Perfect Strangers

I would just like to take this moment to withdraw an earlier comment I have made, Stephen Poliakoff is not the second greatest person working on T.V, he is THE greatest person ever to work on T.V and Perfect strangers is his masterpiece. Developing themes explored in his earlier work Shooting the Past, Perfect Strangers captures the magic and wonder surrounding such things as war stories, mysterious photographs, and dark secrets and hidden stories from family trees. But it's the way he tells these stories, using instantly likeable characters and beautifully worded passages to create a tale, which anyone with a childhood will instantly recognise and relate to. Although the programme is only a third the way through, the final part comes next Thursday, I feel it's safe to say that Poliakoff has created an everlasting programme which will be rediscovered and repeated for years to come. Perfect Strangers deserves to win all the BAFTAs and Media awards it will surely be nominated for.

I am approaching 40, and have a family of my own. I also recall memories from my childhood; family celebrations; weddings; christenings.

One recalls all those people that seemed immortal. One's parents,captured in photographs; cousins whom one has not seen for years. Then in middle age, you meet people to whom you are related. but have not seen for years. You see pictures of those that are no longer with you.

Perfect Strangers is a sublime drama, one which evokes much of the above and so much more. The central performances are touching and evocative. Matthew Mcfadyen is totally convincing as Daniel, and he is well supported by Michael Gambon, Lindsay Duncan, Claire Skinner and Toby Stephens.

Stephen Poliakoff creates a memorable drama, more remarkable in an age of instant TV, reality TV and vapid game shows. Lose yourself in the characters, and the charming, touching story. I dare you not to shed a tear, not to be drawn into the images, the music....in an all to shallow world, this reminds us of what drama can do. Enchanting.

This drama is 4+ hours long but it held us in its power throughout. It was not originally intended to be seen all in one day, of course, but is so gripping that if you have it all you'll want to see it all. Some of Britain's finest stage and TV talent was gathered for this - the BBC must have known they were on to a good thing when they saw the script - and that talent is deployed masterfully.

It bears a passing resemblance to "Shooting the Past", another Poliakoff piece for which we have a lot of time. But Perfect Strangers is better. The story is more plausible, the script is better and the characters more rounded.

As far as TV drama goes, this is about as good as it gets. Highly recommended.

There's a lot to like about this excellent British drama. The story about the relationships between the members of a family, may seem a bit too simple, and the lack of big surprises may disappoint some people, but anyone who takes a closer look, will discover a rich, subtle, heartwarming family drama that offers very authentic, original characters and more emotions and reality than any soap opera will ever do. Stephen Poliakoff's direction is impeccable, the casting is truly perfect (even for the smallest roles), the actors never less than wonderful. The beautiful music supports the dramatic events in a way that 'Perfect Strangers' will be in your head for several days. An absolute masterpiece.

I never cease to be amazed at what one finds in the local library in a small town in Florida. During a wet few days, due to a stalled hurricane, I borrowed a DVD with Timothy Spall's name on the box expecting it to be a two hour movie. Was I ever surprised! This was one of the most riveting stories I have ever seen, and I watched the entire saga in one sitting.

As the extended family gathered for a all-expenses paid reunion at a London hotel, the characters meet other relatives whom they had either not known about or had little contact with. The family had once been wealthy and successful, but as subsequent generations branched off, some had fallen on hard times. They begin to discover their similarities. Michael Gambon was superb as the black sheep son who had lost the business his father had built up when he ventured out on his own. When he has to stay at his cousin Ernest's London flat to recuperate after a collapse, he finds that his cousin shares his taste in British war movies starring Jack Hawkins.

Matthew McFaddeyn played the son who had no idea that he was related to a wealthy family. Upon meeting them he is taken with the kind of wealthy upper middle class life he could have had.

Timothy Spall played the more than slightly disreputable cousin into various questionable ventures with the oily charm of a junk car dealer from the wrong side of town. He sees the reunion as a business networking opportunity.

The three eccentric old aunts played by veteran British actresses of the 40's and 50's, at least one of whom starred in a Jack Hawkins film. Anton Lesser was the historian who uncovered many of the family secrets and lies which affect future generations and some of which are a repeated trait.

The performances are brilliant. My only reason for not rating this film a 10 is that the back stories somehow seem to interrupt the flow of the present day story. I realize that the stories of the past are essential to the narrative, yet they seemed out of place.

I will definitely be viewing this for a second time.