Movie Review - Is Anybody There? (2008) (7/10)

Little British Drama with Great Performances
Originally Posted on 20 October 2011 on imdb.com

 Set in the 1980s seaside England, this film is a great coming-of-age story with authenticity and may give a sense of nostalgia for some.

Bill Milner plays 10-year-old Edward, who is a curious child full of questions about ghosts and death. This story is about Edward's childhood in a old people's home run by his parents. As the story develops, Edward develops a special bond with Clarence, played by the amazing Michael Caine.

The start of the movie gives us a nice description of Edward's life and introduces us to a lot of characters in the house. The ghost hunting parts make the film a bit far-stretched from its theme but the films gets a lot better later. We get to know Clarence more, and we can see his life portrayed by Michale Caine's outstanding performance. Caine's acting is a great strength of the film, and it totally brings out Clarence's character to the audience. Milner also does a good job acting a kid full of curiosity and inner kindness. Clarence has a huge regret in his life. It is about his wife. We can see Edward's kindness as he tries to help him heal that wound in his heart.

This film is an invaluable lesson about life and death. The bond a young kid and an old man share can be very special. As the scenes move on, Edward is seen to grow and learn a lot of things from Clarence. It is incredible to see that this film succeeds in displaying that quality of life experience. The young have a lot to learn from the old who have much more experience in their life. The other way around, old people who are sometimes not their old self anymore can often use that energy from the young.

This film covers a lot of things and I am sure different people can learn different things from it. Anyway, people looking for an exciting drama is not going to like this. But if you are looking for is an inspiring drama that gives you something to think about, this is a good choice for you. For me, Caine's performance alone is enough to make the time worthwhile.