Wide Blue Yonder

For reasons that are not immediately clear, this has only just (in 2019) had a release at cinemas in the UK and to be honest, it isn't really a cinema film. The comedic performances by Brian Cox are all the more appreciable because they are so unlike anything he has done elsewhere; his dancing around in his underwear (and we are not talking Calvin Klein, here!) cannot help but make you smile. Otherwise it is a gentle old-age rebellion film with occasional appearances by Lauren Bacall with James Fox making for a decent, if rather typecast, foil to Cox. Ideal for telly between Christmas and New Year to make you feel good.

I like this film because it works for me on many levels. The basic story line is that a sailor named Skip has died and wanted to be buried at sea. This is not the done thing this century so the authorities have organized a proper church yard burial. However his life long friend Wally wants the sea burial to happen and stealing the corpse is the way to make this happen.

Writer director Robert Young and his producers have set out to make a little story told well and they have succeeded. It's a sensible use of film funding money which was able to attract Brian Cox , Lauren Bacall and James Fox.

The script has some good laughs and the support characters look and act well.

If given the opportunity this is the sort of film I would like to make.

All at Sea, sometimes called Wide Blue Yonder. From norway ! Brian cox, lauren bacall. When an old friend dies, wally does his best to fulfill his dying wish. To be buried at sea. But wally doesn't have a boat. And the regulations are very complicated. Lots of one liners from the mean director of the nursing home. In imdb, the character list is mostly all first names, so we're not really sure who is who. Co-stars british actor james fox as george, who seems to be here to antagonize everyone he meets. Lots of little side plots, and it's done way over the top, but it's all in good fun. Can wally raise the money needed, and overcome the endless obstacles to finally bury his good friend, in spite of everything against him? Directed by robert young. He had also done splitting heirs in 1993, with eric idle and john cleese. Story by hugh janes. It's okay. Not great, not bad.

This is a very fun film that goes overboard (yep, a pun) far too often. It's too bad. It could have been an excellent film about smart feisty older folk who take charge of their own lives when eejits try to overrule them to prove their power and make more money.

That said, there were some bursts of brilliance, thank goodness! And many good laughs. One of the best was the opening scene. It was a great action scene (YES!! I said action scene - it's all relative).

Brian Cox is at his uninhibited Scottish best.

This is a fun film to watch to just watch. Don't take anything too seriously. If only there had been a bit more care to take out the slapstick, it could have been a great one! Enjoy it anyway!

A movie slated by too many! It's essentially a reimagining of the classic Jack Lemmon/Walter Matthau combo The Odd Couple with Brian (not Professor) Cox and James Fox trying to do right by an old friend. A good gentle comedy that Ealing would have been proud of. Ignore the nay sayers and give it a go. For me a good Christmas Eve movie when nothing else was on. Enjoy.