| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Bill Nighy | ... | Gideon | |
| Miranda Richardson | ... | Stella | |
| Emily Blunt | ... | Natasha | |
| Robert Lindsay | ... | Sneath | |
| Ronni Ancona | ... | Barbara | |
| Tom Hardy | ... | Andrew | |
| Tom Goodman-Hill | ... | Dent | |
| Joanna Page | ... | Diane | |
| David Westhead | ... | Bill | |
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Samantha Whittaker | ... | Becca |
| Kerry Shale | ... | Badalamenti | |
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Daniel Mendoza | ... | Badalamenti Spokesman |
| Cate Fowler | ... | Council Leader | |
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Michael Fitzpatrick | ... | American Producer |
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Graham Cull | ... | Hospital Stranger |
Bill Nighy and Miranda Richardson star in a story of grief and celebrity, set in the intense spring and summer of New Labour's election victory and Diana's death. Nighy is a PR guru who has to stop and re-evaluate his world when his daughter threatens to leave his life, perhaps as revenge for his serial infidelities. Richardson plays a mother trying to bury her grief in an unconventional way after the loss of her young son. Written by Anonymous
I just love Poliakoff - apart from 'Perfect Strangers' which bored me immensely. I found 'Shooting The Past' to be breathtaking, but 'Gideon's Daughter' occupies a different space altogether. It's about a lot of things - celebrity, grief - expressed and unexpressed - forgiveness and redemption. It's also about love and friendship, and a place where the two overlap.
I watched Bill Nighy closely throughout, and for me he never put a foot - or a hand, or a glance, or stare - wrong. Equally as exquisite was Miranda Richardson as Stella, the divorced woman whose son has died, and whose ex-husband (played by David Westhead) cannot let go of the need to 'right' a wrong.
In a way, this film is about nothing at all, and yet it encompasses so much that I'm finding it difficult to review. Don't expect to understand it all - I didn't, but that could be my short-coming. But I loved it so much I want to see it again and again. I just hope others love it as much as did I.