Cemetery Junction - Das Leben und andere Ereignisse

I'm always surprised when a film I'd heard had mixed reviews at best, turns out to be so much better than I was expecting and Cemetery Junction is a great example of this.

It's an old fashioned feel good movie. Sure it's maybe a little twee in places and ties things up nicely at the end but what's wrong with that sometimes? Great casting with superb performances from the central few characters and again a stunning turn from Ralph Fiennes. How good an actor is that guy? Poignant, touching, both gently and laugh out loud funny in places, a great character driven plot and just very very good film making IMO. Great use of music too, which like Tarantino movies always adds massively to the overall appeal.

Can't recommend it enough. Gervais and Merchant should be very proud of themselves and I hope they're aware that this is a much better film than the box office takings would suggest.

Similar film styles would be East is East, Sideways and maybe, Letter to Brezhnev. If you liked those, watch this. You'll love it.

"Cemetery Junction" is Ricky Gervais's second attempt at directing a major motion picture. A fan of his previous work in television but having been disappointed by "The Invention of Lying" I was not sure what to expect. The final result was a 95 minute movie that was flawed yet very fun to watch and something to lose yourself in for a short period of time.

The plot of "Cemetery Junction" evolves around three young men in 1973 who are desperately trying to avoid spending the rest of their lives in working class Reading and ending up like their parents. The film itself is mainly a drama but there is plenty of well-placed, classic Gervais comedy throughout. The majority is setting the scene and developing the characters. However, this leads to the final twenty minutes seeming quite rushed with slightly choppy editing and throwing in a few clichés which it had previously done a good job of avoiding. The acting was brilliant for the most part, but I felt Christian Cooke (who probably has the most screen time out of the trio of friends) was a little wooden.

Overall, "Cemetary Junction" is an enjoyable film that should please Gervais fans yet can be more widely appreciated as he is attempting to do something different and, in my opinion, does a pretty good job of it.

7/10

Though I knew Ricky Gervais and Steve merchant directed it, I had no prior expectations about this movie. I did not know what it was about nor did i read any reviews before watching. Trust me, that is the best way to watch Cemetery Junction. Don't listen to the reviews of jaded film critics who over-analyze and complain about other movies being similar. This is a movie that make you feel good without explicitly being a feel-good movie. I came out feeling nostalgic for 70s Britain though I grew up in 90s USA. The dialog is witty, smart, often funny and sometimes touching. It deftly touches on themes of loss, regret, friendship, love, and following one's dreams. This is my favorite British film in quite some time. You will not regret watching this movie.

A seductive film. A drama , like a comedy. About ages, choices, appearences, mariage, friendship, teens, love, about small things defining each of us and about freedom. A film like an old song. Not for "70's atmosphere, but for accuracy of a near reality to you feel. A film about life, in its basic characteristics and about fundamental option defining it. The best scene, reminding the portraits of Vermeer-Emily Watson preparing the tea for her Mr. Kendrick , in blue dress, viewed from open door .

I can't say I'm disappointed in this film, because with Ricky's touch few things can remain boring, or uninteresting. If you have seen Ricky interviewed about this film, he'll tell you exactly what influenced him to write and direct this film. However, unlike Invention of Lying which was pretty original, though its influences were clear, one cannot look at Cemetery junction without thinking of the many, many coming to age films he or she has seen. In other words, in his other works, Ricky's influences blend in with his originality and gave a unique product. IN cemetery junction, however, his influences take center stage and dominate the film, not allowing for a great deal of originality to shine through.

This is a solid work from Gervais, and as he says, it is a beautiful love-letter to Britain. It is truly disappointing that Gervais could not make something original out of it. Maybe, I am pursuing this point fiercely, but it is the main problem of the movie. When you look at Cemetery junction, you can not stop to think of endless other films that have pursued the same content. If you are not a big movie buff, or just like to see Gervais and Merchant you won't be disappointed, but you are not going to get a highly original work as The Office.

The acting is also decent at best. The problem with the acting is not the actors themselves, but is their over-dominance on the role. They are not comfortable in playing the characters; they over-react in ways that are truly unnecessary for this film. They all want to take center stage (the main male, central characters), and this need for dominating the role really undermines the true talent that they posses.

I walked out of the theater not disappointed, but not charmed either. I can best describe my immediate reaction as indifference; it was kind of like, "oh, I just watched a Gervais' film that was okay;" unlike the admiration that I had for his TV work or earlier films.

In addition, the music in the film and the soundtrack is very typical of seventies and eighties music. I wish Gervais had chosen varied songs, similar to Tarantino, in his film. He chooses instead a large variety of popular songs by Roxy Music, Springsteen etc. They are too familiar to truly leave an impression on the audience.