Robert Bernstein's screenplay is based loosely on the life of Harry Fellowes who did live in the grounds of an NHS property - whatever happened to the land after he died isn't really clear. What Bernstein has done is use this raw material to create one of those quintessentially British films about the fight of the underdog against the system, adding in a romantic complication.
Brendan Gleeson and Diane Keaton are as good as ever and the film has the right casting of good actors in smaller parts (Phil Davis, Simon Callow, Adeel Akhtar, James Norton, Will Smith) and ukulele-playing Jason Watkins is amusingly oily, though the characters aren't particularly nuanced (the Lesley Manville character is just too grating and bossy for anyone to befriend her, surely?) and it all moves very predictably along. Warm and amusing though.
Not sure title is great. 'The Shack Across the Road'?
Athlone House was denied planning permission to be redeveloped and is apparently now being refurbished by a Ukranian. The village with the cottage is Cliveden (at least one Marple - Endless Night - was filmed there).
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