Now and again a quiet little British movie pops up to remind us just how well the Brits know how to mix comedy and compassion. Such is the case with ALBATROSS, a gentle, sensitive tale written by Tazmin Rafn and directed by Niall MacCormick about a social misfit who imposes herself on a family in desperate need of a wakeup call. The film is blessed with a very fine cast (especially the blossoming of young actress Jessica Brown Findlay - remembered for her ongoing impressive role as Lady Sybil in 'Downton Abbey') and for the breathtaking scenery of the Isle of Man. There is comedy here to be sure but here are other lessons about family and friendship and relationships that are importantly placed in perspective.
Cliff House is the Bed and Breakfast run by a dysfunctional family: the bitter mother Joa (Julia Ormond), her writer's block housebound husband Jonathan (Sebastian Koch) who wrote a book Cliff House 10 years ago and nothing since, bookish teenager Beth (Felicity Jones) and young Posy (Katie Overd). Into their lives pops Emelia, a rebellious, seductive and intelligent teenager whose sole claim to fame is her apparent ancestor Arthur Conan Doyle (she dreams of becoming a writer to carry on her legacy). Emelia takes a job as a cleaner at the B&B, befriends Beth - drawing her out of her mousy self perception in to the throes of early adulthood, begins an affair with Jonathan and gets scowled at by Joa. Emelia's only living family (her mother committed suicide recently) are her grandparents - Granny (Hazel Douglas) suffers from Alzheimer's Disease and Grandpa (the always superb actor Peter Vaughan - for whom she holds deep affection and caring.
Beth is due to travel to Oxford for interview and despite the misgivings of Joa and the now lovesick Jonathan, Emelia accompanies Beth to the interview, there discovering the wilds of being raw and naughty. Upon return matters change: Granny dies, Emelia grieves, the affair between Emelia and Jonathan becomes open, and everything must change. The albatross of the title refers to the baggage each character carries, not just Emelia's name legacy The depth of friendships are tested - and survive.
Without exception the cast is first rate - Ormond and Koch are already established stars and Jessica Brown Findlay and Felicity Jones prove they are on their way to become very important actresses. This is a beautiful little film to watch and to think about. It is a first class little Indie.
Grady Harp
Cliff House is the Bed and Breakfast run by a dysfunctional family: the bitter mother Joa (Julia Ormond), her writer's block housebound husband Jonathan (Sebastian Koch) who wrote a book Cliff House 10 years ago and nothing since, bookish teenager Beth (Felicity Jones) and young Posy (Katie Overd). Into their lives pops Emelia, a rebellious, seductive and intelligent teenager whose sole claim to fame is her apparent ancestor Arthur Conan Doyle (she dreams of becoming a writer to carry on her legacy). Emelia takes a job as a cleaner at the B&B, befriends Beth - drawing her out of her mousy self perception in to the throes of early adulthood, begins an affair with Jonathan and gets scowled at by Joa. Emelia's only living family (her mother committed suicide recently) are her grandparents - Granny (Hazel Douglas) suffers from Alzheimer's Disease and Grandpa (the always superb actor Peter Vaughan - for whom she holds deep affection and caring.
Beth is due to travel to Oxford for interview and despite the misgivings of Joa and the now lovesick Jonathan, Emelia accompanies Beth to the interview, there discovering the wilds of being raw and naughty. Upon return matters change: Granny dies, Emelia grieves, the affair between Emelia and Jonathan becomes open, and everything must change. The albatross of the title refers to the baggage each character carries, not just Emelia's name legacy The depth of friendships are tested - and survive.
Without exception the cast is first rate - Ormond and Koch are already established stars and Jessica Brown Findlay and Felicity Jones prove they are on their way to become very important actresses. This is a beautiful little film to watch and to think about. It is a first class little Indie.
Grady Harp