Upright

The road movie is a rich and often mined creative seam. Think Easyrider, Thelma and Louise and even Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart in African Queen. In Upright we have the classic formula of two misfits with different and sometimes competing agendas thrown together. While this could easily have descended into cliché, this is far from the case here. Tim MInchin, is brilliant and moving in portraying a character falling apart psychologically as he endeavours to face his demons. Milly Alcock is a mini powerhouse of kickass attitude whose drive and stickability as she warms to the task of ensuring the piano reaches its goal is both endearing and poignant. The final episode is moving but not in a maudlin way as it draws together the points that have been alluded to by means of flashbacks throughout the earlier scenes. The metaphor occupied by the piano as the central point of the series is a brilliant piece of writing. Some of the scenes, without giving too much away, for example the horse being replaced by the piano in the horse box, is priceless. R H Young (Dhanmondi Road 2019)