293. Hope Gap; movie review

 

HOPE GAP

Cert 12A

101 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language, suicide references

Wow... rarely have I seen a movie as well-observed as this.

At times, Hope Gap is uncomfortable viewing and you may need to be of a certain age to appreciate it but Mrs W and I thought it was one of the films of 2020.

Dare I add that if William Nicholson's picture had been about San Francisco rather than Sussex, Annette Bening would be touted for an Oscar.

Yes, she is that good, while Bill Nighy and Josh O'Connor give her excellent support.

Hope Gap touched our nerves because, during our lives, we have witnessed many of its scenes being played out for real.

Indeed, we have known several couples who have been together for decades and have made the mistake of thinking time served equates to love.

Some never address the issues and just spiral downwards until a grumpy finale.

Rarely, has one of the pair suddenly said that they can no longer continue in a relationship in which sniping is part of the daily routine.

Bening's Grace and Nighy's Edward have been married 29 years and yet, despite having daily rituals, have no idea how to make each other truly happy.

She has fallen into the trap of believing that just being there is enough while continually haranguing him for not showing gumption.

Things come to a head when she proposes they go out for a meal to celebrate their anniversary and he reacts unenthusiastically.

But this time he is prompted to make a life-changing decision and calls their son (O'Connor) as back-up for the inevitable hysterical fall-out.

Let's be clear, there is no fun in Hope Gap.

There are even references to suicide at Beachy Head - another scene which resonated because one of our son's schoolfriends died there.

But there is not a single moment which is either unconvincing or boring. We feel for its characters and we fear for them.

If they are being honest, anyone with decades of life experience will nod their head and say: "Blimey. that is on the money."

Reasons to watch: Spot-on observations and the brilliance of Bening

Reasons to avoid: Goes over the same ground a lot

Laughs: One

Jumps: One

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 9/10

Did you know? In 2010, Beachy Head in Sussex was the third most common suicide spot in the world, after the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Aokigahara Woods in Japan.

The final word. William Nicholson: "I was waiting for my parents to die…I think in some ways it would’ve been hard for them to see the film. My mother certainly was very conflicted. Not that she wouldn’t have wanted me to do it, but she kept thinking that my version of what my father did was the truth. It might be the truth, but I don’t know! He didn’t talk too much, so I’ve invented my version of why he did what he did. Now that they’re not here anymore, I’m free to invent." Cinema Perspective

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