May Contain Nuts (2009)

Part One:- Alice and David Chaplin and their children move to a gated private housing estate where status is all-important. Queen Bee Ffion, who addresses her daughter in French even in ... See full summary »

Director:

John Henderson

Writers:

Mark Burton (adaptation), John O'Farrell (novel)

Stars:

Shirley Henderson, Sophie Thompson, Elizabeth Berrington

Cast

Credited cast:
Shirley Henderson	...	Alice
Sophie Thompson	...	Sarah McDonald
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Elizabeth Berrington	...	Ffion Russell
Darren Boyd	...	David Chaplin
Andrew Byrne	...	Jamie Chaplin
Bebe Cave	...	Molly
William Chapman	...	Alfie Chaplin
Justin Edwards	...	William Mcdonald
Tony Gardner	...	Philip Russell
Katie Gunn	...	Bronwyn
Mona Hammond	...	Constance Osafo
Alex Lee Heaton	...	Kofi Osafo
Diveen Henry	...	Ruby's Mum
Sylvestra Le Touzel	...	Headmistress
Chris Mansfield	...	Postman

Storyline

Part One:- Alice and David Chaplin and their children move to a gated private housing estate where status is all-important. Queen Bee Ffion, who addresses her daughter in French even in shops, sets the snobby standard and Alice is alarmed at the parents'competition to get their daughters into the fashionable Chelsea college rather than the despised local comprehensive school. Sarah McDonald even gets a job as school secretary to be close to the action. The fact remains that Alice's daughter Molly is no academic, scoring a measly 38 per cent in her dummy run entry exam for Chelsea. Alice panics, foreseeing a life of prostitution for her daughter and decides she will impersonate Molly and take the exam herself. She narrowly avoids Ffion in a store where she is trying on teenage dresses but David reckons she still looks like a 30-year-old pretending to look 11 and so she goes for a dowdy, anonymous look when she enters the hall to sit the exam. Even Ffion fails to recognize her. ...

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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User Reviews

Wonderful

It makes a change to have a drama that isn't about failed relationships which seems to clog up TV these days. OK so there are a few plot holes but what a great idea. Shirley Henderson plays the part brilliantly. It is stretching it a bit for her to play an 11 year old, but it does work. Elizabeth Berrington is great as Ffion. Overall the whole cast were wonderful, the writing very funny and the director held it all together nicely without getting too silly. The previous reviewer obviously does not know the lengths that some people go to in order to get their kids in the "right" school, including deliberately moving nearer. This actual scenario did happen in Amereica recently. Overall great fun and a breathe of fresh air.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 June 2009 (UK)

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tiger Aspect Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Color:

Color