bakergeo
This movie is an utter mess and pretty much one giant long awkward silence. The most boring thing I've ever seen, unless you're particularly entertained by one woman losing her mind over undercooked meat, a family being unable to decide where to sit in a restaurant, or some guy talking about how the height of his life's excitement is going to Africa to teach people about safe sex. The whole movie is a compilation of awkward moments and conversations you dread in your everyday life. Also, what even happened in this movie? I feel bad for the chef lady because I don't feel like she knows either. She's constantly being forced into awkward conversations and pulling random backstory out of her butt. Why did this movie happen.
squirtycream
I can fully understand the majority of film watchers being a bit bored by this, and its fine, were all different in our thoughts and observations, I would never accuse them of sarcastically 'needing' more explosions/gun battles action etc to satisfy their requirements as I think any art is subjective and any opinion is valid. I wasn't bored at all, in fact I was absorbed by this movie, nothing happens, except an examination of family life, on an angst ridden and tension filled family holiday. Immature yet grown up children, with Edward taking the limelight, the overly needy sister playing up most of the time like some spoilt child, and poor slightly neurotic Mum trying her best to keep it all together, in the absence of a Father who couldn't (or didn't want to) get there. The scenery gives a lot of atmosphere, its a tad bleak (wonder why they didn't go in summer?) The Scilly Isles in November was perfect for the slightly gloomy and foreboding atmosphere. The self obsessed artist Chris tries to understand what is going on but keeps himself snug and warm in his own arty avant-garde pretensions. Its not a movie for everyone and if you hate it fair enough, but if you like slower pedestrian films that examine human relationships, if you can let yourself be drawn into their world, then I recommend you try it. I will be re-watching it.
MrOllie
The only mildly interesting scene in this film was when being advised how to tell whether a lobster is a male or a female. It is a terribly dull film about an upper middle class English family who go on holiday to the Isles of Scilly where absolutely nothing happens. They invite an artist who paints the scenery whilst spouting twaddle, and a cook who they agonise as to whether she should be allowed to join them at the dinner table. Yes, this is about as interesting as it gets. The father of the family for some reason has decided not to join them on this trip, which was a very wise move indeed, because long before the end of this movie, I had also wished I had kept away. People should watch this film then form their own opinions, mine being that it was a dull and pointless piece of film making. On the other hand, connoisseurs of the awful could revel in it.
zif ofoz
I saw this film some weeks past and I was most taken with its cinematic beauty and disturbing undercurrent of family relations in a 'privileged class' family.As an American I can see this story as conflicts not just in this one family we see but in the entire class system found in Britain and to some degree here in the US. I believe the pivotal scene in this story is found when Christopher wants to invite the cook/housekeeper to eat dinner with them because it's the polite thing to do. His sister will have none of this and takes offense at the very suggestion. The mother is undecided but agrees with her daughter. Christopher asks why not and no valid reason can be given other than its inappropriate for staff to eat with family. When Christopher offers to help clean up the table and dishes the housekeeper ask "What am I suppose to do, this is my job". She too is an island.The family here cannot communicate between themselves nor with those they see as beneath them. Like it or not there is a separation between classes in society and family members. Like an Archipelago it's all one unit but we are our own island.Here we see just one interpretation of this human problem. And beautifully told.
AD
