This is a very moving, very touching, very funny film, and a unique portrayal of an arrogant, witty female english professor (Dr. Bearing) who learns she has stage 4 cancer (and as she says, "there is no stage 5"). Emma Thompson so well portrays the effects of the treatment for her cancer, playing her character understatedly and evoking such strong emotions both from her wit (hence the title) and her regret and circumstances.

The film also exhibits one of the best breaking down of the "fourth wall" I have seen in film. This is moreso a stage theatre technique, and normally I find it annoying or awkward in film, but here it worked. For one, Thompson does so well that the transitions into facing the camera and performing her monologue are smooth and appropriate. The first fourth wall breakdown may be a little jarring to a new viewer, but once we get about 10-15 minutes into the film, we don't think about this technique at all. It feels so natural, so right. Also, it should be noted it is used rather sparingly. Most actual minutes on screen are played out like a regular, theatrical movie (and this was a TV movie).

Mike Nichols patiently portrays the story, and yet it isn't a very long movie (98 minutes). Every scene feels rightly placed. It feels like every scene has a purpose. It could be to portray the effects of the treatment (Dr. Bearing, or Vivian, would wittily note how she is suffering not from the cancer, but from the treatment for such cancer), portray the state of Vivian, or develop her history (or a combination of two or more of those). Another thing: the use of music in this film ingenious. The music is actually one piece of music used throughout (Spiegal im spiegal, by Arvo Pärt). Such a simple use of music, yet so effective. That was cool.

Jonathon Woodward also has a solid performance, portraying the young Doctor Jason Posner who looks over Vivian's progress, and cares more for the progress of the experimental treatment (since the cancer was not detected until stage 4) than for Vivian herself. And yet, he isn't malicious. He's young, he's maybe even a little clumsy, and his passion lies with the science of cancer itself. He is fascinated by cancer, and he is interested in research, not human care. Same with the older, more experienced doctor overlooking Woodward's character (played graciously by the one and only Christopher LLoyd!)

The Nurse who looks over Vivian (played by the unknown, Su Lin Looi) is a contrast to the doctors, who sympathizes with Vivian. Vivian at the beginning of the film clearly shows her edgy, professor side. In the very first scene, she corrects the doctors incorrect use of a word, and in a bit later scenes has witty comments that border on confrontational (somewhat). The point is, she appears to be the typical, rather snarky english professor. As the film continues on, Vivian feels more good humoured, yet her wit lasts until the end. She never loses that.

The ending scenes are absolutely beautiful. I found myself laughing hysterically in one scene, and then feeling saddened in the last few. These scenes manage to connect to earlier flashbacks we see of Vivian (and her life), and the end result is an extremely satisfying film. In one of the final scenes, where Vivian is near death, she has her very FIRST visitor. Not a single person beforehand, throughout this whole process, had visited her. The implication is obviously that she has no worthwhile friends, and we also found out earlier that both her parents are dead and she has no husband, no children. The visitor ends up being her old professor whom we see earlier in a flashback. And now, I just can't explain any further. Detailing this entire scene and the connections and the pay-off would fill an entire essay, so you just have to watch the film for yourself.

In the end, Emma Thompson pulls off a very impressive performance that, if this were a theatrically released film, may have very well been nominated at the Oscars. The screenplay is totally solid, and there is nothing extraneous. Nichols competently and patiently directs the film, which has a clear flow and a clear purpose. I don't know if I will ever see a film that deals with terminal cancer that is as good as this, and this was a television movie, which amazes me (although it was HBO, so I shouldn't be that surprised). The film has genuine emotion that isn't burdened with sappy overdrama, that which countless cancer films are filled with to the brim. And the emotion stems both from comedy and tragedy. This is one of the decade's best films.

A

PEACE, Mike.