Die unwahrscheinliche Pilgerreise des Harold Fry

Lovely movie, with the ever so lovely Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton as the typical retired couple, going about their humdrum lives, until the post arrives from an old friend of Harold's. Life just isn't the same again, as something inside Harold beckons him on a journey, which unfolds the reason of why he must take the journey. Wonderfully captured, but I kept thinking I had watched it before. And I had. The equally excellent Timothy Spall in the Last Bus, travelling the length of the UK with his wife's ashes to the place they met in Lands End. If you like Jim Broadbent as Harold Fry, you will love Timothy Spall in The Last Bus.

This, for me, is a "companion piece" to last year's LIVING, since it again has an elderly gent in the central role. Like other "road movies", the film alternates between motivation and meetings. Harold crosses paths with a few fairly ordinary people who each have a tale to tell. At one stage he becomes a kind of Messiah figure, leading a flock of followers, but he arrives in Berwick on his own to resolve the issue of the dying woman's role in his life.

I got a slight sense of "wokeness" being applied to both the characters and the actors, and there are a few scenes that don't really ring true. The best element is the seesaw on which Harold's marriage is quietly riding.

Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton are two fine actors on top form here. This is another small movie with a big heart which it wears on its sleeve.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a heartwarming and emotional film that tells the story of Harold Fry, an ordinary man who decides to embark on a pilgrimage to deliver a letter to his old friend Queenie. The film is a slow burn, starting as a simple story of a man walking, but it gradually builds into a poignant examination of grief, guilt, and eventual closure.

Jim Broadbent delivers an excellent performance as Harold Fry, capturing the character's quiet desperation and eventual transformation as he walks the 600-mile journey. Penelope Wilton is also good as Harold's wife, Maureen, who is hurt and confused by her husband's sudden departure.

The film's direction by Hettie Macdonald is ok, with the cinematography and production design capturing the beauty of the British countryside. The score also adds to the story's emotional weight.

However, the plot can sometimes be implausible, and some supporting characters feel underdeveloped. The pacing is often ploddingly slow.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is an occasionally touching and poignant film that, while not perfect, may be worth watching for the performances and emotional resonance. But it never really manages to reach its potential.

The cinematography of this film is beautiful - a story full of fleeting moments and what-ifs, and the impact that small actions can have on the people we come across. A life-affirming and thought-provoking movie that will make you want to be a better person. Gently heartfelt acting from a top-flight cast.

If you're looking for dramatic plot lines and fireworks, this movie is not for you. However, if you want to enjoy a couple of hours with some glimpses of English scenery and weather - and the repressed emotions so typical of the English temperament - while reviewing your personal relationships, this is a wonderful piece of unassuming filmmaking.

Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton. That's all I needed to know to go see this film. Both deliver incredible performances ranging from that unique British wit, the inevitable pulled heartstrings to having it outright ripped out of your chest.

Thematically, the film asks us to let go of the things we think we need - the things that hold us back. Which Maureen (Wilton), wife of Harold for at least a few decades, rightfully takes quite personally. You wonder why Maureen just let's Harold leave, but we discover later she's not completely in the right, either.

Unfortunately, the supporting cast feel forced, two-dimensional and pepper Harold's journey purely to impart information that could be taken or left behind. This isn't helped by the stunted pacing and frequent B-roll cutaways to presumably things Harold wouldn't have seen if hadn't set off on his adventure.

The social media/celebrity element leaves a bad taste in the mouth, and his first follower appears endearing at first but then descends into cult follower territory trying to find meaning from someone else's cause.

Again, I cannot emphasise enough the stellar performances by both leads. I'm tearing up just watching the trailer while writing this. The film is let down by its supporting cast and weird editing.

I didn't know this was based off a book so I can't make any comparisons with the source material.

But if I were to give this a second viewing, I'd only watch the scenes with Harold and Maureen interacting with each other, with one notable exception: when Harold asks for a glass of water in a café. Heartbreaking.