Jerominator

A believable, albeit tongue in cheek look at how a busy and somewhat estranged brother and sister have to come together to interface with the cold hard reality of their father's sudden decline. Some exquisite little bits of absurdity tucked in its pockets, which anyone who has been through such an experience will appreciate the hell out of. When you're in such a situation, everything is turned upside down and inside out. It's like emotional rape, and finding the humour in it is sweet relief indeed. The film plays with how this kind of situation plays out in the real world, with people tied up in jobs and in different places. The conflict of necessary pragmatism VS sentimentality. What care and compassion the person needs offset against how good a parent they were. The cold perfunctory chain of profiteers waiting to take their cut every step of the way. A shockingly dehumanising and disrespectful process that criminalises children and humiliates parents. It's wrong on so many levels and when you come to have to deal with it you can't help but be disturbed by it. It's the great shame of the western world, how we treat our elderly in deference to capitalist demands. So I think it's good that people are making films about this subject. It's the best thing I've seen Laura Linney in. Her character is such a delicious bag of clumsy contrasts. Sometimes strong and independent, other times regressing(as Hoffman's character puts it at one point) into the little sister/daughter. But always lovable and hilarious. Some of the gestures and looks from her and Hoffman throughout this are priceless. Superbly acted and directed and written. I wish these people made all my movies. Well these kind of movies anyway. I know it's an over-used phrase but I firmly believe this is an under- rated little gem.

I disagree with comments saying this was spoiled by the lack of a story or that it was somehow empty.

Give me the truth every time instead of being spoonfed some convenient children's story book version of something. I loved these snapshots of the man and his process. It felt real and unembellished.

I think formulaic storybook films should have had their day by now but people are so slavish to them that the money machine keeps churning them out and ramming them down our throats like so much grain down a foie gras goose's neck. Then people panic when there's not a story. We are not 5! Use your damned imagination, or take it at face value. Be disturbed or haunted by the lack of tidy bows and happy endings, by the open spaces, by the jagged edges. This is life, unlike children's stories.

I liked the acting from the maid in particular, but Spall and some of the supporting cast were good too. Also liked the haunting score kicking in at poignant moments. Some lovely cinematography spliced in there too. Better than I thought from the reviews, but it's not a laughfest or a tidy story. Which is absolutely fine by me cos I've had my fill of those.