ChickLit

I enjoy film and have broad and eclectic tastes and interests both in style and subject matter. I believe that a film with a modest budget can be very successful if the script is well written and structured, has effectively paced direction with well developed characters who are played well. Unfortunately this film has insufficient quantity of all of the characteristics mentioned above.

Having read positive reviews however and noted the reputable high quality cast, many of whom I admired, I decided to overlook the low IMDb rating and take a chance. Unfortunately the main achievement off this film has been to rekindle my faith in IMDb ratings.

It's described as a comedy. I didn't laugh and the story barely held my attention.

Well, we always look for something new in cinemas. 90 per cent of all films are based on the same old contents. This was a little different, yet I won't say it was pure new. I enjoyed it, thought better than hundreds of boring films I've seen in the last few months. Surely it does not make sense in the real world. From the entertainment perspective, it delivered, but in the British style.

It had wonderful characters and cast. That little girl from 'Golden Compass' all grown up. This is an adult comedy, but nothing was obscene. Quite nicely written story. Four friends who everyday meet in the pub is now trying to save it from closing down. So they have to raise money and they come up with an idea of writing a novel, but want to stay anonymous. That's where a young woman enters that changes the fate of the book, the pub and theirs.

Not probably, but surely an under-rated film of the year. As well as under-noticed. If you can watch mindless Hollywood comedies, then it is much better than them in many ways. All you have to do is give it a try. Only disappointment was the end. I did not expect it to end just like that. I anticipated emotional conclusion. That would have changed the overall aspect of the film. Still very much a watchable film, so go for it.

8/10

Oh dear. Another writer/director movie (okay, they're not all bad, just most of them.) It's a strange little film with a great idea and some class actors - including John Hurt, bless! Love him but he must have done it for the money - but in dire need of some editing, rewriting, tightening, reworking and all the other stuff you do to make a so-so movie better.

Read the blurb and within a couple of minutes of the movie you know what's going to happen. But the actors are good - hooray! - and it's probably that that made me watch to the end.

There are some nice bits of dialogue but much does not further the plot or develop character and you feel - like the characters - that you're sitting in a pub waiting for last orders to be called.

There are also some unbelievable character motivations and the writer has absolutely no knowledge of how the publishing industry works - particularly the timescale! It might have a message. I've no idea what it is but it is definitely last century! Notting Hill it's not.

In order to save a pub from financial ruin 4 men - who usually meet for their weekly domino-game there - decide to write a BDSM-novel (which in the movie is currently very famous with female readers) to earn the money the pub needs. Of course, such a novel would ruin a literary-professor's reputation as well as diminish the literary reviews of a literary critic. Thus, they decide to hire an actress who impersonates the writer of this novel. All seems to work out at first, but of course the plot lives from various difficulties.

An audience used to over-dramatized Hollywood movies might find this movie rather calm and unimpressive. The characters are all lovingly drawn, the plot is entertaining but won't make your heart race. It's a lovely movie that makes you smile. Especially the music by Alex Britten is an enormous gem in this film!

What I personally thought a little disappointing was the performance by the blond lead actress who - for my liking - seemed too detached.

If you like a nice afternoon movie this is definitely it. And it surely leaves some good tunes stuck in your mind!

This is a genuinely funny and affectionate movie made in the best tradition of recent British cinema comedy. The story line and plot are great, the acting consistently good, and, considering the minuscule budget it was apparently shot on, it looks and sounds as good as some of those 'big name' British films of recent years. I'm especially impressed by the pace of this, slow enough to give that affectionate feel, but tightly cut enough to give younger viewers a sense of pace. The critics were not kind, however I guess the 'Islington set' do not get to hang out in North Norfolk very often, and probably prefer their yokels as Wurzels caricatures! Give it a go - you'll get some belly laughs out of this one!