Review of Another Year (2010) by Liam P — 24 Dec 2011

SUMMING IT UP:

Leigh's latest film skates a very thin line here with the characterisations of Tom and Gerri almost seemingly bully-like with their contempt of Mary. Why they persisted on giving her alcohol when they knew it was a problem or why they would mockingly raise their brows at her behind walls and closed doors yet continue to see her begs the question exactly what is Leigh trying to say. The performances are all uniformly great with Broadbent and Sheen really wonderful in those complex roles but it is Manville's show and she runs away with the film in much the same way she did with All Or Nothing. The other performance of note is that of David Bradley, better know as Argus Filch from the Harry Potter films, as Tom's brother, Ronnie. It stays just the right side of judgmental for me to appreciate the observations of depression, however, it doesn't totally succeed primarily because those questions about motive are never really answered or even addressed.