Sixty Six

I thought that, though this film was admittedly little slow to take off, it picked up momentum and was captivating throughout the later stages. the story was indeed heartwarming ands quirky. It required a little patience but that paid off and I found the performances convincing and true to life. it did make me shed a tear at the end and the climax is rewarding, even though we know the outcome. I would say that it's well worth a viewing. The lead character is well played and the father figure is a sad yet endearing character. The build up to the finale is quite long but draws you in and I thought the screenplay was a little reminiscent of Mike Leigh's style. Go and see it -- you won't be disappointed overall!

The coming of age tale is always one of the most enjoyable and heartfelt types of film, with Sixty Six proving that it is worth the viewer's time because of the wonderful character driven film that it is. It should be noted that because of the film's plot, you should immediately know that it won't be story driven outside of the characters' individual stories. To make it simple, if you know how the 1966 World Cup turned out, you know how this film is going to end. So, it is for that reason that I say, if you don't know how that World Cup ended, don't look it up. The film will tell you, and to be honest, it was one of the things that made it such a great movie for me. Knowing the outcome of the matches, however, doesn't take away from the experience.

In a character driven film, the performances are obviously the most important, and here we have a trifecta of awesomeness. First and foremost, in one of my favorite performances of the decade, Eddie Marsan really shows some muscle and range as Bernie's father, in one of the most silently moving performances of recent memory. The character by himself is a hell of a subject to study, a neurotic and paranoid man who has lost faith in his own life because of the lack of success in his family business, and feeling distant from his wife. Marsan pulls this off wonderfully. You can't help but feel bad for him, despite numerous bad choices in the film.

Helena Bonham Carter is, as usual, excellent as Bernie's mother. I really appreciated her towards the end of the film, when all of our characters have an epiphany. Youngster Gregg Sulkin is wonderful in his first role, and he should have plenty of work in the future. What you get from this film is a tad bit of predictability, yet where that hurts the film, the characters make up for it. Even supporting characters, such as one played by Stephen Rea, are as intriguing as the big three.

If you enjoy teary moments, boys becoming men in their life, and a bit of British humor, Sixty Six is bound to be enjoyable for you. I was very glad I caught it in the brief run it had in my theater, because it's definitely one of the better movies that has come out recently, in addition to providing a nice break from all the summer explosions. As for Brits looking for this film to see, odds are that it's already on DVD in your neck of the woods, as it was released in the UK about two years ago.

Fantastic acting in this Jewish British coming of age story. Brilliant story that keeps the audience's attention without them needing to be football fans.

OK, perhaps my perception is biased by the fact that my Bar Mitzvah was in 1962, albeit Chicago. But this movie rang true on every count: the family business, the distracted (worried) father, the overprotective mother, the domineering brother (just like mine), and the exaggerated importance that (we) twelve year old boys desired of our "coming out party." The movie made me laugh out loud, and even audibly groan at the pathetic human foibles. Bernie's family was (almost, but not quite) as crazy as my own. But the central theme of the film was neither the craziness of family nor the anticipation of disaster. It was how Bernie and his family got through it all and learned core and timeless values. I do not want to spoil it, so I will just say that the ending was incredibly fulfilling. Every Rabbi should see this film. Every parent should see it with their twelve year old -- boy or girl, Jew or Gentile.

How nice to watch a film suitable for children that is funny, compassionate and resonates with their problems. No animation, no talking animals, but a boy and his family, He gets picked on, ignored, and teach himself to grow up. My ten year old grandson rates this as one of his favourite films ever.

It is also very appealing on an adult level. Witty, perceptive and devoid of sentimentality,it is plain good fun.

The acting and writing are flawless and the recreation of 1966 is breath-taking. I am in awe of the production designer and the colourisers. It all works smoothly, although it did leave me wondering 'How did they do that?'.