Lymelife

[kevinknapman]

I read that all the filming was done in New Jersey (my home state but I guess that wasn't grand enough??).

It's based on the director and writers Derick and Steve Martini's experiences growing up in Long Island. Apparently it was cheaper to shoot it in New Jersey.

[baty]

Seen this in Cardiff, not many people there. The two women behind us thought we were all Times readers. Nope, but WE non readers switched our phones off!

I agree with Preston1990 - a different film from what we've seen lately. Had OH actually discussing the characters, Lyme disease, the film ...... WOW. Usually it's an intake of breath and a mmmmm????.

Did wonder, like kevinknapman, at some of the 'historic' information given in the film. Was taking some sort of liberty with the facts part of the Lymes disease?

Will give it 7.5/10

[superhero]

Cracking review, Kevinknapman! 10/10 for your review! haha

An entertaining enough movie. Well acted by everyone involved.
The downside was the familiarity. As superhero said this kind of story has been done many times before and done better, most notably The Ice Storm and American Beauty. It ticked off several of the suburban drama cliches. The parents being more dysfunctional than the kids. The boy who's in love with the girl next door who treats him like a friend or younger brother. The two brothers, the older one despises the father, the younger one initially looks up to him but soon sees he's not the perfect role model he thinks he is. The outside force used to highlight the corruption within (here it was Lyme disease, in The Ice Storm it was Watergate) Even the model of the new housing estate, used to show the idealised neighbourhood they long for, contrasting with the disappointing reality, has been used as a visual motif before.
The uncertain setting didn't exactly help either. Apparently it was set in the late 70's but a lot of the music was from the early 70's. There were also references to the Iranian hostage crisis which started in 1979 and the Falklands which took place in 1982 (Why the brother would go to the Falklands when there was no US involvement is anybody's guess). Dr Ruth also didn't become well known until the early 80's. Oh and on a geeky note, Lando Calrissian didn't appear in the Star Wars saga until 1980 either. Anachronisms can often go unnoticed and not matter but a couple of them were a little too glaring.
But as I said, despite all that, it was watchable and the acting was really good.

[Preston1990]

...... the cause of the disease remained a mystery until 1982, when Borrelia burgdorferi was identified by Willy Burgdorfer."

What a co-incidence that the bacteria, and the person who discovered its link to Lyme disease, should share the same last name! It's not as though it's a common name either!!

[elski]

just seen that this is on BBC2 11:05pm tonight

[valda]

Put it on my Sky plus - it was funny reading through the old posts

[stuartboy]

Put it on my Sky plus - it was funny reading through the old posts

Was only last year that this was freeviewing. Thought I'd seen something about it before when I read it was on tonight.

[elski]

Watchmen is on Sunday night on channel 4, I tried searching for the thread but that must have been in the old forum or search function is playing up again.

[raj101]

its on iplayer too (rare for a new film), if you want to save on recording space.

time to find out what i missed....