How About You (2007)

A young British woman struggling with the direction of her life spends Christmas watching over a retirement home filled with demanding residents.

Director:

Anthony Byrne

Writers:

Maeve Binchy (short story), Jean Pasley (screenplay)

Stars:

Joss Ackland, Hayley Atwell, Orla Brady

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joss Ackland	...	Donald Vanston
Hayley Atwell	...	Ellie Harris
Orla Brady	...	Kate Harris
Kevin Flood	...	William
Brenda Fricker	...	Heather Nightingale
Paschal Friel	...	Minibus Driver (as Pascal Friel)
Darragh Kelly	...	Mr Evans
Doreen Keogh	...	Mary
Tim McDonnell	...	Man in Wheelchair
Elizabeth Moynihan	...	Nurse Healy
Mick Nolan	...	Postman
Ryan O'Connor	...	Dan
Joan O'Hara	...	Alice Peterson
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Georgia Platts
Danielle Ryan	...	Maria

Storyline

HOW ABOUT YOU tells the story of Ellie, a young woman left in charge of the residential home run by her older sister, over the Christmas period. Whilst most of the residents have left to spend the festive period with their families, four residents, known as 'the hardcore' remain. Their behavior is so terrible that the home faces closure as potential new residents are put off by their appalling antics.

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Plot Keywords:

sister | residential home | christmas | ireland | widow | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Ireland

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 November 2007 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

How About You

Filming Locations:

Mount Usher, County Wicklow, Ireland

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,022, 16 November 2008

Gross USA:

$78,234

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$802,321

Company Credits

Production Co:

Beyond Films, Ferndale Films, Head Gear Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Donald Vanston: Damned cars on the lawn. Shit.
Heather Nightingale: That's it!
Hazel Nightingale: I don't want to go.
Heather Nightingale: They're trying to get rid of us before they arrived.

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Connections

Features Meeting Che Guevara & the Man from Maybury Hill (2003)

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Soundtracks

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow
Written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne
Sung in the car

User Reviews

A film for the over-40s

I have just seen How About You at its U.S. premiere as part of the 2008 Palm Springs International Film Festival. Although there are, as we've grown to expect, beautifully judged performances from Joss Ackland, Brenda Fricker, Imelda Staunton and Vanessa Redgrave, to say nothing of the up-and-coming younger actors, the highlight for me was the performance of Irish actress Joan O'Hara, whom I did not know. Ms O'Hara gave us the most beautiful, sensitive, intelligent face of a very mature woman I have ever seen, a face which the camera seemed to caress in closeup. I was saddened to learn that Joan O'Hara herself died in July 2007 and this may have been her final performance.