La Sra. Lowry e hijo

I got very lucky on this one as I wandered into a senior cits viewing. At the beginning they tittered and the ones who felt they always should get their money's worth - guffawed. Oh, she was so sweet & humorous the old Lady in the bed with just harmless jibes at her son. But then when it never stops, and we hear things like (to paraphrase): "it is important to always be seen in a good light by your neighbours" as well she only began to see her son's talent when a recently entrenched neighbour with bourgeois pretensions said his seaside painting was delightful - did she then consider it. This is a deeply ingrained bourgeois-ism in the English psyche and not say like Gerard Depardieu not wanting to appear in a Truffaut movie because he felt he had 'gone bourgeois' - you don't go bourgeois - it is a heavily sanctioned part of the society you grow up in. Luckily through all the turmoil he kept at his painting because near the end of his life they were worth a fortune. And as we learn about how little support he had as an artist the audience quietened down considerably - reflecting you would think on bourgeois pretensions of their own.

Interesting insight to one of Britain's great artists, and worth the watch to see a master class in acting by Redgrave & Spall. It's not a feel good movie by any means, largely set in Lowry's ailing mothers bedroom. It's clear he loved actually worshiped his mum, and her affect on his life is profound. Even when she finally died. I did enjoy the film, mainly as I said because of the acting and story however be warned it is a biopic, not a feel good movie at all .. enjoy!

If you go to see this... see it for the performances, and know it's one of those films which will stick with you more than when you viewed it itself- if that makes sense. It's a worthy film alone if you're also an art fan. The film mostly takes place in one room and with that most of its merit I feel is born.

See Spall in his better artist film 'Mr. Turner', however if you must see more- this is a nice companion piece of sorts.

7/10. (Maybe 7.5 ;)

This is a gem, precious in every way, and makes you wonder how much longer we'll be able to invest this kind of attention and feeling into film. Half a generation more? I'm beginning to understand the internet, ratings, and what they mean about who we are. They point, just not in the right way.

As the title indicates, this is very much a film about Lowry's mother Elizabeth, a chronically ill malingerer, housebound and demanding. She despises almost every one of his early canvases, but when she warms to a picture of ships in the local canal and gives him two shillings to submit it to an exhibition in Manchester, she opens the door to his future glory. A showdown at home is the dramatic climax of this essentially domestic and un-dramatic narrative.

Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave give performances which we have seen in other films, subtly shaded to fit this restrained and evocative story. Adrian Noble has directed a slow-burning movie with few "fireworks", but it offers an acting (and painting) master-class.