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Perfect Strangers

  • TV Mini Series
  • 2001– 2001–
  • 3h 58m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
Perfect Strangers (2001)
  • Comedy
  • Drama
Attending a distant family reunion reveals more than was expected.Attending a distant family reunion reveals more than was expected.Attending a distant family reunion reveals more than was expected.
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Stars
    • Michael Gambon
    • Lindsay Duncan
    • Matthew Macfadyen
Top credits
  • Stars
    • Michael Gambon
    • Lindsay Duncan
    • Matthew Macfadyen
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 BAFTA Award
      • 5 wins & 9 nominations total

    Episodes3

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated
    1 Season
    2001

    Photos6

    Perfect Strangers (2001)
    Perfect Strangers (2001)
    Perfect Strangers (2001)
    Perfect Strangers (2001)
    Perfect Strangers (2001)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Michael Gambon
    Michael Gambon
    • Raymond
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Lindsay Duncan
    Lindsay Duncan
    • Alice
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Matthew Macfadyen
    Matthew Macfadyen
    • Daniel
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Claire Skinner
    Claire Skinner
    • Rebecca
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Toby Stephens
    Toby Stephens
    • Charles
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Jill Baker
    Jill Baker
    • Esther
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Timothy Spall
    Timothy Spall
    • Irving
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Anton Lesser
    Anton Lesser
    • Stephen
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Michael Culkin
    Michael Culkin
    • Sidney
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Kelly Hunter
    Kelly Hunter
    • Poppy
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Kathleen Byron
    Kathleen Byron
    • Edith
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Muriel Pavlow
    Muriel Pavlow
    • Violet
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Sheila Burrell
    Sheila Burrell
    • Grace
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Peter Howell
    Peter Howell
    • Ernest
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Tony Maudsley
    Tony Maudsley
    • Peter
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Camilla Power
    Camilla Power
    • Martina
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Marianne Borgo
    • Nazik
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    Miranda Raison
    Miranda Raison
    • Young Grace
    3 episodes3 eps • 2001
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      J.J. Feild filmed his key role as Richard in five days.
    • Quotes

      Raymond: Naturally we're in the broom cupboard.

      Daniel: You wanted it that way. You were determined to get put into a small room so you could spend all your time complaining.

      Raymond: That's right, absolutely. This is infinitely preferable.

    • Connections
      Features Angels One Five (1952)

    User reviews19

    Review
    Top review
    They ought to issue their own visa card
    Mild-mannered surveyor (a valuer, as we call them down here) Daniel (Matthew MacFadyen), an obscure member of the prominent and wealthy Symons family is invited, with his parents to a family reunion at Claridge's Hotel. The family, many of whom he has not met before are indeed a rich and varied bunch, and Stephen (Anton Lesser), a genealogist member, has collected all sorts of surprising information. Daniel also meets cousins Rebecca and Charles (Claire Skinner and Toby Stephens), and their elegant aunt Alice (Lindsay Duncan), who seem to hold the key to part of Daniel's own past. Daniel develops a rather un-family like attraction to Claire, which is a little awkward as she seems rather close to her brother, Charles.

    Needless to say, a family like this has plenty of skeletons, but there are also some vaguely uplifting stories, like that of the sisters from Birmingham who by a fluke avoided a German bomb on their house and then lived for months during the war in the country by themselves. Then there is the photo, found by Stephen, which so intrigues Raymond (Michael Gambon), Daniel's father, of his father, a bitter stern man, dancing by himself in an ornamental garden. And who is the third child in the childhood photos of Rebecca and Charles?

    All is explained, though the pace slows down a bit towards the end – in fact I felt I'd walked the long and damp distance between the mansion and the marquee too many times. Stephen Poliakoff has created an interesting set of minor characters also, such as wheeler-dealer Irving (Timothy Spall), Poppy the event organiser at the end of her tether (Kelly Hunter) and even Ernest the nonentity patriarch (Peter Howell). The whole thing for most of its 300 minutes has a festive feel to it – a celebration of belonging, for better or worse, to the human family. This family is a little over the top - it would not be surprising to discover they had issued their own visa card - but there's a lot of fun in finding out their secrets.
    helpful•23
    4
    • Philby-3
    • Mar 25, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 10, 2001 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Almost Strangers
    • Filming locations
      • Brocket Hall, Lemsford, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, UK
    • Production company
      • TalkBack Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      3 hours 58 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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