Truly Dreadful Film

Simply Perfect

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

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

I was very nervous about this, as My Family and Other Animals was one of my favourite books from my childhood. But this adaptation is pretty good and very faithful to the book Matthew Goode and Imelda Staunton in particular are really good as Larry and Mother. While Mother is played as a little more like the rest of her family (quirky) rather than the slightly more laid back version in the book, I think it works very well. Omid Djalili's Spiro was a little too 'normal,' but still pretty good. The only really annoying thing about the film was the soundtrack. It was very intrusive and loud, and didn't fit the tone of the film at all. After looking through the other reviews it seems people either absolutely love it, or really hate it. It certainly is very prominent in the film; sometimes dialogue is barely able to be heard.

A favourite story of mine for very many years this translation into a TV movie is sensitively and accurately adapted, much of the dialogue is exactly as Gerald Durrell wrote it. If only the TV writers, producers, directors would do as well with so many other sadly failing efforts! The actors in this are very well chosen and give faithful and often understated performances. In particular the lad playing Gerald is very good indeed, but I only single him out from a splendid ensemble effort because of his youth. If I had to make a criticism it would be that the character of Spiro was somewhat more restrained than I had envisaged from the book. All in all, a little gem. It was screened by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Sunday 8th. April 2007.

Hello, This is one of those British type of movies that tickle the funny bone. And make us all lone for more simple times when life was care free and not so bloody troublesome when kids could just be kids and not have to worry about any thing. This is a must see for any family who values good clean family entertainment and not all the violence one see in the media tooday, and the foul language we hear in the films of tooday. This is a refreshing breath of air form the usual tripe of tooday,s film audiaunce. This is real film work an true work of genius.Thank you

This is a really special piece of classic British comedy, know one does comedy like the Brits! Gerald Durrel's wacky family are vividly captured in this period drama, about a family who are so different, but still are the perfect English family. I watched this drama expecting it to be another cheap shot at an unmemorable attempt in the 1980's, but this is really the sort of thing you should watch on a cold winters day, with a mug of hot choc and curl on your sofa, and relax. Its a feel good film, full of laughs and hilarious family 'in jokes', which every family has. Plus the animals that Gerry collects are just so cute. Perfect cast, who all seem to slip into their individual roles easily and comfortably - laughs all the way, topped off by Mrs Staunton (Vera Drake), who leads the family as the mother. Fan-bloody-tastic! Watch it, or miss out!