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My Life So Far

  • 1999
  • PG-13
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
3.1K
YOUR RATING
My Life So Far (1999)
BiographyComedyDrama

Memoir of the lives of a family growing up on a post World War I British estate headed up by a strong disciplinarian, her daughter, her inventor husband, their ten year old son and his older... Read allMemoir of the lives of a family growing up on a post World War I British estate headed up by a strong disciplinarian, her daughter, her inventor husband, their ten year old son and his older sister. Through the household comes a number of suitors hoping to impress the young woman... Read allMemoir of the lives of a family growing up on a post World War I British estate headed up by a strong disciplinarian, her daughter, her inventor husband, their ten year old son and his older sister. Through the household comes a number of suitors hoping to impress the young woman, including an aviator. When the elder woman's son shows up at the estate with his French ... Read all

  • Director
    • Hugh Hudson
  • Writers
    • Denis Forman
    • Simon Donald
  • Stars
    • Colin Firth
    • Rosemary Harris
    • Irène Jacob
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    3.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Hugh Hudson
    • Writers
      • Denis Forman
      • Simon Donald
    • Stars
      • Colin Firth
      • Rosemary Harris
      • Irène Jacob
    • 35User reviews
    • 35Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    My Life So Far
    Trailer 0:58
    Watch My Life So Far

    Photos11

    My Life So Far (1999)
    Colin Firth, Irène Jacob, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in My Life So Far (1999)
    Kelly Macdonald in My Life So Far (1999)
    Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Kelly Macdonald in My Life So Far (1999)
    Colin Firth, Malcolm McDowell, and Irène Jacob in My Life So Far (1999)
    Colin Firth and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in My Life So Far (1999)
    Colin Firth, Malcolm McDowell, and Robert Norman in My Life So Far (1999)
    Colin Firth and Robert Norman in My Life So Far (1999)
    Colin Firth, Irène Jacob, and Robert Norman in My Life So Far (1999)
    My Life So Far (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Colin Firth
    Colin Firth
    • Edward
    Rosemary Harris
    Rosemary Harris
    • Gamma
    Irène Jacob
    Irène Jacob
    • Aunt Heloise
    • (as Irene Jacob)
    Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
    Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
    • Moira
    Malcolm McDowell
    Malcolm McDowell
    • Uncle Morris MacIntosh
    Robert Norman
    Robert Norman
    • Fraser
    Tchéky Karyo
    Tchéky Karyo
    • Gabriel Chenoux
    • (as Tcheky Karyo)
    Kelly Macdonald
    Kelly Macdonald
    • Elspeth
    Roddy McDonald
    • Rollo
    Daniel Baird
    • Finlay
    Jennifer Fergie
    • Brenda
    Kirstin Smith
    • Meg
    • (as Kirsten Smith)
    Sean Scanlan
    • Andrew Burns
    John Bett
    • Uncle Crawford
    Anne Lacey
    • Aunt Eunice
    Olivia Preston
    • Debs Haig
    Sarah Turner
    • Ruth Haig
    Moray Hunter
    Moray Hunter
    • Jim Skelly
    • Director
      • Hugh Hudson
    • Writers
      • Denis Forman
      • Simon Donald
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film is based on the memoirs of Denis Forman, a British television mogul born 10/13/1917, and is presumed to be set in 1927 when Denis Forman turned 10 years old (the age of Fraser Pettigrew in the film).
    • Goofs
      While Fraser at age 3 crawls out of his bedroom onto the roof, his older brother, young Rollo in short pants with suspenders (in a shot from behind at 02:27), is on the lawn holding a tennis racket, but (at around 28 mins) the scene cuts to a frontal shot where young Rollo's hands are empty. Later (at around 33 mins), he holds the tennis racket again.
    • Quotes

      Fraser Pettigrew: Our house is probably too big, which is why my mum kept having babies so we can keep it filled up.

    • Crazy credits
      Grateful special thanks to the entire Miramax London operation and the people of Stracchur & Cairndow.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: American Pie/My Life So Far/The Blair Witch Project/Arlington Road/Return with Honor (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Symphony No.5 in C Minor, Op.67
      Written by Ludwig van Beethoven (as Beethoven)

      Performed by The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

      Conducted by Simon Rattle (as Sir Simon Rattle)

      Sir Simon Rattle performs by courtesy of EMI Classics

    User reviews35

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    A boy's bittersweet memory of his father
    This is a delightful movie. It's based on a man's nostalgic look backward at a slice of his childhood spent on a Scottish country estate in the 1920s. Narrated by the author as a ten-year-old boy, it recounts a period in which both he and his capricious father learn some important lessons about themselves and about each other.

    There is little plot to speak of--just life unfolding variously in its sweetness and pain, often tinged with a delicious whimsy. Be warned, though, that much as you may be disposed to like the father, he is a flawed man; his pathetic and childish attitudes are often painfully embarrassing to the viewer. Also, sexual references permeate this film, and there is a strong suggestion that youthful sexual curiosity ought to be given free reign. Parents with a contrary view might wish to give it a look before showing it to their children.

    The cinematography is excellent, deftly making the most of the fine Scottish landscape.

    But the music--ah! The music is wonderful, from the first folk-tinged strain, through Beethoven and Saint-Saëns, to the Louis Armstrong ending. Few films are so musically satisfying.

    The role of the childish and inarticulate father, Edward Pettigrew, is nicely developed by Colin Firth. Rosemary Harris is his aristocratic, but good-natured mother-in-law, who actually owns the estate inhabited by her daughter and Edward and their progeny; Harris handles her part with great understanding and humour. The children are natural and believable, and the servants are well-picked and quirky--their kitchen conversations add much warmth to this work.

    For me, the ending credits revealed a lovely surprise: that the reflections of the boy, Fraser Pettigrew, actually come from a memoir written by Sir Denis Forman. I know that name well; Forman is also the author of my favorite opera guide, a cleverly designed, but funny and irreverent book appropriately titled, "The Good Opera Guide." (But don't be put off by the U.S. title, "A Night at the Opera"; it's a wonderful book by any name.)

    Small wonder, then, that this movie has such a fine soundtrack.

    Rating: 8 for the movie, 10 for the opera book.
    helpful•29
    3
    • MetaLark
    • Jan 4, 2003

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 26, 1999 (Singapore)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Miramax
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • World of Moss
    • Filming locations
      • Ardkinglas House, Cairndow, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK
    • Production companies
      • Enigma Productions
      • Hudson Film
      • Miramax
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $635,620
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $53,937
      • Jul 25, 1999
    • Gross worldwide
      • $635,620
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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