User reviews

To begin with the scenery is beautiful. I love being able to feel like I am part of the community there. Until this movie I didn't have any idea about Ireland and it's part in the Second World War. A somehow interesting plot with some good actors and a wonderful village in Ireland. Could have been better, could have been worse but in the end you won't regret it.

This is a lovely, thoughtful story. It is about a family in Ireland during the Second World War who have to contend with an American air base being set up adjacent to their quiet little village. The mother is the main focus of the story who is married to a simple but good man but she yearns for more. An American soldier who is in charge of maintaining a good relationship with the village lights a fire within her. The other characters such as her daughter add to the tale with her wakening to love and all it entails. The son is the narrator looking back across the years and told through the eyes of a child. As can be guessed the main theme is love with all its complications. There are other colourful characters like the townsfolk who struggle to deal with the American presence. The ending suggests there is more to come as we still need answers for the husband and the pub and the mother and the American.

My husband and I LOVED this show and were really upset to see it end after one season. The acting and character development are moving, powerful and tender. Such predicaments! We would love to see this program continue ....

This story is a slow burn with subtle innuendo, not the brash in your face romance that typifies too many contemporary pieces.

For a magical experience, hang in there and find a sensitive portrayal of the power and complication of love and compatibility.

The best series I have watched for a very long time - It was captivated and glued to the screen, drawn into every small subtlety. Only genuine talent could create this from the screenplay, to the production to the acting.

So wished there was a Season 2 to find out what happened from here.

Bravo.

I have watched this many times and I always walk away stunned. Hattie Morgan's performance is absolutely brilliant. I can feel her emotions overcome me as I watch the performance. For a few hours I am completely lost to today as I am transported to WWII-era Northern Ireland. I am trapped in these beautiful, loving surroundings but ache for more.

The characters and story lines couldn't be anymore absorbing than the are. This series is a treasure of both talent and emotion. I am a connoisseur of British wartime dramas and this is one of the very best I've seen. The production value is on par with Foyle's War. If you like that you will love this too.

All that needs to be said is Bravo!

Most of the Connecticut suburbs northwest of New York City up until nearly the end of the 20th century were operating under what was referred to as a gentleman's agreement. Jewish families were kept from moving into certain towns - New Canaan being the WORST of these. No way would a family names Dreyfuss (Jewish, or Jewish sounding) would be shown houses in New Canaan at that time. He would either live in a nearby city, like Stamford, home to one Lieberman family, whose son should have been vice President, or Westport, which alone among its neighbors allowed Jews to live there.

I found this programming surprising and even shocking. The shock is that, alone among British TV productions, it actually casts Americans in a good light. Let's face it, British BBC TV is virulently anti-American. The left-wingers control BBC just like they control CBC, PBS, etc. I've already given up watching many of the most egregious anti-American shows, like Foyle, and grit my teeth while watching others. No worries with My Mother and Other Strangers. The Americans are shown as friendly, courteous and helpful while villagers are often mean-spirited, stupid, and dishonest. They whine and complain about the American airmen who are risking their lives to preserve Moybeg's way of life and very existence. Astoundingly the show even has an American actor playing an American instead of the usual Brit with a bad accent. (Unfortunately, they cancel this out with Kate Phillips and her absolutely horrible accent. I guess two Americans in one show is too much for them). Still, what a breath of fresh air. Of course, this is not a typical British production. It is Northern Irish, not English, and the writer is 70 years, so he has more perspective on history.

Surprisingly, the program is also an engaging drama despite its soap opera elements (including Poldark style music). Syd Field, author of the classic screen writing book, sagely observed that scenes are never good or bad; they either work or don't work. This program shouldn't work but it does. The tone, mood and pace are seductive and Hattie Morahan is just great as a earth mother woman of hidden strength and toughness. She's Mrs. Miniver who isn't afraid to threaten to shoot someone. It also succeeds in the most basic, yet difficult aspect of drama by making you believe that you are watching another time and place that actually existed. Granted, the plot has some glaring discontinuities that leave you thinking, "where did that come from?", but adult TV is so rare that it is easy to forgive.

