starbase202
I really enjoyed this movie. It reminded me of the ups and downs of love throughout our lives and especially during the endings. And how brave of Ms. Bening to act with little or no makeup.
TxMike
My wife and I watched this movie at home on DVD from our public library. Even though I now realize I have seen a few older movies with actress Gloria Grahame in them as this movie started I didn't realize it was about a real actress, mostly popular in the 1940s and 1950s. The filmmakers claim the movie is perhaps 98% faithful to the real story.Here it spans approximately 1979 through 1981, and flashbacks are often used to amplify on a point. Annette Bening, about the right age, is Gloria Grahame. When in England on a stage production she meets Jamie Bell, also about the right age, as Peter Turner from Liverpool. They strike up an unlikely friendship then romantic relationship. It becomes turbulent at times, no surprise since Grahame had been married four times before and had a child with each of her husbands.Both main actors are really good in their roles, especially Bening as Grahame, who in spite of her troubled life and sometimes erratic behavior comes across as a sympathetic character.Good movie, it is old news but see it for the performances.
Red_Identity
This film is definitely watchable, but it also feels like a missed opportunity considering the talent onscreen. Jamie Bell is really strong in here and it's a shame he didn't get much hype. Annette Bening is also really good. I wouldn't say this is her best performance (that would be 20th Century Women) and at times she's a bit forced, but for the most part it's a tricky character she gets right. I just wish the screenplay around them was great.
proud_luddite
Based on a true story: In the late 1970s, Hollywood star Gloria Grahame (Annette Bening) is in her fifties and performing in regional theatres in Great Britain. She hooks up with Peter Tanner (Jamie Bell), another actor who is a generation younger than she is.Both Bening and Bell are powerful in their roles especially Bening. Whether she is doing strange verbal exercises to prepare for a performance or showing signs of declining health, she is moving and easily draws in the viewer. She is fully believable as someone who can be very naive while drawing sympathy and understanding. Bell also has a powerful scene when he is receiving difficult news on the telephone. As the viewer cannot hear what is being said on the other line, he makes it very clear with each gesture just how bad the news is.Peter's family also provides warmth, welcoming Gloria as a part of the family without batting an eye at the age difference between the lovers. As the family matriarch, the wonderful Julie Walters is a beacon of kindness.Where the film weakens is in the connection between the two lovers. While the actors are great individually, they don't fully connect together. There is a scene in which Peter fights with his brother over how the family should handle their ailing guest. The scene was forced, unbelievable, and over-the-top.Yet the movie is still worth seeing. With all the debate about how women are treated in the film industry, this film deserves credit for giving a substantial leading role in a feature film (not one immediately relegated to television) to a talented, experienced actress over fifty (keep in mind Bening also starred in last year's "20th Century Women").
AD
