the brits are known to produce very good drama films
and the writeup for this one in the nziff program was convincing
other independent film reviewers also giving it the figurative thumbs up
however it's one of those films where the trailer seems to tell the whole story
so not expecting anything too much when parked in front of the big screen
john may works for a london regional council in his own one-man department
his job is to deal with people who die with no known friends or relatives
gathering/filing documents and co-ordinating other relevant authorities
the mortuary, crematorium, graveyard and sometimes a church
typically he and the priest/rabbi/minister are the only attendees
after which he then updates his own photo album of the deceased
which he opens and pages through at night after his simple dinner
he of course is single, a loner and bordering on compulsive obsessive
possibly a little bit creepy also given his obsession with the dead
though some reviewers see that as endearing and what is promoted
in the age of down-sizing he is told his job is being absorbed and he 'let go'
with one last case to solve he goes in over and above and searches out relatives
there's an attractive, lonely, animal-loving adult daughter - so an obvious direction here
there's a sparkle in both their eyes and an agreement to meet at and after the father's funeral
the plot a bit annoying really - it's all a bit safe and the acting pretty average (eddie marsan aside)
15 minutes in i was checking my watch and thereafter every 10 minutes - counting down
not a good sign at all - it's an average length film but it really does seem to drag
but - redemption - the final 10 minutes is not the happy-ever-after expected
just when it looks like heaven on earth is about to break forth he is killed
struck suddenly and absolutely unexpectedly by a london double-decker
yay - at last - a bit of edge to this otherwise pretty flat and average film
he lays on the road with a smile on his face - ah - he dies happy (groan)
the film's climax sees the would-be girlfriend attending her father's burial
looking anxiously around for our now departed man - she unaware
meanwhile on the other side of the graveyard he is being buried
alone - no friends or family - tears probably should be flowing
but not from me - it's kind of cute but mostly cloying
and the final scene - oh please - ghosts
those from the photo album gather
pay their respects to their friend
shite - get me out of here
still life (after death?)
me no like this one...
