dszorc
I was very disappointed in this movie. I've read all of the published diaries and felt this was dull and lifeless compared to the portrayals in Nella's writing. It reflects little of her commitment to her wartime duties and dwells mainly on the saddest aspects of her marriage. There is little of her wit and none of her insights and commentary on the period, the world, and the future. If you want to know about Nella Last and life in and around Barrow-in- Furness during the war (and after) read Nella Last's War, Nella Last's Peace, and Nella Last in the 1950s. Her diary output was vast, but the writers chose the least interesting aspects of her life for the film, a real injustice to a fascinating, intelligent woman.
pawebster
Victoria Wood is wonderful. For this she provides a top script and performance in the lead role. The rest of the cast are all very good, too. I loved the scene in the railway carriage with the doctor, excellently played by Jason Watkins. It all seemed very realistic. It was involving and moving. And, unlike some wartime pieces (e.g. Foyle's War), the dialogue was convincingly of its period.Slight niggles: It is hard to believe that the son, Cliff, is a PT instructor. He does not look the part at all. The WVS ladies were perhaps a bit too caricatured. Also, there seemed to be no problems with rationing. People scoffed fruitcake and even doughnuts -- which I should think would wipe out the fat and sugar ration in one fell swoop -- as if this were quite normal. I also wish the film had not started with the words "inspired by" the diary of Nella Last. This is even less than "based on" and makes it sound as if a lot of the story we saw might have been fictitious.
Jackanackanory
Although I am not a fan of Victoria Wood as comedienne (I just never understood her comedy and therefore never found her funny) I was intrigued by the concept of this drama so I watched it.I am glad I did, as it was a very well written drama that looks into life in the perspective of a mother Nella Last who sees her life change around her, more often than not in the way peoples attitudes are and also throughout the war realises she doesn't know those close to her including her family as well as she thinks she does, this in turn makes her look at her own lifestyle and realises she must change in some aspects too.Although I may not be a fan of Victoria Wood in her primary guise, (as a comedienne), as an actress she has proved in this drama she is a first-rate actress and considering she wrote this drama, a decent writer too.On the whole a nice heart-warming wartime family drama.
felix-gallagher
Taken from a housewife's diary writing in Barrow in Furnness, in the North of England, during World War Two, this two hour trudge makes for a very dull evening. As each plodding scene followed the last you began to hope for a Nazi bomber to drop a bomb on the lot of them. Every character is one dimensional. Every scene is played at a smug snail's pace. It seems to be shot entirely in sepia, until the war ends and suddenly people start wearing red. The ghastly derivative acting, music and script have no sense of rhythm. It is all apparently true. Whoever said that real life was more interesting that drama? The whole thing seemed longer than the war itself, and not nearly as interesting.
AD
