Coming Home

Despite her small role Penelope Keith steals the show in this adaptation of a period drama that tells the story of the upheavals of war on the home front. She is the ultimate educated and feminist aunt whose character is only spoilt by an idiotic ignorance of David McCallum's advances on Keira Knightly.

Unfortunately, Keith's character dies early on in this 199 minute drama and the key concept of the changes of war barely touch the social realities of this story's very privileged characters.

Emily Mortimer is an excellent actor but is badly miscast as an elder version of Knightly whose talents could easily have allowed her to continue in the role to at least the age of 18. Lumley's heartache is barely given a glance in the story and there is virtually no opportunity for O'Toole to demonstrate his acting talents. The adult Loveday Carey-Lewis, played by Katie Ryder Richardson changes little from her childhood counterpart with the result that her character has mo more maturity than that of a ten year old!

Moreover, the aftermath of the sex scene between Paul Bettany and Mortimer does not create the desired effect of rendering Bettany's character as an uncaring rogue. Instead Mortimer's inflated romantic notions only fuel a dislike for a character that is utterly inept and badly in need of a lesson on life!

Bettany, while brilliant, commits an unconvincing suicide but at the very least we catch a glimpse of the brutality of war on a generation of young men.

I found myself wishing that the story had been told from the point of view of Mortimer's sister and the young artist, Gus, played by Heikko Deutschmann, but this is on account of my personal preference for a dark story lines.

Overall the drama is entertaining but if you are looking for a more profound experience, look elsewhere.

In this three-hour miniseries, Emily Mortimer stars as a young woman who gets "adopted" into her best friend's family while on holiday during boarding school. Her own family is in Singapore and she never sees them, so she takes on a new life in the upper crust with Katie Ryder Richardson and her family. Patriarch Peter O'Toole, matriarch Joanna Lumley, and brother Paul Bettany all accept Emily as dearly as if she were a blood relative, as do family friends and constant visitors George Asprey and Patrick Ryecart. Coming Home has all the elements of success: war drama, love triangles, death, pregnancies, melodrama, and pain. It takes place from the early 1930s through WWII and features a very likable heroine trying to find love and happiness. Americans might not understand how a family could abandon their daughter for years, but it was a common British practice to send young kids to boarding school and see them only during the holidays. If stationed abroad, the student instead spends time with a relative in closer proximity or a kind friend's family.

I'd love to reach the original novel, since the miniseries was so entertaining. Each of the characters came to life, even if they didn't have much screen time. Peter O'Toole, a marvelous actor, was only given one scene to show his acting chops - but that scene might be the one that sticks with you the most. He shaves his son's face, and the myriad of emotions he feels will make you reach for your handkerchief. Patrick Ryecart's character was so interesting, I'd love to learn more. Joanna Lumley's elegance made it seem like she really was mistress of the manor, and the camera crew asked if she'd agree to act as herself for television. What a graceful woman! And who wouldn't love to be the subject of George Asprey's longing looks?

As the lead, Emily had such determination and strength. I was proud of her time and again, as she refused to be a simpering female and stood up to her bullies. Her independence wasn't unrealistic for the time period, though, which I appreciated. She was simply a strong woman, who started off as a strong child. The first portion of the miniseries features her time at boarding school, and she's played by a thirteen-year-old Keira Knightley! Keira spends time with a fun (and also strong, whom she perhaps strives to emulate) aunt, Penelope Keith. Penelope's friend, David McCallum, harasses Keira - and her unusual intelligence puts her in a great position to fight back.

Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to an upsetting scene involving a child, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.

If you like WWII stories, definitely rent Coming Home. Don't get it confused with the Jane Fonda classic, and instead, grab a cozy blanket and settle in for three hours of great melodrama.

Like so many things this was not as good as the book. It was simply unrealistic to hope to fit a thousand page book into a three hour drama, and the story that they tell here in this TV drama suffers as a result. The cutting of large chunks of the story and other small alterations make for an average script.

On the acting front there is a mishmash of performances. Peter O'Toole and Joanna Lumley are well casted, even if the latter does at points over do it a bit. There are also early promising performances for Kiera Knightley and Paul Bettany, but the pivotal roles of the Judith and Loveday characters just don't work.

In the spirit of fairness it is worth mentioning some of the lovely scenery shown, and the good attempt on the period costume and props. However what annoyed me the most was that they partially changed the ending from the book to allow for the sequel.

If you haven't read the book this will appear as slightly dated average world war two drama with some familiar faces in it. But if you are a fan of the Pilcher novel then I'm afraid this slightly tacky adaptation does not live up to the book, and paints a more simpler and cruder picture of what is a truly lovely story.

Great cast and love the war setting as we have so much to be thankful for in peace time. However, this show is quite hypocritical over sexualising women - one character is clearly portrayed as bad for being a creep but all the topless scenes throughout the three hours undermine this message.

Sprawling but superficial mini about an unlikable family at the verge of WW II. They live on an estate on the Cornish coast and are impacted by the war.

Despite top billing for Peter O'Toole, the main characters are the daughters plated by Emily Mortimer and the unlikable Katie Ryder Richardson. As the gals maneuver thru the war, we also get the stories of the other family member and the men in their lives.

Despite some good production values, the story just seems flat. There's not much detail. We just glide along like an ocean breeze while the characters live their lives. The three star actresses mentioned above just don't get much to do and we wallow in the daily doings of the uninteresting younger set.

Co-stars include Paul Bettany, Patrick Ryecart, David McCallum, Susan Hampshire, and Charles Edwards.