Is Anybody There? (2008)

Director:

John Crowley

Writer:

Peter Harness (writer)

Release Date:

1 May 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

"Set in 1980s seaside England, this is the story of Edward, an unusual ten year old boy growing up in an old people's home run by his parents...

Plot Keywords:

Magician | Card Trick | Entertainer | Question Mark In Title | Cemetery

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Clarence
Bill Milner	...	Edward
Anne-Marie Duff	...	Mum
David Morrissey	...	Dad
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thelma Barlow	...	Ena
Linzey Cocker	...	Tanya
Adam Drinkall	...	Stuart
James Gilbert	...	Tanya's New Boyfriend
Garrick Hagon	...	Douglas
Keith Hargreaves	...	Bus driver
Rosemary Harris	...	Elsie
Ralph Ineson	...	Mr. Kelly
Angie Inwards	...	Mavis
Charli Janeway	...	Guy Who Walks
Karl Johnson	...	Arthur
Miles Jupp	...	Vicar
Michael Keogh	...	Paramedic
Leslie Phillips	...	Reg
Ralph Riach	...	Clive
Elizabeth Spriggs	...	Prudence
Sylvia Syms	...	Lilian
Andrew Turner	...	Undertaker
Peter Vaughan	...	Bob

Also Known As:

Is Anybody There? (UK) (new title) (USA)
Is There Anybody There? (Canada: English title) (festival title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language including sexual references, and some disturbing images.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | UK:12A | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

BBC Films

Trivia:

The last film of Elizabeth Spriggs. She died during post production.

Movie Connections:

Features Back to the Future (1985)

Naivety and wisdom all rolled into one

Not knowing what to expect of this film we were pleasantly surprised, relieved in fact. One critic had rated it as 'morbid' – just what we needed on a bank holiday afternoon – when in fact it was quite uplifting.

There was no waiting around, Cowley took the audience directly to the sitting room of the elderly peoples home. You didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the antics of some of the elderly residents – an ex-dancer, a drunkard, war veteran – who, as interesting as they looked, were never discussed in much detail. They were 'props', clichés or as Edward would put it, 'pains in the backside'.

Indeed, we are made to see the residents as Edward did. Their antics are in fact, annoyances, enough to drive a wedge between him and his parents. Edward, who celebrates his 11th birthday in the film, is focused solely on finding out what happens after death. He played the part beautifully with such naivety and sincerity.

The arrival of Clarence to the home would change Edward more than he would think and vice versa. It was nice to see the relationship grow between the two. For the very first time, Edward would begin to look upon one of the residents as a grandfather figure, someone who would teach him new tricks and to live for the living, not for the dead. Not only did Clarence become a grandfather to Edward but also a friend. There are some great snapshots throughout of the two of them.

Overall, it was a nice film that taught us to live for the moment and that regrets can eat you up inside. It also reveals truths about residential homes: 'you live all your life on your own and then someone thinks it's a good idea to put you with complete strangers'. We must remember that despite having their age in common, elderly people are all unique and should be treated so. Despite being set in the 1980's, the colours and styles all depicting this era wonderfully, these 'lessons in life' are as true today as they were back then.