Well filmed & we'll cast. Story line & acting very good. But why oh why do the English productions continue to be made without sub titles!! ? Is it an arrogance that they presume everyone can hear every word clearly ? If so they are sadly mistaken. If I could have heard the lines more clearly it would have been immensely more enjoyable v

Correction to Chrissos above. This is set in northern Ireland part of the UK and therefore at war.

The captain couldn't be from Connecticut (oh dear, ruined). One harsh critic tells us Ireland was neutral in WWII--what a blunder. Der ... Northern Ireland. And Rose's awful bulging eyes. She WAS feeling terror and horror at what was being irresistibly awakened within her. I thought the battle between her conflicting duty, loyalty and sacrifice--of obviously many years--and her latent awakened yearning, was well conveyed and balanced. I just liked it, the period atmosphere was caught perfectly, the kids are fun, the natives' (attitude) deplorable.

... a slice of time, history and geography rolled into a brilliantly executed mini series. Yes - some will miss a solution, or a traditional ending - I don't and each of us will be asking ourselves how "we" would go on with the story.

Episode 3: "The Price" is superb. Excellent writing and excellent acting and the story lines are woven together masterfully by the director. The age old but never tired story of fall, grace, repentance, and redemption seen through the perspectives of Francis, Rose and Michael makes for not only an entertaining story but is also very impactful with a sweet surprise ending.

Found this on Amazon Prime and gave it a go. Should not have. A lot of story lines could have been sacrificed (the sister for one; the 'southern' lieutenant for another) to get a decent wrap-up for the series. It's as if they ran out of money or time. And then decided to go with tying up just one plot line with the least likely ending. I generally am generous with my ratings. Here I gave a '3' for atmosphere and an unusual but interesting time/place.

This five part drama set during the second world war in rural Ireland follows the fortune of the Coyne family after a US air force base has been set up nearby.

Narrated by the grown up son, Francis, the focus is on Rose Coyne the displaced Englishwoman, A loyal wife, mother of three children who has left a glamorous and educated world behind to be in Ireland with her husband Michael who runs a pub. Michael might run a few scams but he is a decent man and but the dullness she feels in her life hits home when she encounters the thoughtful and educated US air base liaison officer Captain Ronald Dreyfus.

At first they have casual chit chats, the Americans are seen as being brash and their presence in the village meets with resentment from the locals and it is Captain's Dreyfus's job to smooth things over. Over time both feel passion for each other which they try to keep in check as both are married.

This is a nice twee drama, not very original and rather predictable. The final episode hints that there is more to come, I think the story should had stopped at the fifth episode.

The only thing good about this 5 X 60 mini-series is the typical production values we find in modern BBC Masterpiece productions. This looks and feels like Northern Ireland in the 40's during WW2 and that is commendable. Beyond that everything else is downright horrid! Seriously, the story is remarkably weak in historical context ... especially when you consider it's unique and intriguing setting (Ireland was neutral during WW2).

Worst of all ... the lead character ... the bug-eyed Rose Coyne ... as played by Hattie Marahan. Dear God, did Marahan over act the part (watch for the non-stop bulging eyes and you will know what I mean ... she acts as if everything is horrifying). This is honestly one of the worst performances I have seen on Masterpiece and I couldn't help but wonder why the director did not intervene???

Sadly, it is nothing more than a silly soap opera ... that features a lot of bad acting & directing & writing ... and it's easy to understand why a season 2 never occurred. Twas a merciful "cutting of bait."

3 of 10 stars in respect of the production values

In response to zolazona, glad I was not the only one who noticed her eyes popping, mouth and facial tics as they were distracting. Will have to watch check out something else she has been in to see if this is the norm or just this series. And yes, a rather abrupt ending so if there is no more it is up to our imagination.

However, the story was leaden with its pacing and I had difficulty staying interested in the story. Maybe it is because after I got it in my head that the lead actress had too many tics with her popping eyes and mouth twisting that it became too distracting. But that is my problem, not hers.