Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose

Very much enjoyed this movie. Contrary to other reviewers I found the writing to be excellent as well as the Cinematography & the acting.

The question is whether there is very much of a there there, and I think there is.

Our main character, A professional Anti- spiritualist, is absolutely convinced there cannot be such a thing as a mongoose that talks. The community of the Isle of Man is pretty much convinced, which drives our lead character nuts.

I won't get into the conclusion or spoil the ending, but the main point of this well-made little movie - very quirky little movie - is that it is a mistake to be certain about things you have no business being certain about and this is something of real interest to me who went about the first almost 65 years of his life being convinced that he knew stuff that he had no business thinking that he knew. For example, which people met the test of being a valuable good person and which ones did not.

It was a great relief to realize none of us is smart enough to judge other people other than whether they want them over for dinner or whether they committed a felony that should put them in jail for a while.

Judgments of character are tricky. I don't recommend them.

I watched this on a longer train journey home this weekend, knowing it was a 5.3 rating at the time I queued it up. Was pleasantly surprised / intrigued and had to finish it off both on the tube then in bed when home.

Not quite sure what to make of it, leading me back to IMDb to check Trivia and other reviews! Knowing that it was based on true story, would have been useful to know beforehand.

A few of the characters seemed quite well acted, and even if perhaps a bit under-developed, Minnie Driver's acting seemed pretty good to my uncultured tastes. I'm curious what people might think of Simon Pegg's accent!

This movie was barely funny and had a very thin plot. I even paid to rent it from Prime and didn't bother watching the last 30 minutes because I didn't care what happened. The actors are wasted in this. There is a summary of the Gef mongoose incident in Wikipedia. Read that if you're curious. I don't watch movies for gorgeous camera work, unfortunately, so to me this is a solid 4. I'd rather watch a gripping story on videotape. This could've been cut down to an hour, easily--not that much happens! Editing, costumes, and camera work do not make up for a poor script. If you have insomnia, this could be a good choice for you. Normally I love Simon Pegg but this was just a very boring movie. I even enjoy Jane Austen movies, and "costume dramas," as they're called, with dense dialog and no action. There was just very little to hang onto here.

I read reviews before I watched. I expected to be mildly entertained and extremely bored. I wasn't.

We are taken on a pilgrimage to discover if something you cannot see exists. There is magic, faith and self discovery in this story that I just love. The idea that something exists beyond what we can see and explain is as old as humans telling stories and this was an amazing new way of telling it.

I loved it all. Simon Pegg rarely disappoints and Minnie Driver brings class with levity. I hope there is another with the pair of them. The time set in the 30s is gorgeous - plus, you get to really focus on the story without the burden of technology in the way.

Watch with an open mind and you will find something very exciting.

Amazing cast. Beautifully filmed. If I were a film student I would probably rave about the camera work and colour pallette/saturation, etc.

Alas, I am not. I do not, however begrudge any of the 120 minutes or so I spent watching and then going back to rewatch assuming I'd fallen asleep and missed the key plot point or story arc that had earned it such high ratings.

The cast, acting, editing, camera work, costume, and makeup can make up for a lot, but best to go in with low expectations for story and you won't be disappointed. It's a nice little tale, just not an 8. (current rating when I watched.)