First Day of the Rest of Your Life

[Beate]

I was also given a test screening preview ticket by a publicist in the cinema for a British film that has no title yet! Apparantly, the film is in the tone of films like The Full Monty, Julie & Juliet, Billy Elliott, Calendar Girls. The preview is for Thursday evening at the same cinema so I'm looking forward to another comfy screening again :)

Oh man, I am jealous now!

[superhero]

I saw this tonight and nothing more to add really than what everyone else has said, it's a charming film about family life, there are so funny scenes along the way and it flows quite well in general. But half way through or acutally pretty early on, you could tell there's going to be deaths, marriages, births. It does get a little cliched, but the ride is most enjoyable and does make you think about one's relationship with your family and friends. 7/10
I saw those guys at the cinema with the clipboard asking people to go to a free test screening and I tried to get them interested in me, but didn't work! *sigh* The only consolation is I guess I couldn't have made the screening on thursday anyway if it was a 6.30pm start. But I would have loved to attend!
I don't seem to have luck with these people, I saw them at Prince Charles cinema once as well and I just couldn't get their attention to invite me to a test screening...

[Maurette]

Liked this movie. It is so real and typical at the same time. Because there is always the one child who is angry, the one who hides behind the tough exterior and the one who is lost, everyone can relate to it.

[cheekyweelassie]

I was at the same screening at the Apollo in Picadilly. What a lovely cinema. A hidden gem.
I really enjoyed this film. I liked splitting the story into the five segments for each member of the family, and although it was mostly predictable about the rites of passage, there were some events that might have seemed rather insignificant but turned out to be really important to that person.
Did anyone notice when Raph took the phone call about his father, was it that rock-chick Moira who was the popstar playing on the screen behind him, or did I just imagine that? That's what I thought anyway, and I took an added poignancy from that (even if I made it up) as he missed that opportunity because of that big event in his life.
I thought some bits were a bit weird or upsetting (blood under the door and that poor dog!) but I found it mostly charming and in lots of places funny.
The ending really made me emotional though, and I think a lot of people in the audience were affected by it. It's the kind of film that makes you think about your own family, and our own vulnerabilities.
I give it 9/10 and I think it's up there as one of my favourite films of the year (I think Up was the only other one which got that score from me)

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

I thought some bits were a bit weird or upsetting (blood under the door and that poor dog!)

I forgot about the blood under the door bit, I was wondering what that was about too but on reflection, I wonder if its to do with the baby abortion? I felt sorry for that poor dog too but is it me or did that dog get turned into a dead hamster...

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

I saw those guys at the cinema with the clipboard asking people to go to a free test screening and I tried to get them interested in me, but didn't work! *sigh* The only consolation is I guess I couldn't have made the screening on thursday anyway if it was a 6.30pm start. But I would have loved to attend!
I don't seem to have luck with these people, I saw them at Prince Charles cinema once as well and I just couldn't get their attention to invite me to a test screening...

I really wish I can report to you that the test screening was absolute rubbish and you were lucky not to get an invite.

Unfortunately, the film was bloody good. Not that great at consolations am I?

[Ms Thrifty]

Is anyone going to the 11 am London screening on Sunday 15? Thought that would appeal to a few Monday - Friday workers? That and the chance to sample the Apollo experience!

[jmd1983]

Thought this film was lovely and the Piccadilly cinema is just great!

Got asked to attend a free screening by the clipboard people but couldn't make it...

[Ms Thrifty]

I saw this today at the Apollo as, once I knew I'd got a free ticket for the PM preview, it was worth going to London for the day and seeing this, too. I thought it was a fabulous film and possibly the best I've seen this year. Though I like French films, I didn't recognise any of the cast, which was refreshing and meant I could believe they were a real family. The length ( about 2 hours) was justified as you really got to know their history from various episodes and experienced sadness, drama and happiness along with them. In fact, I could have gone on watching this for hours, had there been more of it - it was just so well done.

[opas]

The Apollo is a great cinema - hope they have more screenings there in the future.

Thought the film was great. I agree with a lot of what has already been said. I think I could have watched a mini-series on that family - it was just normal family drama but told in a way that holds your attention. 8.5/10

I recognised the actor who played Raph aka magic fingers and it was bugging me as to where I have seen him before. Has anyone seen that French Canadian film CRAZY? I think I saw it last year on TV and he plays the lead in that. I recommend that film too.