Displaying items by tag: Sophie Cookson

AND MRS

UK, 2024, 111 minutes, Colour.

Aisling Bea, Billy Lourd, Susan Wokoma, Harriet Walter, Sinead Cusack, Peter Egan, Omari Douglas, Samuel Barnett, Paul Kaye, Elizabeth McGovern, Colin Hanks.

Directed by Daniel Reisinger.

Most of us may have to look twice at the title. Is there a misprint? An omission? No, in fact the title is quite accurate. And, if one were looking for a smart title, we might suggest A Post-mortem Romantic Comedy.

While the film is British, the writer is an Australian playwright living in London. And, the director is also Australian. Some audiences may sense a somewhat Australian sardonic tone, the humour in the seriousness.

This is Gemma’s story. She is played by Aising Bear. She is in a relationship with an American, Nathan, played by Colin Hanks. He has proposed. And while she has accepted, the engagement is still on something of an emotional long finger.

There is quite an early twist of the plot, something which advertising and trailers may quickly indicate. However, this review will take the reticent stance.

We spend a lot of time in London, with Gemma, with her close friends, happy flashbacks with Nathan and scenes of a sense of his presence with her all the time, with her parents, who are supportive of her engagement to Nathan and are eager for a happy resolution of the engagement despite Gemma’s hesitations.

Also in the picture are Nathan’s relations, the visit to London from his somewhat wacky sister, Audrey (Billy Lourd, Carrie Fisher’s daughter, in fact) and a visit to the United States to visit their mother, Elizabeth McGovern, a long way from Downton Abbey.

There are some legal difficulties which are pursued throughout the film, especially in approaches to the Chief Justice for various permissions required. And, as a bonus for audiences of British films and television, she is played by Harriet Walter.

Ultimately, there is a happy ending, a wedding ceremony, and we realise what the title means.

1. Curiosity about the title? The explanation, engagement, the wedding?
2. The British setting, Australian writer and director, humorous tone, satiric tones, romantic tones?
3. The structure of the film, the present, the range of flashbacks, building up the picture of Nathan and his relationship with Gemma? His appearances in her imagination?
4. A romantic comedy, a post-mortem romantic comedy, marriage and commitment to a dead’s powers? In terms of realism? In terms of imagination and comedy? The background of legal issues and precedents in the UK and France?
5. Gemma’s story, her relationship with Nathan, his American background, her life, work, exercises, returning to find Nathan has died? The impact on her, grief, surprise? Her reliance on her best friend, flight attendant with her stories, consolation and support? The response of her parents, their understanding, discussions?
6. The issue of the funeral, the arrangements, the messages for Audrey, not picking up her phone, Nathan’s sister, arrival in the UK, thinking it a joke, the reality, vomiting into the Prada bag? Her personality, erratic? Her stories about their mother? Abandoning them? The later visit by Gemma to their mother, her life, conversations, Audrey outside, eventually coming in, the mother’s hard stands, not consenting to the wedding, the later scenes of rethinking, the photo, change of heart?
7. The funeral, the speaker, the parody of this kind of speech, Audrey and her attack, ousting him? The effect on everyone?
8. The idea of the wedding, the research, the approach to the Chief Justice, the impersonation of the court, sitting in on the prostitution case, the farcical aspects? The application, the letter, the return, the discussions with the Chief Justice, the eager assistant supporting the idea, the continued meetings, her turning down the issue, the legal precedents, her own life? The final meeting, the eventual persuasion, and her seeing herself in a good light?
9. Manager of the restaurant for the wedding, his criticisms of Nathan and online rules, the confrontation with Gemma? Agreeing to hold the reception? The final sequence in the middle of the credits at the reception?
10. Nathan’s best friend, arriving, no refund for the ticket, his attraction to Gemma’s best friend, together, talking, dancing?
11. The gay friend, his support, is officiating at the wedding? Attracted to the Chief Justices assistant?
12. The film showing Gemma’s moods, frame of mind, the reappearance is of Nathan, her imagining him, reassessing the engagement, the flashback to the proposal, the reasons for acceptance, her not having the opportunity to explain her commitment to Nathan, the urgency of the quest, the interviews with the Chief Justice, with Nathan’s mother (and going to America with the comedy of the best friend having to go through security so many times)?
13. The ultimate ceremony, her hesitations, her mother absent for the moment, the deep commitment, the ceremony, the aftermath and the celebrations and support?
14. An offbeat idea, a post-mortem romcom?

