It is quite a good adaptation of an excellent book by the same title written by Irish-Canadian author Brian Moore, sadly - one of the most under-appreciated writers of our times. The book deserved some major award, possibly even a Nobel price, for its portrayal of a lonely spinster living in the world of fantasy and her delusions until a moment when truth comes like a thunder but doesn't crush her but like in real life - makes her only stop for a while, gather emotional debris and continue on her usual way to oblivion. Like in real life she accept the sad reality - the fact so often forgotten by other writers who always long for happy end. There is no happy end if you are old, poor, lonely, eccentric, forgotten... The movie certainly captured the basic plot and dreary atmosphere of Dublin (or was it Belfast, can't remember) of the fifties. The author tried to show what character in the book thought and how interpreted situation - quite a novel approach in art of writing. In book it was awfully important as they all saw themselves and everything differently - another human habit which causes conflicts and wars. We really do have different minds which meet only sometimes and when that happens -there is a lot of denial, temporary confusion but at the end running away back to the comfort of our own thinking. The truth as objective is the most painful thing in the world to swallow. Unfortunately the movie couldn't show this the way book could. And about the actors. Maggie Smith and Bob Hoskins are certainly good performers, though typecast too often, but they were not the best choice for the movie. Judith is a mousy, slightly eccentric,not in tune with reality and hidden alcoholic which despite the best effort of afflicted would manifest itself in behavior. And Maggie is too rigid and dignified like all her upper social characters. The real Judith also tries to behave like a lady but something always gives her away. As to Bob - he is too sophisticated for the part unlike our hero - primitive sort of a chap with ugly motives. Much better are secondary characters: the housekeeper and her creepy son - the couple worth of a separate story. So watch the movie but read the book first. It will show you how the real world works which will be sort of discovery after watching sentimental products of TV or reading books recommended by our guru celebrities, where everything always has some higher purpose. But life as we see in the movie - often doesn't but is just a pointless journey towards nothing.
