Annie-Mary à la folie!

When you go see this film, please sit back and relax. This is a fable, a story where, yes, eccentric characters are overdramatized, but anyone that's been to Wales will see just that, the people are very funny. Rachel Griffiths is excellent, as is Jonathan Pryce, as her bullying Welsh father. This is not a US blockbuster, but then again, it wasn't supposed to be. The story has heart, and the one scene where Rachel's character (Annie-Mary) goes up in a balloon in a dance hall was very funny. The accents are hard for folks that don't understand any language other than American-English, but when you see a Liverpool film, a Scottish film, do you expect to understand anything other than the loveable laughable characters? View, sit back, relax..and enjoy the experience of "something different".

This film is superb. It's bonkers, realistic and fabulously fresh. It doesn't fit in with any common genre and really makes one feel a part of this bizarre Welsh community portrayed in the film.

The characters are full and rounded, peculiar perhaps, but they are completely real. I've shown this film to a group of Year 11 students I teach, and they loved it. I've also shown it to my mother and she loved it too.

It has universal appeal and the fact that it doesn't follow normal conventions is what makes it attractive and utterly brilliant.

I was blown away by the range of emotion and expression shown by Rachel Griffiths in the movie, Very Annie Marie. I was not particularly impressed with her acting in the HBO series, Six Feet Under, but now I realize she is unable to use her talents to the full extent that she did in Very Annie Marie. I have a new sense of respect for her. In this movie, I found her to be a brilliant actress who is absolutely captivating and her delivery and comic timing are superb. Knowing that she is a native of Australia, I was completely convinced by her portrayal of a Welsh woman. This movie reminds me of the sweet humor and warmth of the movie, Calendar Girls, in that it portrays colorful characters who are believable and not just Hollywood stereotypes. Rachel is a bright spark that brings life and a sense of joy to the movie. I would like to know if she was actually singing the aria. If not, I was completely convinced that she was. I have not previously written a review but was so impressed with Rachel's performance that I had to this time.

This is definitely the 2nd best film I've ever seen (Once Upon A Time In The West is my fave). But Cerys Matthews lends her all here. It made me laugh - it made me sigh - it made me cry. But mainly it made me feel so proud to be Welsh!

Don't miss it

I enjoyed every minute of this film, and I think that's the great thing about it; it's consistently entertaining. It's got funny moments, touching moments, sad moments, and a downright beautiful finale that left me feeling warm.

It's not a blockbuster, it doesn't have car chases or explosions or explore the depths of the human psyche, but it's very enjoyable in a down-to-earth sort of way.

The characters really draw you in and are excellently portrayed by the cast, with unintrusive directing that lets the superb script do the work. I was surprised at how low this film had scored, and recommend that anyone who roots for the underdog or has ever wanted to just say 'Nuts to the lot of you, I'm doing what *I* want' will enjoy Very Annie Mary. Go on, give it a try. You might like it...