The Worst Film Ever

Must See Movie...

Fresh and Exciting

The acting in this movie is really good.

a simple friendship story. charming for the chemistry between the lead actors. for the presence of Joan Plowright . for the surprising performance of Rupert Friend. and for the spring air. for the passing time as a state who becomes almost material. for the forms of joy and delight and sadness and hope. and, maybe, for the status of refuge for the admirers not only of romanticism in different nuances but , maybe, first, for the conquerors of the lights and shadows and colors and flavors of the past. a film like an oasis. and, maybe, this is its basic meaning.

Joan Plowright does an exemplary performance as a widow dealing with her later years. After moving into a questionable guest hotel in London to be near to her oblivious family who seem to avoid familial relationships, a chance meeting with a young writer broadens the widow's world again. Their time together gives both a chance to reflect upon life, one at the beginning for him, and one near the end for her.The performances of Dame Joan Plowright and up and coming actor Rupert Friend are enhanced by fine character portrayals by Anna Massey as the hotels dowager and Timothy Bateson as the hotels doorman.Director Dan Ireland has made a remarkable film from the book by Elizabeth Taylor which deals with relationships. Using the natural settings and with fine acting this film explore new and old relationship. The story is about heart touching kindness between people and an accepting of ones own worth and staying true to values.

A lonely pair of people, one in her 70's, one in his 20's, find each other in London and become a makeshift family far better than their "real" families.It's a bit cloying and sometimes unrealistic--for instance, how someone who looks like Rupert Friend could possibly be without a girlfriend for so long as a day beggars belief, and we're supposed to believe that he has a hard time finding one. And London is awfully safe and clean, here. The hotel is, I think, supposed to be a bit seedy (at least dialog suggests so) but what is on film is glistening. That the writer sometimes has VO narration is odd--it comes so infrequently, it feels like a mistake when it arrives. And it all moves verrry. slowwww. ly.But if you like these sorts of meandering feel-good stories, without any edge whatsoever, it is well enough done. The acting is good. There aren't many good roles for older women, and this has several. Rupert Friend is gorgeous and charming, and the scene where he sings "We May Never Meet Again" to her is a moving emotional climax and worth waiting through the slower points before (though if you're a of a certain mindset about music, you may not like the jazz spin he puts on it.) Her date with the older fellow is quite funny, too, and puts some interest into a sluggish part of the film.

How beautiful it is to see a movie about the gentler and genteeler sides of life. No gratuitous foul language, no violence, just nice (albeit some quirky) people being nice.There isn't really a lot one can say about Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont and, some viewers might rubbish it as being slow due to the lack of any sort of wild car chases, shootings, riots or zombies (etc.) but those viewers are obviously missing out on a side of life that seems to be slowly disappearing - although, as long as there are still people like Ludovic and Gwendoline in the world, maybe there is still a dram of hope for the softer things.So, if you're looking for heaps of action and excitement, you probably won't enjoy Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont. However, if you want a pleasant afternoon's entertainment in peace and quiet, get the DVD and watch it with a nice glass of your favourite wine at home. It will warm your heart.