Irina Palm

When I saw the trailers it looked like a European film and settings, but luckily this movie was in English directed by a German born Belgium director Sam Garbarski.

The story is in a small village near London about a widowed grand-mother Maggie (Marianne Faithful), whose grand son has to undergo treatment in Australia. She has a son Tom (Kevin Bishop) and daughter in law Sarah (Siobhan Hewlett) who can not earn that much to afford the trip to Australia. Maggie loves the grandson a lot but does not have any skills to do work – she has never worked in her entire life. After being rejected at many places, in search of work she lands up in the Soho area (red light district of London) in Mikky's (Miki Manojlovic) sex club / restaurant. Very shy and hesitant – she agrees to the work of masturbating men for a decent sum of Pounds 900 per week. Within no time she becomes the famous Irina Palm (pseudo name) for her skills. Maggie finds a new confidence and self-independence through this new role – which she never thought would become her respected profession. She borrows money from Miki and gives to her son, who becomes suspicious and when he follows her and knows about her new profession and is deeply hurt. He wants her to take the money back and leave the dirty profession.

The movie is about the journey through the mind of Maggie. Her hesitations, her doubts, her fears, her joy, her confidence, her love, and her grandiose – everything is perfect.

Marianne Faithful – who started her career as a singer, and later got involved in film acting – looks beautiful (just google her name and see how beautiful she was in her young days) and has acted honorably in portraying the character of Maggie to its core. She speaks more in her silences, stares and glances than with words. She was the perfect casting by the Director Sam. A special mention of veteran actor Miki Manojlovic – who has played the dark character of Mikky with so much punch and humanness that it is remarkable and not easy to forget. Both Marianne and Miki sparkles the screen with their historic.

A very well directed film by Sam – this is just his fifth directional project. He has also co-written the script with Philip Blasband. Cinematography by Christophe Beacarne is wonderful in capturing the life of a small British village to the dark and dingy streets and hotels of Soho –especially the beginning shot of the village through bird's view and hand held shots of dark back alleys of Soho.

At one point in the movie when Maggie is forced by her son to leave the work, I was longing for Marianne to go back to her profession – because that had brought her self- dignity and self-esteem. But I will not say the ending and spoil of interest.

A very good – sensitive movie! (Stars 7.5 out of 10)

Marianne Faithful stars as a grandmother desperate to provide a rare and expensive medical treatment for her cancer-stricken grandson, in any way possible. She tries every other avenue before settling, reluctantly, on sex work.

The synopsis just doesn't do justice to the movie; my expectations were low, but the film really delivers. From the reactions of her friends and family to the pride she begins to take in her job, this movie has a wealth of subtle and not-so-subtle points to make. The one thing I noted was that there is no way, in the context of the film, to condemn her character for what she is doing. She simply has to reach her goal, and nothing is going to stop her. That kind of dedication is rare and touching.

The best scenes were the grandmother's relations with the club owner and other workers. She holds her own and maintains her dignity despite the circumstances she finds herself in. There aren't any crude jokes, despite the material, but there are rare moments of humor.

Watch this if you get the chance, you won't be disappointed.

Maggie is a widow in her fifties living in a small English village outside of London. She has spent her life in a humdrum manner taking care of her family. Her grandson is very ill and in the hospital. His only chance of survival is surgery in Australia. The medical expenses will be paid by the health care system, but the transportation, etc. must be provided by the family.

Maggie does not have the money, and her son has been out of work for almost a year. Maggie is determined to get the money and goes off to London in a quest of employment of any sort. She is greeted with disdain by potential employers and employment agencies as she is an unremarkable woman with no experience or talent.

In an act of final desperation, Maggie enters a sex shop on a seedy street in London advertising help wanted. It is here that Maggie finds she has a talent much sought after by the clientèle of the shop. She is given the professional name of Irina Palm by her boss, Miki.

It should be obvious that there are going to be sizable repercussions from a modest widow so radically expanding her range of experience, and there are.

Marianne Faithful and Yugoslavian actor Miki Manojlovic are extremely effective as Maggie and Miki - two people who, despite their ages, are able to learn and develop from their experiences.

You'll find that Irina Palm is a very slow moving film but one that offers a very different view of human nature. It is an intriguing slice of life.

Marianne Faithful has an emotional magnet, a stillness/quietness that makes her performance, as well as the film totally, centered on this intriguing and unique character; Miki Manojlovic too, as the nightclub owner, provides a wonderful and a smooth performance; Dorka Gryllus is also remarkable in her small but important role as Maggie's colleague. The story's concept is not completely brand new (desperate character doing desperate things to make money for life saving) but it has been refreshed and it finally proved involving and engaging. Of course it's a very improbable story, but I found very convincing the portrayal of a woman uncomfortable in her own skin and overall uncomfortable with other peoples. There are some scenes blending humor and surprise, rendered in a very poignant way and the tone is always appropriate.

Irina Palm is one of those quirky off-beat Brit flicks that you come across every now and again. Based around the life of a middle aged Maggie, widowed, one son and a grandchild dying of a rare illness. Maggie needs a lot of money to pay for the treatment the boy needs, which can only be found in Australia. However, as widow whose main employment seems to have been as a lady who lunches, her work skills are rather non-existent. Also having sold of the family silver and home some time previously there is very little in the kitty to pay for the treatment he needs. However, she eventually finds salvation in the sex trade as an unlikely sex worker however a rather talented one at that. Finding her niche in hand jobs (to be polite) she sets about becoming the best in London and the target of headhunters (or hand-hunters in this case) What I really enjoyed is the sheer brilliant humanity that Ms Faithful brought to the screen as she realizes that there are real people who work the industry, real that is with families, and homes of their own Special mention must go to Miki Manojlovic and Jenny Agutter for two of the best scenes in the film. All in all a well worth the trip out but as its now playing at Art house cinemas might be a little bit tricky to find.