Review of 49 Up (2006) by Melanie M — 17 Jan 2009

Whew, I'm finally caught "Up" with the series! Another terrific entry: Ostensibly, most are happier than 7 years ago, or still happy. I guess this matches with something I read a while back, that we start happy, get sad, and then happiness begins to return later in life. Whether one chooses to validate each person's happiness is up to the individual viewer. For me, I'm happy that Bruce has achieved the happy family life he wished for 7 years back, though I found him a bit of a dullard this time around--no longer the "heart & soul." Andrew, the always even-keeled upper-class kid, returned to his usual likability--perhaps due to a career change. Middle-class Jackie is still confrontational, maybe more so, and middle-class Sue is still so pleasant and still gorgeous. I wonder why Apted moved their friend Lynn's segment later in the film. For a while I feared she had died during filming. Interesting that 3 different people mention "leaving the East End." Tony is bothered by all the ethnicities; he liked it how it was. Yet he sees no irony in English people creating their own little scene in Spain. What else? Interesting to see our Australian friend admit to depression. And when he's reunited again with children's-home pal Simon, I finally realized that neither has ever had much of a career.

A nice touch on the DVD: a half-hour interview of Apted by Roger Ebert. It even made me think of changes in Ebert's life: Siskel is long gone, and in 2.5 years since that interview, Ebert can't even talk anymore....