hyped garbage

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

"Housewife, 49" is a remarkable film in how it captures a picture of life that commonly goes unseen. Victoria Wood, the star of the film, is quite good. She offers a performance that's very easy to get into, full of emotional complexity and human depth. I was quite impressed by David Threlfall, who plays Wood's husband here. He convincingly captures a certain generation and personality of man that you don't often see on film. Not abusive or offensive, but emotionally distance and overly self-controlled. Stephanie Cole is good, but she isn't given much to work with here. The script tends to wander a bit too much at times. The entire subplot revolving around people reading the letters seems tacked-on and ultimately unnecessary.I'm glad I saw this. It offers up a close human insight. The TV movie format holds things down a bit, but the best is made of it. "Housewife, 49" is a good film.

Victoria Wood is wonderful. For this she provides a top script and performance in the lead role. The rest of the cast are all very good, too. I loved the scene in the railway carriage with the doctor, excellently played by Jason Watkins. It all seemed very realistic. It was involving and moving. And, unlike some wartime pieces (e.g. Foyle's War), the dialogue was convincingly of its period.Slight niggles: It is hard to believe that the son, Cliff, is a PT instructor. He does not look the part at all. The WVS ladies were perhaps a bit too caricatured. Also, there seemed to be no problems with rationing. People scoffed fruitcake and even doughnuts -- which I should think would wipe out the fat and sugar ration in one fell swoop -- as if this were quite normal. I also wish the film had not started with the words "inspired by" the diary of Nella Last. This is even less than "based on" and makes it sound as if a lot of the story we saw might have been fictitious.

Now I am not one to go overboard when reviewing anything but this you have to see. In an interview earlier this year Victoria Wood said she has a few things "in the fire" but she wouldn't elaborate. Comedienne, comedy actress & writer, singer of comedy songs she again writes herself, but this is something special. I have seen her act in non comedy roles before but this has such a range with her initially frightened of the world outside her home,naive, not daring to contradict her husband over anything to later taking charge in all aspects of her life and improving the lives of those around her. Set in the 2nd World War it is not a "feel good" drama and I was close to tears more than once. But you go through the journey she does and you come out the other side uplifted. Well I did, maybe you will too.

Although I am not a fan of Victoria Wood as comedienne (I just never understood her comedy and therefore never found her funny) I was intrigued by the concept of this drama so I watched it.I am glad I did, as it was a very well written drama that looks into life in the perspective of a mother Nella Last who sees her life change around her, more often than not in the way peoples attitudes are and also throughout the war realises she doesn't know those close to her including her family as well as she thinks she does, this in turn makes her look at her own lifestyle and realises she must change in some aspects too.Although I may not be a fan of Victoria Wood in her primary guise, (as a comedienne), as an actress she has proved in this drama she is a first-rate actress and considering she wrote this drama, a decent writer too.On the whole a nice heart-warming wartime family drama.