Adult Life Skills (2016)

Anna (Jodie Whittaker) is comfortable living in her mom's garden shed making funny videos all day, but as she approaches 30, she starts feeling the pressure to move on and "grow up" without compromising her youthful spirit.

Director:

Rachel Tunnard

Writer:

Rachel Tunnard

Stars:

Jodie Whittaker, Lorraine Ashbourne, Brett Goldstein

5 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jodie Whittaker	...	Anna
Lorraine Ashbourne	...	Marion
Brett Goldstein	...	Brendan
Rachael Deering	...	Fiona
Eileen Davies	...	Jean
Alice Lowe	...	Alice
Edward Hogg	...	The Snorkeler
Ozzy Myers	...	Clint
Christian Contreras	...	Hank
David Anderson	...	Luke
Andrew Buckley	...	Postman
Alfie Wheeler	...	Young Billy
Maisy Whittaker	...	Young Anna
Terry Tunnard	...	Pub Landlord
Paddy Malone	...	Pub Customer

Storyline

Anna is stuck: she's approaching 30 and living like a hermit in her mum's garden shed, avoiding fully living her life due to the fact that she is crippled by the loss of her twin brother. She spends her days making videos using her thumbs as actors - thumbs that bicker about things like whether Yogi Bear is a moral or existential nihilist. A week before her birthday her Mum serves her an ultimatum - she needs to move out of the shed, and move on with her life. However, when her school friend comes to visit, Anna's self-imposed isolation becomes impossible to maintain. Soon she is entangled with a troubled eight year old boy obsessed with Westerns, and the local estate agent whose awkward interpersonal skills continually undermine his attempts to seduce her.

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Plot Keywords:

f rated | triple f rated | activity center | twin brother and sister | living in shed | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jodie Whittaker and Brett Goldstein later appeared together again in the Doctor Who episode Doctor Who: The Tsuranga Conundrum (2018).

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Quotes

[Alice and the children gather around Anna, who's playing a victim]
Alice: Right! I want you to survey the scene. Something is wrong. Things don't add up. Look at the people. How are they behavin'? What are they hidin'? How do they give themselves away?
[Clint gives Anna a kick]
Clint: She's alive, case solved.

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Connections

Remake of Emotional Fusebox (2014)

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Soundtracks

Jesus came to my birthday party
Performed by Middle East
Written by Jordan Ireland
Master recording courtesy of Spunk Records

User Reviews

Impressive

Started off kinda meekly, I was quickly losing interest when I thought I was about to waste my time on yet another childish portrayal of a delayed adulthood, shoulders stubbornly stuck in the vaginal walls of a happier past, a past that made sense -- whereas renting an apartment, paying bills etc, obviously doesn't.

Well. I was wrong. Boy, was I wrong. Wruh-uh-ong. This is a great little movie -- funny, lighthearted, and still, the dramatic elements are so strong and wonderfully structured, proving entirely capable of planting a lump in your throat the size of a goddamned walnut.

Nothing more to say. Watch this. It's good.

Details

Official Sites:

Writer Director's website

Country:

UK Sweden

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 January 2019 (USA)

Also Known As:

Adult Life Skills

Filming Locations:

Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$103,810

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pico Pictures, Filmgate Films, Film i Väst

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1