Actor Andy Serkis' directorial debut is an unabashedly old-fashioned and sentimental biography of Robin Cavendish, a former soldier and tea merchant left paralyzed by polio who became an advocate for the disabled population's right to mobility and dignity. The film is even produced by Cavendish's son, Jonathan, so sharp edges are largely sanded down, and this is definitely not a film chiefly concerned with the day-to-day indignities and stresses endured by the disabled and those who care for them. But I believe it is of significant value as a commercial entertainment with an inclusive, uplifting message and sensational performances by Andrew Garfield as Cavendish and Claire Foy as his devoted, at times long-suffering wife, Diana. Serkis approaches the material the way, I suspect, a Golden-Age studio veteran such as George Cukor or William Wyler might. This does not appeal to critics with The Diving Bell and the Butterfly or Amour on their minds, but the result is quite elegant and satisfying on its own simple, sweet terms.

B+

This is a wonderful film that feels slight in its message and the potential it could have had with lasting emotional impact a movie like this can leave. Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy bring in amazing chemistry and both actors do really well individually. Andy Serkis does good enough as a director he does when he wants to build a scenic view that's touching but he is unable to build a truly emotional scene that can leave a lasting impression. I felt the second half of the film looses focus because the inspirational aspects while done well doesn't always connect. The finale is good specially because its between the three family members but again not great enough.

B-