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Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (2005)
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Reviews Counted:55
Fresh:38
Rotten:17
Average Rating:6.4/10
Consensus: Bittersweet and endearing, this film about aging and unexpected friendship is a lovely vehicle for Joan Plowright.
Theatrical Release:Nov 25, 2005 Limited
Synopsis: Dan Ireland's latest film is the comedy drama, "Mrs Palfrey at The Claremont", based on the best selling novel of the same name, by the late, celebrated English author, Elizabeth Taylor, for... Dan Ireland's latest film is the comedy drama, "Mrs Palfrey at The Claremont", based on the best selling novel of the same name, by the late, celebrated English author, Elizabeth Taylor, for Cineville and Picture Entertainment. The story centers around an elegant elderly lady (Mrs Palfrey) who, after being recently widowed, moves from Scotland to London to be near to her 26 year old grandson, Desmond. When Desmond fails to return any of her several phone calls, or visit her at the resident hotel she is staying (The Claremont), fate brings her together with a young writer, Ludovic Meyer, after she has an accident outside his basement flat. Eventually, Ludo ends up helping Mrs. Palfrey by playing a charade - pretending to be her grandson, so that the other off-beat elderly residents of the hotel believe that she hasn't been lying, and that she really does have a grandson. The two newly found friends discover they have a lot more in common with each other then they do with other people their own age. Ludo inadvertently leads Mrs Palfrey through her past; Mrs Palfrey inadvertently leads Ludo to his future. The young writer finally finds the story he has been looking for all his young life - and Mrs Palfrey finds the 'grandson' she never knew she had. Thus begins a deep-rooted friendship that is far reaching, and everlasting. Along the way, a few problems arise when her real grandson shows up at the hotel. The film starts one of the greatest actresses of our time, Dame Joan Plowright (Enchanted April), aka Lady Laurence Olivier, in the largest and most demanding role of her screen career, and introduces a stunning new actor in a leading role, Rupert Friend (The Libertine, Pride and Prejudice). The supporting cast consists of some of the greatest and most respected actors from the Engligh stage, Anna Massey (Peeping Tom, Frenzy), Georgina Hale (Mahler, The Devils, The Boyfriend), Millicent Martin (Alfie), Clare Higgins (this year's Best Actress Olivier Award winner for her performance in Hecuba), and newcomer Zoe Tapper (Stage Beauty). The film was photographed by Claudio Rocha, Ireland's long time cinematographer, with music by Stephen Barton. The score was produced by Ireland's long time collaborator, Harry Gregson-Williams (Kingdom of Heaven, Domino and Shrek). The film was Produced by Lee Caplin, Zachary Matz and Carl Colpaert. The screenplay was written by Ruth Sacks, with additional dialogue by Martin Donovan and Dan Ireland. -- © Official Site [More]
Starring: Joan Plowright, Rupert Friend, Zoe Tapper, Anna Massey
Starring: Joan Plowright, Rupert Friend, Zoe Tapper, Anna Massey, Robert Lang, Marcia Warren, Georgina Hale, Michael Culkin, Anna Carteret, Millicent Martin, Clare Higgins, Lorcan O'Toole, Timothy Bateson, Olivia Caffrey, Emma Pike, Sophie Linfield, Carl Proctor
Director: Dan Ireland
Director: Dan Ireland
Studio: Cineville
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Reviews for Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont
Of course, sentiment in such pure form is hard to embrace. Without a realistic edge, it's like a flower arrangement: lovely for a short span, then prone to wilting.
... a low-key weepy about loneliness and (possibly) learning to conform one's romantic expectations to reality.
A small film, done in a minor key. At times, it can be so slow it's like watching paint peel.
This underwhelming "prestige" production offers a few pleasures, but doesn't stay in the memory very long.
Audiences susceptible to this sort of sweet Hallmark Hall of Fame sentimentality will be taken by the movie. Everyone else will probably find it just too manipulative.
It's all sweet and well acted (and well enough directed by Dan Ireland), but it's also yawn-provoking and maddening that the script is so far below the acting ability of the assembled talent.
The whole thing feels programmed; the movie's sense of humor lacks understatement. So does the movie's sense of pathos.
You'd half expect the movie to throw caution to the wind and become "Grandmas Gone Wild," but the film is too prim to offer any surprises.
A sweet movie that fails to make the distinction between old age and death.
Director Dan Ireland ... pokes his way through the plodding story, but Plowright rides above it all with a performance loaded with grace notes and tenderness.
Your time would be much better spent skipping the film and instead calling your grandparents, who would no doubt love to hear from you.
Unfortunately, the result is high melodrama, at once patronizing and predictable.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 90% 90% | District 9 |
| 86% 86% | 500 Days of Summer |
| 63% 63% | Extract |
| 06% 06% | All About Steve |
| 78% 78% | It Might Get Loud |
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