This is an example of a very good film elevated by a complex, enthralling lead performance. In this case, it is Michael Caine who shines. Playing Clarence, a bitter, dementia-suffering ex-magician who moves into a family-run old age home and forms a surprising friendship with the bored, introverted child (Bill Milner) who lives there, Caine delivers one of his best performances to date. This is no faint praise; since his screen debut in the '50s, he has proven to be one of the finest and most dedicated actors of his generation. He completely inhabits the role of Clarence: every facial expression, every tear, every tic rings true and we find ourselves fascinated by and sympathetic to him.

The rest of the cast are very good as well. As the estranged couple who run the old age home, Anne-Marie Duff (James McAvoy's wife) and David Morrissey deliver strong performance. Morrissey's character, a family man who feels inadequate and lusts after a teenage girl, could have lapsed into caricature, but never does. And Bill Milner, who last starred in the winning Son of Rambow, once again proves to be a charming, natural child actor. He and Caine have great chemistry.

John Crowley's (Intermission) direction is firm-handed, but never over-the-top and distracting (he's no Joe Wright). He lets the fine cast and enticing seaside locales breathe and the film is better for it.

Overall, Is Anybody There? is easy to recommend. It's sentimental, but it earns its laughs and tears, and Michael Caine's performance is more than worth the price of admission.

A-

What a sad story!

...and no, I don't mean the story idea - - which is actually a brilliant, truthfilled, and uplifting tale of the endgame of life...

No, I'm referring to the needlessly complicated stylizations of the screenplay and the too-soon-out-of film school artsyness of the direction - - they sap the life out of this film.

Even sadder, is seeing the masterful performance of acting craftsman Michael Caine - - yet another fine turn by this wily veteran, here set adrift amongst the storm tossed waves of the aforementioned artsy stylization. Damn you film theory!!!

Still, it was almost possible to hack out a re-edit of the movie in my head as I watched it - - there's a fine film jumbled up in this heap*.

out of





*I recommend that any aspiring storytellers/screenwriters/directors try this as an exercise:

Buy the DVD of this film, watch it, study it, then re-edit it on iMovie or Movie Maker on your computer into a better movie. Don't spend a ton 'o' time, just get at it, and cut your own cut. (Note: This is a beginner's exercise. Stay tuned for more advanced missions down the road.)