Mum's List

Beautifully written and filmed. A heartbreaking story that you feel like you're a part of. Amazing acting. Would definitely recommend to all.

It's a pretty nice music video about remembering the wife and mother gone too soon… only it's going on for 102 minutes.

I'm sure there are some who would like this mushy kind of thing – „The Notebook" crowd, perhaps? – but I am not one of them. I really am a wrong person to review this.

It was a small challenge to continue watching after the first second or so. I just knew how it all would play out from the opening scene, and it only went more boring from there.

There is no proper story to speak of, mostly vignettes about the happy past. Pretty pictures and inspiring music, just like scraps from a "spiritual" friend's Facebook account.

Without proper story, the overall sweetness is hard to stomach for so long. Everybody is so nice and always has time and patience for everybody else. No authenticity, no real emotions, only saccharine.

Rafe Spall is great as the grieving husband and father, others are good too.

Seriously, watch the trailer first and if you liked it and are ready to see the extended 102 minute version, then check out the movie.

Based on the true story and best-selling book by one St John Greene, „Mum's List" will hit cinemas a week before Mothers Day.

IMDb says It has been released previously only in the UK and Ireland last November, which turned out to be much less smooth move, resulting this cancer weepie disappearing without a trace.

This film quietly did the rounds in cinemas, and hopefully will now gain further attention on DVD.

I hope this because it's a decent enough film, touching in places and is well performed by Rafe Spall and Emelia Fox. Spall in particular carries the film, and continues his rise from supporting player to leading man with this project.

It's a bit slow in places, and although it sounds horrible, we've seen a lot of this sort of film, but I hope it does well. It certainly deserves to.

Never heard of this film but it's come on tv tonight. A story of a family who are very much in love. The eldest son had cancer and is in remission when the mum also is struck down with an incurable cancer. She leave behind a list for her husband and wishes for him and their two sons. This is based on a true story and can hit hard how life can be cruel.

I have a loving wife and we have two young children together, they're my everything and the thought of this happening to one of us made it so hard to watch.

People who go through these battles are incredibly brave, it must be so hard. This is brilliantly acted, but can be hard to watch, especially if you're a family and the thought this could happen to you.

There isn't much to go on writer/director Niall Johnson who's apparently been fairly quiet since directing Keeping Mum and writing White Noise back in 2005. But he comes back in full swing directing this film based on the best-selling book written by St. John (Singe) Greene, the husband of Kate and father of their two children.

It's a truly heart-breaking story of the devastation cancer does, not just to the sick, or the body, but to those left behind as we watch the story unravel itself during the wake of Kate being taken by cancer. There's no surprises here, you know the outcome, but it's not about that, but about a celebration of love that stays and the emotional struggle some have to deal with after. The story does an amazing job of giving us the ideals and history of their relationship, the love and the things that matter most.

Johnson does a grand job cleverly flipping between with and without Kate, seeing the reminders, the flashbacks of happy memories and then the heart-ache and absence, the painful aftermath of trying to cope. It is, as the title suggests a list of things Mum/Kate wanted Singe to carry out after her passing, but it's not linear and instead has a lovely structure to help tell their story, working their way through the sweet list of things to do.

Rafe Spall plays Singe and gives, in my opinion, his greatest performance ever, hopefully doing the real Singe and family proud. Emilia Fox plays Kate brilliantly, powerful and joyful yet both give tear-provoking performances, showing what terminal cancer can do to a loving family such as the Greenes, actually being difficult to watch at times.

Impressive score from actress Amelia Warner with a mixture of touching modern tracks from Lauren Aquilina, Walking On Cars, Una Healy and some eighties classics reminiscent of their childhood romance. Including a good reworking of Simple Minds' "Don't You (Forget About Me) by James Morrison.

Unfortunately I think this film is going to get overlooked or missed by many while on the big screen, which is a shame. It's such a touching story and a wonderful tribute to not just the Greene's but to everyone who has suffered or lost out to the dreadful C. It's a heart-rending, emotional story beautifully crafted together. Bring tissues.

Running Time: 9 The Cast: 9 Performance: 9 Direction: 9 Story: 9 Script: 9 Creativity: 8 Soundtrack: 9 Job Description: 9 The Extra Bonus Points: 10 for Rafe Spall's performance alone. Would I buy the Bluray?: Yes

90% 9/10