7 Up

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User Ratings: 1,538

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7 Up Photos

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Movie Info

7 Up marks a high point in British documentary making. This first ever edition of the long-running and widely seen programme was made in 1964 and has spawned similar programmes throughout the world.

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Documentary, Special Interest
Directed By:

Paul Almond
In Theaters:

May 5, 1964 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Oct 19, 2004
Runtime:

60 minutes
Studio:

ITV

Watch it now

Netflix

Cast

Bruce Balden

Jacqueline Bassett

Symon Basterfield

Andrew Brackfield

John Brisby

Peter Davies

Suzanne Dewey

Charles Furneaux

Nicholas Hitchon

Neil Hughes

Lynn Johnson

Paul Kligerman

Susan Sullivan

Tony Walker

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Critic Reviews for 7 Up

All Critics (4) | Top Critics (1) | DVD (2)

Constitute[s] as fascinating a work of popular sociology as you may ever see.

Jan 15, 2005 | Rating: 5/5

Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic
The second chapter in Michael Apted's longitudinal chronicle of the British class system

Mar 4, 2011 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Over the course of 500-some minutes of footage, few surprises await

Nov 11, 2004 | Rating: 3/5

Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com
The first entry in Michael Apted's anthropological study of human lives that will slowly take shape over the course of another five films.

Oct 26, 2004 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

Ed Gonzalez
Slant Magazine

View All Critic Reviews (4)

Audience Reviews for 7 Up

Oct 20, 2018

The fact that this series of films is so firmly intent on proving the inescapability of class immobility doesn't affect how impressive it is to see the changes in those children from when they are 7 to seven years later, and how their life views are so strongly molded by their environment.

Carlos M Super Reviewer
Aug 20, 2013

The kids weren't as cute, but I enjoyed seeing how they got older and how their views changed.

Curtis L Super Reviewer
Feb 26, 2010

SEVEN UP Series (1964-->onwards) Directed by Michael Apted. This realism-style of documentary film-making was truly innovative in its time, a fact that in these days of 24hr-a-day Reality TV one can easily overlook. Director, Apted, did not select particularly special children & yet, each in their own way, IS special. One feels privileged to be permitted to share a little of their lives & the journeys that those lives take them on. It is also interesting (& sometimes confronting) to recognise parallels in one's own life to those seen on screen & has certainly given me pause to think at times. I don't believe a film-maker could hope to achieve more than that. ****4 & a half out of 5 stars**** (This R/V applies equally to all films in the series.)

mirabella 1 Super Reviewer
May 06, 2009

With the first jump of seven years we find all these kids are 14 and completely different than when we last saw them. Except for one. He said he wanted to be a jockey and he is on his way.
All of the kids seem to be sad to me. Almost as if they now realize after viewing the first installment that their childhood was almost over. The carefree abandon they faced life with has been replaced with schooling and an ever present knowledge that in seven years the person you once were has vanished forever.
I am looking forward to the next doc and seeing where these young people end up in the beginning of adulthood and the ever important 21st year of their lives.

Jason S Super Reviewer