Rudy

Rudy is a dramatic film, well acted and telling a story of loss and love on their farm. There is suspense and humour in their lives as the family coped without the father's wife and mother of their three children.

Tension throughout with local picturesque cinematography in and around, Rugby, Coventry and Warwickshire, by Graeme Dunn. The dramatic music added atmosphere and few words to portray the sad story, ten years in the making.

I was engrossed, watching the film in the intimate atmosphere created in the Alex, Rugby with seven others in the cosy, dark room of the old brewery. Good luck to local Director Shona Auerbach for a BAFTA nomination.

Rudy is perfectly balanced - tender and heartwarming, but with just enough edge to keep you believing and wondering what's going to happen next. At its core is a love story, underpinned by compelling and authentic central performances, but there's much more to the film than that. I was struck by its meditation on community and the ways in which people desire it and improvise it against the odds. Beautifully shot, it makes the most of Coventry's extraordinary, layered urban environment. There are hypnotic passages where the music and images take over, and moments of almost unbearable suspense. The ending is perfectly judged, closing on an unexpected note of joyful ambiguity. Like all good films, it follows you out into the world and stays with you.

I was lucky to see this exquisite movie at a local film club in Great Ayton, followed by a Q&A with the Director. What a lovely story, beautiful told and anchored by superb performances from the children. Darren Day may not be everyone's first choice for a grieving Warwickshire farmer but he pulls it off! A special word for the music - the choice of songs and the score perfectly complement the story. Coventry has never looked so beautiful, either.

I truly hope this labour of love ( it took 10 years to be made and released) finds a bigger audience. I saw this on the same day as the much bigger Saltburn. This is a far superior movie and deserves an opportunity to find an audience.

A beautiful, absorbing, understated film that follows a teenager dealing with the loss of her mother, whist finding her own sense of self. It is beautifully done, there is no heavy exposition, and no unnecessarily dramatic storylines, rather the story unfolds delicately, through everyday interactions. The screenplay is very assured, and allowed silence and skilful filmography to illuminate the characters where a lesser film would have relied on dialogue alone. Yet it is never less than griping, it makes you care what happened to all the characters, not just the main protagonist, and all the characters are well observed and believable. The performances are all good, but the main character, Rudi, is exceptional and completely anchors the film. All of this is accompanied by a beautiful score and I just feel so frustrated that I saw this is a village hall and that a film which has so much depth,, done with such beauty struggles to get the same exposure as the more formulaic studio films. It certainly outshone any film I have seen at a multiplex this year. Catch it if you can. .

I loved every second. It's the kind of movie I thirst for, a world away from formulaic characters and plots. "Rudy" is uncontrived, almost innocent in its desire to show a human story rather than tell us how clever the filmmaker is. Its beautifully observed and engaging filled with delicate touches of every day life that reminded me how much we all share, away from the glitz and glare of "media" and overstated pieces.,Very human, very touching. I remember "Dear Frankie", Shona Auerbach's previous gem which mesmerised me in the same fashion. If you also long to watch a movie that invites you and allows you to determine your own emotional responses, walk alongside a family for a while as they navigate change, loss and tough adjustments with very little understanding of what they need except to feel safe, accepted and loved - all without it becoming necessary to get psychotherapy or have profound conversations, please watch "Rudy".