THIS TIME NEXT YEAR

UK, 2024, 115 minutes, Colour.

Sophie Cookson, Lucien Laviscount, Golda Rosheuvel, Mendip Gill., Monica Dolan, John Hannah,

Directed by Nick Moore.

A British romantic comedy, British style, a story of 30-somethings. The film is based on a novel by Sophie Cousens who has also written the screenplay.

Audiences who like a London stories will feel very much at home, the suburbs, mansions, the Underground, buses, pastry shops, the business world… But, there is a difficulty with identifying with the central character, Minnie Cooper (Sophie Cookson). She has a certain amount of charm, but… She is extremely accident-prone which we discover almost immediately, with accidents recurring throughout the film.

But, it is because one of these accidents that she encounters a charming young man, the Prince Charming equivalent, Quinn (Lucien Laviscount well-known to fans of television’s Emily in Paris). He has to rescue her when she is accidentally locked in the toilet overnight.

There is a little twist with these two coming together – and flashbacks to their birth, each on the same day, New Year’s Day, their two mothers helping each other and the issue of each of the mothers wanting to call their child, Quinn. (And there were social and financial consequences.)

So, will they fall in love? Will it be an easy path? Or will it be full of situations going wrong and misunderstandings? Obviously, the latter.

So, we follow Minnie and her bakery, her skill with pies, her friends working with her, her supplying pies to charities. And, Quinn can go along with that. But, each of them makes mistakes, and it does take a long time for them eventually to come together.

In the meantime, for the grandparent generation audience, there is a pleasing story of the two mothers getting together, mutual help, kindness and understanding.

Which means then that the appeal is to those who love romcoms, who enjoy the romance, even though misunderstandings, but for audiences chancing upon the film, it will depend on their initial response to Minnie and Quinn and whether they attracted to want to follow-up on this romantic adventure.

1. The title, the New Year’s theme, celebrations, year by year passing? Basic incident, the birth of the two children, the name Quinn, the celebrity for Quinn, the obscurity for Minnie’s mother and her resentment?
2. British romantic comedy, for 30-somethings? Identifying with the characters, the situations, relationships, work, finance, mishaps and misunderstandings? (And something for the grandparent generation with the story of Minnie’s parents, Quinn’s mother?)
3. The opening, New Year’s Eve, Minnie, to meet Greg, the mishaps, her being accident-prone, the Underground, the woman vomiting, going into the party, locked in the toilet, finally rescued by Quinn? How sympathetic character, audiences being irritated by her?
4. The family background, the flashback to the birth, Minnie’s mother helping Tara, the importance of the name, Tara explaining it was a tribute, the media, the financial reward, Minnie’s mother and the decades of resentment?
5. Minnie, her work, catering, the pies, her friends, the staff, the accident and the difficulties with the equipment, Leila best friend, school memories, financial management? Ian, devotion to Leila, the discussion about the proposal, the memories of the conversation, Leila and the extravagant proposal scenario, Minnie putting it into practice, the comedy of the acceptance?
6. When, his background and name, his mother, her phobias, their wealth, his visits, the absent father, memories father, the chess game? His encounter with Minnie, the joke about Mini Cooper?
7. His return, the breakfast, his seeing her work, accompanying her, carrying the pies, the welcome and the meals for the residents at the centre?
8. Audience response to the relationship between Minnie and Quinn, the ups and downs, her visits to the house, his mother, the reaction of her parents, friendship, discussions, the occasions on outings, swimming, the hesitancy with the kiss? His disappearance, communicating again, the return, the effect on Minnie, the blossoming of the relationship, his disappearing again, the card and his apology, shredded?
9. Minnie’s mother, going to see Tara, the initial tension, bitterness, the two women talking together, understanding, friendship, Tara and her phobias, the other woman getting her to go outside, enjoyment of the friendship?
10. Minnie, Leila and the finances, the need for reorganisation, and Minnie moving to new house?
11. New Year’s Eve, Minnie hurrying to meet Quinn, the bus, the driver helping her, the boat sailed? Return, finding Quinn, possibilities?
12. At the house, the sexual episode, her parents arriving, the embarrassment, the future?
13. Finally settling the differences, Minnie and her history being upset, Quinn and his apologies, a couple made for each other?