Ladies In Lavender/Gosford Park/Keeping Mum DVD

Advantages: Complex plot, excellent cast, oodles of period atmosphere
Disadvantages: Not enough screen time for_some of_the stars, some will find_the number_of characters a_little overwhelming

...want something a bit different (and, perhaps, even cerebral). Some of the many stars in the film include: Maggie Smith (Ladies In Lavender) Michael Gambon (The Life Aquatic) Kirsten Scott Thomas (The English Patient, The Horse Whisperer) Jeremy Northam (The Net) Stephen Fry (Wilde) Clive Owen (King Arthur, Closer) Helen Mirren (Calender Girls) Richard E Grant (Scarlet Pimpernel [TV series], Bright Young Things) Ryan Phillippe (Cruel Intentions, Crash [2005]) Tom Hollander (Maybe Baby, Enigma) Other Details Director: Robert Altman Rated R for some language and brief sexuality (UK Rating: 15) Runtime: 137 minutes (didn't seem too long) Awards: Apart from an Oscar, Gosford Park won a staggering 26 further awards and 46 nominations from various associations.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Impressive cast, nice setting, some good bits
Disadvantages: Confusing, too many characters to care about them, dreary in parts

...and their guests. When Sir. William and Lady Sylvia McCordle - who own Gosford Park – invite some friends for a weekend shooting pheasant and socialising, the whole house becomes a frenzy of high-paced organisation as the upper class settle in upstairs and their assortment of maids, valets, butlers and kitchen staff are downstairs. The first half of the film spends a long time setting up the basic background for the murder. The way it does this is rather bizarre. Instead of letting you get to know each set of characters bit by bit, it throws everything in there at the same time and you’re left rather confused for a good proportion of it. In fact, it seemed a bit like an over-enthusiastic cook who tips too much spaghetti into the pan, so you end up pulling it out string by string until you get the right amount to eat. So there’s... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Strong Cast
Disadvantages: Too many needless sub plots

...Unlike most period films Gosford Park spends as much time looking at the servants as it does at the people they serve. Set in 1932 on the sprawling country estate of Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) the story follows the events of a weekend shooting party and the tangled relationships of all those attending. With an ensemble cast including Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, Charles Dance, Ryan Phillippe, Charles Dance, Emily Watson, Richard E. Grant and Stephen Fry it is impossible for any one person to be declaired the 'star' however the performances of Kelly Macdonald, Clive Owen & Helen Mirren were outstanding. Directed by Robert Altman the film was typically confusing and laced with so many sub plots and twists it was sometimes hard to keep track of what was going on; and although by the end of the film the central story... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful