Emotionally Charging Lassie Comes Home To Theatres

5 Popcorn Kernels

There are a few scenes in Lassie, the newest reincarnation of the classic tale about a boy and his collie, that are guaranteed to make even the coldest human being weep. One of such scenes involves a young boy telling his best friend (man’s best friend, that is) that she is a bad dog and that he doesn’t love her anymore after being forced to sell her. It is a cruel scene to witness but it also goes to show just how powerful motion pictures can be. Even though it takes place early on in the movie, it is impossible to remain unaffected by it nonetheless.

Lassie, which is an import from Ireland, is a tremendous update of the original versions of the story. While it is a fantastic feature film, it is not ideal family flick. The movie is never boring but it does slow down in parts to help advance the humans’ yarns. These segments combined with the emotionally charging scenes make Lassie inappropriate for younger moviegoers.

That brings me to my next point – this Lassie is more about the people that the loyal pup meets than the dog herself. The movie utilizes the basic storyline of The Fugitive television series in which, while on the run, the absconder influences everyone on his or her path. Lassie has the power to bring soul mates together, give a little girl the confidence to go on and help an unfortunate man survive a tragic event. The thought of Lassie enriching people’s lives is inspirational and gives meaning to the theory of “everything happens for a reason.”

However, people expecting a movie about a dog might be surprised with what they find in Lassie. This should not deter folks from seeing the wonderful flick, though. Lassie is a very special movie worthy of the beloved title in every way. It may not be the best movie to bring young children to, but it certainly is one that you should bring yourself to. Older children, teenagers, adults and the young at heart will cherish every moment of this must-see Fall flick.

Lassie takes place in Yorkshire during the first World War and focuses on a lower-middle class family. Joe, played in very heartwarming fashion by Jonathan Mason, is greeted by his loveable canine Lassie each day after school. When Joe’s father, Sam, played by John Lynch, is laid off from work, the family must sell Lassie to the wealthy Duke, played by Peter O’Toole. The Duke’s abusive dog-handler is unable to keep Lassie from running back to Joe.

Joe’s mother, Sarah, played by Samantha Morton, does not appreciate all of the problems her son’s bond with Lassie is causing. The Duke takes Lassie on a trip to Scotland. The Duke’s granddaughter, Priscilla, played by Hester Odgers, sees the pain in Lassie’s eyes and assists the dog in her next scheme to escape. Now, Lassie must travel hundreds of miles, weathering thirst, hunger and dog-catchers, hoping just to see Joe one last time.

Lassie, which screened at the Tribeca Film Festival last Spring, is a spectacular feature film. It will definitely emotionally affect you. Lassie is worthy of your smiles, tears and laughs. It may be a bit too upsetting for kids, but it is the touching movie that you’ve waited all year for. It may even make you look at your own best friend in a new way.

Quaintly Dark Keeping Mum Something To Talk About

3 Popcorn Kernels

British cinema often features a character in the role of the nanny or housekeeper. This character is usually the catalyst of change in the other characters’ lives. In Nanny McPhee, the nanny helps the man of the house find his one true love and assists the children with the acquisition of decent behavioral skills. In Keeping Mum, the housekeeper helps the woman of the house rekindle her romance with her husband and assists the children with the achievement of confidence and self importance. Those are two fairly similar plots, right?

Yes – except Nanny McPhee was able to pull it all off without killing anybody.

Keeping Mum begins with a short prologue about a pretty young woman named Rosie Jones. While riding on a train, it is discovered that Rosie has a trunk filled with two dead bodies. Rosie contently confesses that the bodies are that of her husband and his mistress, noting that she “couldn’t very well stand idly by.” She is locked away in a secure unit for the criminally insane.

Forty-three years later, we are introduced to Gloria Goodfellow, a woman played by Kristin Scott Thomas who appears bitter and mean. Gloria’s marriage to her husband Reverend Walter Goodfellow, played by Rowan Atkinson, has grown stale so she is seeing her golf instructor Lance, played by Patrick Swayze, and is planning on running away with him to Mexico. Walter is too consumed with writing a winning keynote speech to notice his wife’s infidelity. Meanwhile, their son Petey is terrorized by bullies on a daily basis, which is exactly how long it takes his sister Holly to change boyfriends.

Everything begins to turn around, though, when housekeeper Grace Hawkins, played by Maggie Smith, comes into their lives with a mysterious trunk. Utilizing particularly unconventional ways she teaches Petey the art of self-assurance, Holly the value of making the right choices and Walter the practice of humor. The only task remaining is getting Gloria interested in her husband again – something seemingly impossible with Lance standing in her way.

Each of the characters in Keeping Mum appears to be stock at first glance but a few twists bring out the dark side of the personalities. Atkinson is always a joy to watch and his unique knack for facial expressions is not wasted here. Smith is absolutely superb in this flick, as well, embodying the perfect balance of kindness and malice to make Grace constantly intriguing. The British nanny / housekeeper genre has been due for an update for quite some time and Grace Hawkins is exactly the woman for the job.

Unfortunately, after the initial prologue involving Rosie Jones, the scenes introducing the Goodfellow family are comparatively dull and it takes a while before the fun picks back up when Grace finally appears. In addition, Petey’s story is cut short midway through the flick and Holly’s dilemma never really takes corporeal form. These two storylines could have substituted Gloria’s frequently boring moments to keep the flick afloat.

Still, the vast majority of the motion picture is entertaining. For a dark comedy, Keeping Mum is unusually pleasant. The black humor in this particular movie is more apt at generating smiles than hearty laughs, but such subtlety adds to the film’s quaint structure. With a memorable story, delightful characters and an eerie spin, Keeping Mum is definitely something to talk about.