Is anybody there? is a BBC Films co-production, despite the low budget they managed to attract the talent of Michael Caine who plays Clarence.
Clarence is a cantankerous retired magician, who has entered an old people's home in a seaside town. He does not want to be there and he desperately misses his late wife.
At the same time the family running the old people's home has a 10 year old boy called Edward. He is obsessed with ghosts has he lives in a house where death is common.
After a frosty start, Edward and Clarence bond, he learns some magic tricks. Clarence tries to get Edward away from his obsession about the afterlife and gradually reveals the truth about his relationship with his wife.
The film is set in the 1980s and it captures the harsh realities of running a small old age retirement home very well.
Edward's parents are at their wits end running the home, looking after the residents that they have no time for each other. This is putting a strain on their marriage.
Edward is deprived of a more normal type childhood because of living in a old peoples home and until he meets Clarence he does not even view them as people. He is wonderfully played by the young actor Bill Milner.
Caine of course has the meaty role of Clarence and he can add some pizazz to his performance by adding a few conjuring tricks but towards the end there is the decline in health of his character.
Able support is added by David Morrissey with his 'typical' scouse 1980s fashion and hairstyle and Anne Marie Duff as Edward's parents.
We have the usual best of British character actors playing some of the residents in the house. It is predictable, maybe a little bleak and also lacked substance but the performances are good.
Clarence is a cantankerous retired magician, who has entered an old people's home in a seaside town. He does not want to be there and he desperately misses his late wife.
At the same time the family running the old people's home has a 10 year old boy called Edward. He is obsessed with ghosts has he lives in a house where death is common.
After a frosty start, Edward and Clarence bond, he learns some magic tricks. Clarence tries to get Edward away from his obsession about the afterlife and gradually reveals the truth about his relationship with his wife.
The film is set in the 1980s and it captures the harsh realities of running a small old age retirement home very well.
Edward's parents are at their wits end running the home, looking after the residents that they have no time for each other. This is putting a strain on their marriage.
Edward is deprived of a more normal type childhood because of living in a old peoples home and until he meets Clarence he does not even view them as people. He is wonderfully played by the young actor Bill Milner.
Caine of course has the meaty role of Clarence and he can add some pizazz to his performance by adding a few conjuring tricks but towards the end there is the decline in health of his character.
Able support is added by David Morrissey with his 'typical' scouse 1980s fashion and hairstyle and Anne Marie Duff as Edward's parents.
We have the usual best of British character actors playing some of the residents in the house. It is predictable, maybe a little bleak and also lacked substance but the performances are good.