150. A Clever Woman; movie review

 

A CLEVER WOMAN

Cert 15

88 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language

This is the third Jon Sanders film I have reviewed and I am afraid I am no nearer to getting on with his work.

I suspect that this is simply down to Sanders being from a world which is so alien to mine, it might as well be Neptune.

In the words of Tom (James Northcote), the main characters of A Clever Woman 'talk a lot'. Indeed, they do - as if they are on stage.

They also sing - rather badly.

Josie Lawrence and Tanya Myers play Dot and Phoebe - sisters whose domineering and philandering mother died a year previously.

Tom has been looking after her substantial and cluttered cottage but now has come the time for them to sort things out prior to sale.

Instead they wallow in nostalgia, blame and self-pity with the occasional hug and dance around the room.

Meanwhile, their friend Anna Mottram follows in their mum's outrageous footsteps.

I shall write no more about that other than to say it is easily the most entertaining element to A Clever Woman - which, ironically, seems to be entirely devoid of smart females.

Of Sanders' movies A Change To the Weather and then Back To the Garden, I wrote: "There are elements which are admirable but, ultimately, it is little more than old luvvies sitting around navel-gazing."

I added that I wasn't old enough to have appreciated them as much as others might.

Well, having just turned 60, I fit the audience profile but still found his characters acutely irritating.

Reasons to watch: If you like over-acting

Reasons to avoid: Luvvies being luvvies

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 4/10

Did you know? Jon Sanders' directing experience started with Channel 4. He made the widely-praised documentary Then When the World Changed, about the lives of four patients in a mental hospital.

The final word. Josie Lawrence: "As soon as I could speak, I was putting on shows. I used to open the back door in the morning and shut it again. They didn’t know why. And then they realised I was letting my imaginary friend in.” The Guardian

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