (and occasionally the elderly one played by herself) interacting with younger incarnations of herself and other characters from her past, all backstage at a seedy theatre, as she narrates, converses, and analyses her way through a history of daddy-issues and gangster boyfriends, with occasional shrill renditions of "Sunny Side of the Street" to alleviate the tedium.Essentially this is written and structured like a stage play, and it would probably have worked much better in that medium. On film, however, it comes off as tacky, forced, and muddled.As well as having far too many actresses playing Ms Windsor, including herself - often all at the same time - there are also archive film clips of her, giving us in the end a rather unpleasant case of too-much-Babs-itus!The final embarrassing self indulgence occurs at the very end when the real Barbara Windsor steps into a spotlight and sings "Sunny Side of the Street" to an audience of her friends and family, including Tony Jordan.All in all, then, a cinematic circle-jerk. Sometimes it's a good selling point for a movie to recommend that you bring plenty of Kleenex. Not in this case!

"On the sunny side of the street" isn't a particularly difficult song to sing but it was noticeable that the only one of the several Barbara Windsors who had a go at it actually managed to get the whole melody right and that was the real one right at the end who gave it the full Bette Midler pzazz. And as in Ms Midler's "Beaches" where"The Glory of Love" was used as a leitmotif from from tinkling piano accompaniment to the full plush orchestral score at the end to note the journey the divine Miss M had been on,so in "Babs" - a much more modest affair I must own - "Sunny side" defined the subject's life. I'm sure that was just a coincidence. There was a lot of Chas'n'Dave type dialogue that spoke of lazy writing and "Up the apples and pears" accents that weren't very convincing and many of the stories told were too well - known to stand much repetition but overall because Miss Windsor is now a Grande Dame of showbiz and loved all across the social spectrum,"Babs" is well worth checking out on the i - player. For me the best performance was the wonderful Miss Z.Wanamaker as the eccentric Joan Littlewood who cast Miss Windsor in "Fings ain't what they used to be" written by ex - villain Mr Frank Norman and given music and lyrics by Mr Lionel Bart. One more little gripe;Ronnie Scott played the tenor saxophone but was repeatedly shown playing the alto - an error that would have made an excellent subject for one of his caustic jokes. Despite my misgivings I thoroughly enjoyed "Babs",the whole being more than the sum of its parts.

This was not a bad drama in some ways but for me it was spoiled by the over use of the older Babs and her Fathers constant conversations, it all seemed a bit arty for me which detracted rather than added to the story. Not sure if it was the fault of Dominic Leclerc's direction or Tony Jordan's dire script.The young Babs played by Honor Kneafsey was just brilliant and stole every scene she was in. Her scenes were also the most emotional.The more up to date version played by Samantha Spiro was also realistic but Jaime Winstone as the Babs we all know from the films was totally wrong, you can't fault her acting but she looked nothing like Barbara Windsor, she was too tall and heavy set to pull off the tiny and bubbly Babs we all know so well.Too much of her life was glossed over or not shown at all. The carry on years were only briefly touched upon, although Robin Sebastian did a good Kenneth Williams. Where was Sid James who she had a controversial affair with? With a better script and direction this could have been great but sadly it wasn't. Compared to the excellent TV drama Eric and Ernie about the late Morcambe and Wise which was directed excellently by Jonny Campbell and written by Peter Bowker and the late Victoria Wood 'Babs' paled into insignificance.

Barbara Windsor may had a complex relationship with her father but I am sure it was not like it was presented in this biographical drama.Tony Jordan, a long time writer for Eastenders wrote this biopic which unlike Miss Windsor's chest felt a bit flat.The framing device of an older Babs (Samantha Spiro) talking to her father about various aspects of her life is not new. It just did not work for me and made the drama episodic as we jumped around various stages of her life.We see the child Barbara starting out on the stage with the help of her mother who disappears later on. The younger Babs (Jaime Winstone) realizes she has the assets to turn men's heads. We see her having a relationship with the crooked Ronnie Knight, both had affairs, she also had abortions. Barbara tries to break into serious acting with the Joan Littlewood theatre workshop. For a time she enjoyed success in the New York stage and even attracted the attention of Warren Beatty.The Carry On years were quickly glossed over and we see an older Barbara Windsor still trying to understand her relationship with her father. Now with a toyboy and doing stage work for a pittance, she does not know it yet, but there is a juicy role in Eastenders just round the corner which will brighten her career and fortunes.At one point even the real Barbara Windsor turns up which confuses matter further. I think this film just needed a straightforward narrative that was bubbly as the subject in her various happier times.