Chrysanthepop Review of My Family and Other Animals

My Family and Other Animals (2005 TV Movie)

Adventure with Family and Animals in Greece

[18 November 2010]

I was surprised to learn that 'My Family and Other Animals' was a TV movie. I wonder why it wasn't made into a feature film. It didn't have that made for television feel at all. I liked it so much that I thought I had to say something about it. Based on Gerald Durrell's autobiography, Sheree Folkson's film tells the humorous and moving tale of an eccentric family that moves to Greece after being fed up of the terrible English weather. The four siblings, Larry, Leslie, Margot and Gerald couldn't have been any more different. Larry is an aspiring writer, Leslie hunts for pleasure, Margot is enjoys all the attention she gets from men and Gerald is a passionate explorer of nature and a lover of animals. There's a lot of chaos in the movie but it is all done in good humour. Imelda Staunton, Matthew Goode, Russell Tovey, Tamzin Merchant and Eugene Simon perform wonderfully as they really do feel like a family. Omid Djalili provides some hilarious comic relief and Chris Langham is very likable. With exotic looks and loads of humour, energy and adventure 'My Family and Other Animals' was a joy to watch.