And When Did You Last See Your Father?

Sat April 1915 cert 92 mins, UK, 2007            

Directed by Anand Tucker, Starring Jim Broadbent, Colin Firth

A vivid realisation of Blake Morrison’s autobiographical memoir, offering a portrayal of a sometimes troubled father / son relationship, and the son’s attempts to make amends in the old man’s final weeks.

Broadbent is on barnstorming form as Dr Morrison, maddening and winning in equal measure, and the rest of the cast are equally exceptional, including Juliet Stevenson as Blake’s long suffering mother, and Firth as the poet reflecting on the relationship he has spent a lifetime wrestling with.

Although based on one man’s experience, this wonderful drama is nonetheless universally resonant, and the film manages to be hilarious, heart breaking, and memorable. One of the best British films of 2007.

Back to Index