14 out of 14 people found the following review helpful:

Quirky and quite wonderful....

PGM from , 8th May, 2009

The great thing about watching movies is that every now and again a film comes at you from left field that is so unusual that when you’ve turned off the DVD player you find yourself sitting back quietly and mulling over what you’ve just seen. It’s when you feel that warm glow beginning to spread up from your toes and you find there’s a daft smile on your face that you know you’ve just seen something rather special. Dean Spanley’s one of those, but I guarantee if you tried to explain the plot to anyone they’d think you were several sandwiches short of a picnic. I’ll have a go, though…. Set in 1904, it revolves around the relationship between the long suffering Henslowe Fisk (Jeremy Northam) and his ailing, crusty curmudgeon of a father played effortlessly by Peter O’Toole. Every Thursday, a duty bound Fisk Junior visits his dad and in a futile attempt to maintain an ever weakening bond of affection, the two of them trundle off to art galleries and lectures. It’s when Fisk Junior sees an advertisement for a talk on the transmogrification of souls (that’s reincarnation to you and me) by an Indian swami and they meet fellow audience member, clergyman Dean Spanley (Sam Neill) that their lives are changed for ever. And if you think I’m gonna try and fill out the rest of it, you’ve got a another think coming. Memo to whom it may concern – as if anyone should need reminding - : There should be a Preservation Order slapped on Peter O’Toole with immediate effect. Like the old pro he is, he walks away with every damned scene, but that’s not to detract in any way from the rest of the small (but beautifully formed) cast who clearly had the time of their lives. How the director Toa Fraser managed to gather players of this quality together (for I’m guessing not a lot of dosh) should be required study at any film school. Sam Neill’s performance as the Dean who, when plied with ever increasing tipples of Imperial Tokay (the bottles of which were once opened only by royal decree…!), begins to expand on what he pertains to be his past life is also a standout. Whimsical is the adjective that springs to mind and indeed it’s the one most used by the cast in the interviews in the Special Features. It’s also poignant and in many ways rather topical. It is also very, very funny. So if you’re looking for something a little different, take a look. Indulge yourself…you’ve earned it. Oh, and one last thing; if the final scene with Peter O’Toole doesn’t make your heart skip a beat, you have no soul…

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14 out of 15 people found the following review helpful:

Slowish start but keep watching!!

crayfish73 from , 1st May, 2009

Slighty bizarre yet a delightful film. Great cast, Peter O'Toole is superb.

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9 out of 10 people found the following review helpful:

dean spanley

littlesar from , 6th May, 2009

the start was so slow that i lost the plot...sorry but boring.

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8 out of 11 people found the following review helpful:

What a dog!

A Customer from Fife, 15th May, 2009

I've been a member of odeon direct for 2 years and this is my first review. I felt I had a duty to fellow members to warn them about this film. This has to be the worst film I've seen. The story line was slow, boring and completely meaningless. The performances were worse. I would rather spend 90 minutes watching paint dry.

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Dean Spanley

Gleno from , 8th March, 2010

Heart warming film. All dog lovers will enjoy. Great actors.

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1 out of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Please somebody kill me....

MICHAEL from London W4, 25th February, 2010

Without the free will to do something else, I'd sooner have pulled my own head off and fed it to next door's dog than sit through this to the end.

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superb

A Customer from London, 15th February, 2010

Magical realism is a tough trick to pull off so to find that this film is not only strange and beautiful but also funny and moving by turn is a real treat. Magnificent understated performances from a terrific little ensemble cast, elegant visuals and above all a sparkling script. Brilliant.

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excellent must see film,,whimsical

ferdyjenny from , 6th February, 2010

do watch this,, its differant and all the better for that,,its funny,, heartwarming and the acting is all extremly good,specialy ' peter o'toole' as evertime, and 'sam neil' you wont find a better class of competant well cast actors in a film, storys about afterlife,,if we do come back,,,,as what,,,if,,, the storys slow burner, too slow at times,, but the reward is worth all the wait, the twist is fairly easy to imagine, but very well handled, emotional and funny , 4 stars plus.. the downside is these actors and story and production should be oscar nominees,,but its not a ''hollywood' film,,, new zealand, and little exploitaion ,,,shame,, peter otoole is a oscar winner here,,,

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