Another Year [2010]

I know that you are used to seeing different types of movies here, but Another Year was just too good to pass up. It is a beautifully directed, shot, acted and written story of life and everything else. It is very honest, without any prejudice it shows us the life of an older married couple and the events in their lives, plain and simple. Of course, this is not all, there are also their friends with their sets of problems and worries, and everything seems like someone actually filmed reality. Is this the meaning of life? The British, of course, incorporated some funny and entertaining elements in this flick adding more to its quality. This is something more suited for lazy weekend afternoons, and if you see it as the main flick of the evening you won’t be disappointed, but still I think it would be best to check it out on a Sunday afternoon. Without drawing conclusions and telling us things about life, movie simply leaves everything up to the viewer to figure out, if he wants to. I just love those effortless movies, and with such a good cast Another Year is one of those movies that you will remember.

Tom and Gerri are a happily married older couple living in England a simple and ordinary life. They both have jobs that they like and they still love each other (I know that so far it sounds like you would hate these two but you won’t) even after so many years. Their friends haven’t been so lucky, and they are still struggling with various challenges in life. Gerri’s friend Mary is trying to find a partner, but she just can’t find him, although she seems quite positive and cheerful there is an underlying alcohol problem(not to mention depression), and Tom’s friend Ken is having similar problems. Seen through the eyes of a fulfilled and comfortable life of this couple we can see the wrong priorities or maybe mistakes that may even be ours…

Director: Mike Leigh

Cast: Jim Broadbent, Ruth Sheen, Lesley Manville, Oliver Maltman, Peter Wight

Fun Facts: The film is dedicated to Mike Leigh’s late friend and long-term producing partner Simon Channing Williams.

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IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1431181/