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Edited on Sat Apr-25-09 08:51 PM by Lydia Leftcoast
As usual, I went to this morning's film without knowing what to expect, and this week, I found a delightful surprise.
Based on a comedy by Noel Coward, this film is about what happens when John Whittaker (Ben Barnes), a young English aristocrat, marries a young American race car driver Larita (Jessica Biel) and brings her home to Mummy (Kristin Scott-Thomas), Daddy (Colin Firth), and his two sisters, one of whom is a repressed sour puss and the other of whom delights in reading about gory murders in the newspaper. The family's life is an endless round of parties, charity events, tennis matches, tea in the garden, and hunts.
Cultural clash is hardly the word for it. Mummy takes an immediate dislike to Larita and treats her with acid-tinged politeness. The sisters are alternately fascinated and appalled, and John is caught in the middle. Meanwhile, Daddy, a brooding World War I veteran, seems removed from it all, and the servants quickly decide that they like the spirited American.
While some of the film's humor comes from situations and slapstick, a lot of it goes on in the background and is due to the finely tuned characters, in particular the butler, played by Kris Marshall, who was the oldest son in the Britcom "My Family." There are also some great one-liners in the Noel Coward style.
I saw the ending coming a mile off, but I had a great time getting there. The Talk Cinema audience was nearly unanimous in enjoying it, although some of the women (not I) were disturbed by the idea of Colin Firth playing a character with grown children.
I hope that not only fans of Noel Coward but also viewers who have enjoy Masterpiece Theater or films such as "Death at a Funeral" will find this film.
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