Such a frustrating disappointment

Redundant and unnecessary.

Absolutely Fantastic

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

I had the pleasure of watching this film on Film Four last night. The plot was simple but thats the beauty of Mike Leigh's films. There's not a whole lot of action but he conveys the basic realities of life, whether happy or harsh, with such credibility and enthusiasm. He comes across as a really good director for actors to work with. He gives them the freedom to express themselves and really go for it, no matter how subtle or OTT they might be. It is refreshing to see drama like this, done with such work-rate and honesty, not the trash Hollywood produces while paying talentless actors millions for portraying characters that no one cares about. Thats the talent of Leigh and the actors he collaborates with. They create and portray characters that the viewer can relate to and care about, whether it's Lynda Steadmans' Annie longing for love while dealing with her allergies or Karin Cartlidges' Hannah and her search for happiness while dealing with her mother's alcohol problem. Mark Bentons' Ricky is beautifully tragic to watch as it displays the capabilities of this highly talented actor. Not for everyone this film, but if you appreciate great acting, wonderful story-telling and the value of true friendship, I highly recommend that you see this when the chance arises again.

Never thought that there could be a Mike Leigh movie that I wouldn't like. But this is one. The thing with Leigh's movies is that the stories are for the biggest part just ordinary people in their ordinary everyday life. And it are the characters that almost make you feel like you are watching a documentary, that make them so special. This story is again a story with nothing much interesting. Two roommates that meet again. Half of the time in real life and the other in sort of flashbacks. But this time the acting is so very much overdone, that it is almost like I'm watching an American comedy, with just the fake laughs in the background missing. Apart from an occasional laugh, I watched it till the end as if I was sitting in the chair at my dentist. Just for old time Mike Leigh's sake.

The combination of Alison Steadman and the stunningly talented Katrin Cartlidge make for a very quirky but really down-to-earth film.Although it was slated heavily for being OTT i think the characters are so true to life. We all must've known certain folk back in the early 80s who were of a similar character to those portrayed here.Katrin Cartlidges' death is a HUGE loss. She was one of the most talented and beautiful actresses who fitted in so well when directed by Mike Leigh.If you fond of films containing humorous British nostalgia and are fed up with the false, glitzy, Hollywood -influenced exterior that seems to be the winning trade mark these days, then this is the sort of film for you.Let's see more films about REAL life, warts and all, (like this one) for a change!

Yes, this film has been panned by many, but in my view Mike Leigh was near top form again with this absorbing and moving film. The late, great Katrin Cartlidge puts in an excellent performance. Dreadfully sorry to learn that such a talented young stage and screen actress has died. Lynda Steadman is also superb.The film is partly in flashback to college days in the 1980s and partly set in the "present" of the 1990s. I see the exaggerated twitching and accents of the characters in the 1980s scenes as part of the flashback genre. Perhaps I went to University with exceptionally twitchy people, or perhaps the memory pitches college-days memories at 30 frames-per-second, but my own "flashbacks" to such times feel a bit like that. I thought it was intriguing cinematography, but the majority seems to be against me.Where the film does grate a little is in the coincidences that lead them to run in to their past several times. Two of the coincidences are necessary for the plot and interest. One seems like "a coincidence too many" and it goes nowhere - maybe there was an intended plot thread that got dropped - well the coincidence should also have been dropped in that case.It's a short film and it held our attention from start to finish. Not Mike Leigh's very best film, but well worth seeing.