I am a movie fanatic and have screen writing credits. I've almost given up on movies since none has moved me since...I'm thinking....maybe Gone With the Wind. This movie was perfection. The story was simple yet profound. The acting was superb. The character development was masterful. The directing was Academy Awardesque. If you have a father and enjoy fine film (and I'm not talking about What Happens in Vegas) run to the theater to see this gem.

3 reasons to see this gem of a movie. Realism - The plot and dialogue are very true to life. Anyone who is over about 14 can relate to the beautifully expressed emotional content present in the relationships in this movie. And even better if you are over about 35, you'll understand the pain of the torch being passed and the way that parents can sometimes be needy and belittling at the same time. Acting - Jim Broadbent is amazing, portraying the core of the father an unsympathetic character in such a way that the audience feels torn about what they feel just as the Colin Firth character does, and then as he is dying he really shows what it is like to see a parent diminish at the end. Should be an Oscar contender. The surrounding cast are pitch perfect including the younger versions of the main characters. A lesson in acting and real film making. Everything else. Cinematography - locations (English countryside picture postcard beautiful) - music and camera work. Just go!

Any one that enjoys a movie with depth and meaning will love this movie. It makes us all take a new look at our relationship with our parents and our children. Every once in a while it is good to see a movie that makes you think.