Review of Ladies in Lavender (2004) by Matthew D — 21 May 2018

A love that cannot be unfolds.

Charles Dance tries his hand at directing with the lovely Ladies in Lavender. A straightforward plot that is nicely directed leaves you with a pleasant movie. It's as delightful now as I when I first saw it. I am a younger man and I enjoyed it like my older mother who adores this film. It's quite well made.

Judi Dench and Maggie Smith are terrific as sisters that take in a wounded Polish man played quite sweetly by a young Daniel Brühl. Dench and Smith portray these women with an earnest sincerity. They are quite funny and tender, while also able to act heartbroken in a subtle manner. They carry Ladies in Lavender. Brühl plays innocent, yet mischievous for a sweet and quirky performance. I also enjoyed the eager and demanding role from Natascha McElhone. All in all, a well cast movie.

Beautiful music swells in the air in the gorgeous natural scenery for this English countryside setting. Dance directs his surroundings with a light dreamy quality for an easy watch. The score is superb and nicely used, while never being overbearing.

I enjoyed Ladies in Lavender. It is simplistic and never tries to achieve something deeper, but it remains highly entertaining. It is worth a single watch certainly.