The Jim Broadbent-Lindsay Duncan dream team with Hanif Kureishi's script and Roger Michell's spot on direction give a beautifully observed mini triumph.
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LE WEEKEND
Director: Roger Michell Cast: Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan, Jeff Goldblum Genre: Comedy Drama Country of Origin: UK 2013 Language: English 93 mins. Rating:****
'Witty, utterly charming, intelligent and poignant.'
Retirement looms for Nick (Jim Broadbent), a philosophy lecturer at a red brick university on the outskirts of Birmingham and Meg (Lindsay Duncan), a secondary school teacher. Will a weekend trip to Paris to celebrate their anniversary rekindle the old flame?
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It doesn't begin well. They bicker as Eurostar hurtles through the French countryside and their chosen hotel's a disaster. Meg's the decision maker and drags a reluctant Nick euros ticking in his head off to a five star all comforts luxury hotel - they can't afford it but why not 'go for broke.' Of course reality's got to kick in. Pent up frustrations and resentments surface. Nick's career's ending and not on a high note. Underachievement and his inadequacies eat away at him and jealousy rears its ugly head. Is the future depression, regret and melancholy? What's he done with his life? Meg looks for release, to break out and be herself - she yearns for the carefree days of the past.
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And suddenly Morgan (Jeff Goldblum), a successful author and old pal from Cambridge days appears on the scene and invites Nick and Meg to a party at his apartment to celebrate his new book, meet his friends and his new wife. The wine flows, the nibbles are great, the flat's in the best district and the guests are all high achievers. Not good news. The guests sit down for dinner and the wine flows. There's no choice. It's time to bare the soul.
Le Weekend is a witty, poignant, honest and intelligent drama. You can't help but fall in love with it. Roger Michell's (Notting Hill, Enduring Love) direction is spot on, Natalie Durand's camera captures to perfection Parisian cafe and restaurant scenes and the dream team of Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan offer wonderful performances that do justice to best-selling author Hanif Kureishi's script.
Witty, utterly charming, intelligent and poignant.
Le Weekend is released on DVD by CURZON FILM WORLD 10th February 2014
LE WEEKEND
Director: Roger Michell Cast: Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan, Jeff Goldblum Genre: Comedy Drama Country of Origin: UK 2013 Language: English 93 mins. Rating:****
'Witty, utterly charming, intelligent and poignant.'
Retirement looms for Nick (Jim Broadbent), a philosophy lecturer at a red brick university on the outskirts of Birmingham and Meg (Lindsay Duncan), a secondary school teacher. Will a weekend trip to Paris to celebrate their anniversary rekindle the old flame?
It doesn't begin well. They bicker as Eurostar hurtles through the French countryside and their chosen hotel's a disaster. Meg's the decision maker and drags a reluctant Nick euros ticking in his head off to a five star all comforts luxury hotel - they can't afford it but why not 'go for broke.' Of course reality's got to kick in. Pent up frustrations and resentments surface. Nick's career's ending and not on a high note. Underachievement and his inadequacies eat away at him and jealousy rears its ugly head. Is the future depression, regret and melancholy? What's he done with his life? Meg looks for release, to break out and be herself - she yearns for the carefree days of the past.
And suddenly Morgan (Jeff Goldblum), a successful author and old pal from Cambridge days appears on the scene and invites Nick and Meg to a party at his apartment to celebrate his new book, meet his friends and his new wife. The wine flows, the nibbles are great, the flat's in the best district and the guests are all high achievers. Not good news. The guests sit down for dinner and the wine flows. There's no choice. It's time to bare the soul.
Le Weekend is a witty, poignant, honest and intelligent drama. You can't help but fall in love with it. Roger Michell's (Notting Hill, Enduring Love) direction is spot on, Natalie Durand's camera captures to perfection Parisian cafe and restaurant scenes and the dream team of Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan offer wonderful performances that do justice to best-selling author Hanif Kureishi's script.
Witty, utterly charming, intelligent and poignant.
Le Weekend is released on DVD by CURZON FILM WORLD 10th February 2014