Days of the Bagnold Summer

Daniel is a morose, thrash metal loving teenager dressed in black with long unkept hair who is painfully unsure of himself. He does not have a great relationship with his mum Sue, who, despite having a sunny disposition and cheery manner is also painfully unsure of herself. Daniel is hoping to spend the summer with his father who is now living in Florida but when that plan is scuppered it's clear that he's going to have to spend it with his mother.

To say this film is understated is....well, an understatement. Some reviews have seen the film as pointless and innocuous and to be fair this directorial debut by actor Simon Bird isn't going to change your life but I found a lot to like. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments a few moving ones (but not overtly sentimental) the direction and photography and the songs of Belle and Sebastian perfectly capture the bright but often deadly dull days of a suburban British summer. The supporting cast is full of great British comic actors who are great although the central performances of Earl Cave and especially Monica Dolan as son and mother are quite wonderful.

Your socks won't be blown off but give yourself 85 minutes to immerse yourself into this world and you will find it, I think, a rather disarmingly charming experience.

I thought this was a good realisation of the graphic novel by Joff Winterhart - going back to the book afterwards demonstrated thart a good deal of care had gone into capturing the feel of the novel. There are comedic moments but it is not a comedy and, overall, nothing much happens. Having said that I found it satisfying and, in the end, positive. Strong acting throughout - particularly Monicsa Dolan and. Earl Cave.

This story is very real and is get relatable to ordinary people. The mother son relationship is realistic, and their transformation is heartwarming. I enjoyed watching it.

Greetings again from the darkness. If most people realized how obnoxious they were as teenagers, we'd likely have far fewer folks opting to be parents. Actor-turned-director Simon Bird, in his first feature film, portrays the awkward, frustrating, and sometimes bitter relationship between a confused and directionless teenage boy and his divorced, well-meaning, single mom. The screenplay was written by Bird's wife, Lisa Owens, and adapted from Joff Winterhart's 2012 graphic novel.

Daniel (a terrific Earl Cave) is a 15 year old boy who is obsessed with heavy-metal music and resents pretty much everything else in life. He's a droopy boy who can't be bothered to shampoo his hair, and the only energy he expends is with snarky comments to his devoted mother, Sue (an outstanding Monica Dolan), who is clueless on how to connect with a son who bears little resemblance to the younger boy she fondly recalls raising. Sue is diligent with her work as a librarian, and tries to instill some ambition in Daniel by having his seek employment.

Daniel sinks into an even lower funk when the dad he worships cancels the boy's much anticipated trip to Florida for a visit. Of course, Sue subtly points out that dear old dad may not be the best idol for her son, but those cautions fall on deaf ears. Instead, Daniel labels Sue, "the most boring person in the world". Their time together is cringe-inducing, as Sue does her best to convince Daniel they can have fun, despite his disappointment.

The interesting aspect of the film is derived from its structure as a comedy, while the undercurrent of sadness and isolation is ever-present. Sue is thrilled when Douglas (Rob Brydon), a history teacher, asks her out on a date. At the same time, Daniel's best (only?) friend Ky (Elliott Speller-Gillott) encourages him to pursue his dream as a front man for a local metal band ... resulting in one of the film's funniest and strangest segments. Neither Sue's date, or the aftermath, nor Ky's attempt to help his friend go according to plan.

Much of the soundtrack comes courtesy of Belle & Sebastian, and the uses of musical montages actually takes away from the otherwise realistic interactions between these characters. In addition to Brydon and Speller-Gillott, Alice Lowe has a welcome supporting role as Sue's more socially-inclined sister, but this film belongs to Mr. Cave and Ms. Dolan. Most parents can relate to Sue's challenges, and most adults who can be honest with themselves in retrospect, will likely recognize some of their own behavior in Daniel. The nuanced behavior and witty humor is handled well, and that deeper emotional level elevates the film for those who care to dig in. Available in theatres, Virtual Cinema, and streaming platforms on February 19, 2021

Started out really great and full of laughs. It felt refreshing and a solid directorial effort by Simon Bird.

The Belle and Sebastian songs really helped with the vibe of it. The two leads had good chemistry, and managed to balance tender moments, with dramatic ones, and dry comedy.

Things lost momentum as it went on though. The slice of life elements started to wear thin, and the depressive angst just became a bit tiresome. I wasn't a fan of a particular development involving a certain animal.

But nevertheless, it was unique, succeeded in some laughs and was an alright way to spend 80-something minutes.