Roger's last film leaves us liking him again. Richard Bean and Clive Coleman's script seems to be original, though is based on a real case of the theft of a Goya from the National Gallery in 1961. (There's a smart reference to this in Dr No, which is pictured at the end.)
Jim Broadbent is our amateur playwright and social conscience, grieving the death of his daughter. Helen Mirren is long-suffering wife, who won't talk about the loss, Fionn Whitehead the son. Plus Anna Maxwell Martin, Matthew Goode, John Heffernan, Charlotte Spencer, Aimée Kelly, Charles Edwards, Joshua McGuire.
Three minor carps: shouldn't have been in widescreen, the split screen bits don't add anything, there's one too many shots of the court administrator tittering (going to prove that comedy - editing, writing, acting, all aspects - is a very tricky thing to get exactly right). Actually four - wouldn't have used 'Jerusalem' for no reason at the end either. Otherwise, thoroughly entertaining and positive.
" 'I will not let anyone walk through my mind with dirty feet.' Mahatma Ghandi." Knows 'The Cherry Orchard' too.
DP Mike Eley, editor Kristina Hetherington (My Name is Leon, Le-Weekend, Parade's End, Birdsong), music George Fenton.
It began when the grandson Chris, had a go at writing the story himself, then the producers got Bean and Coleman involved. Bean's a playwright with no screen credits, Coleman a barrister turned journalist with the odd TV and theatre credit. They wrote it with Jim in mind, for his voice.
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