Spoiler ahead.
I have never seen Timothy Spall give anything other than a totally convincing performance, whether playing a breezy upbeat, a sleaze or a pathetic loser. This film is no exception as he dominates the story with his portrayal of a brilliant eccentric, Oswald Bates, working away in an obscure photo library and faced with permanent unemployment once the library is closed. Oswald has no family and lives alone in a messy flat, and appears to dress in whatever is closest to hand when he gets up in the morning.
The story concerns the sale of a stately old mansion which houses a large photo library managed by an eccentric cast of characters right out of an Ealing comedy. Peter Sellers or Alec Guiness would have been right at home with this lot. They work at their own pace and regularly knock off work for a sit down tea or multi-course meal provided by a staff. Time stood still for them long ago. Computers - what are they? The catalog is done the old fashioned way and filed in their heads.
It is not explained where the money came from to maintain this library and lifestyle, there must have been a trust fund, but perhaps I missed it. The mansion is sold to a pushy American who is turning into a business school, and wants the library shut down RIGHT NOW! He had already sent them letters of intent, which seemed to have been mislaid. From the arrival of the Americans, complete with lap tops and bulldozers, the story concerns the efforts of the library staff to thwart his intentions.
My problem with this film is that the story seemed too contrived, especially the ending, where Oswald sacrifices himself to save the library. There was no need for him to leave clues to the existence of a back story for the American Developer in the manner he did. He could have just come right out and revealed them without a plot device. Nevertheless, the final scenes of the brain damaged Oswald were heartrending.
A wonderful slow paced but riveting film especially for Timothy Spalls portrayal of the brilliant eccentric out of place in today's world.
I have never seen Timothy Spall give anything other than a totally convincing performance, whether playing a breezy upbeat, a sleaze or a pathetic loser. This film is no exception as he dominates the story with his portrayal of a brilliant eccentric, Oswald Bates, working away in an obscure photo library and faced with permanent unemployment once the library is closed. Oswald has no family and lives alone in a messy flat, and appears to dress in whatever is closest to hand when he gets up in the morning.
The story concerns the sale of a stately old mansion which houses a large photo library managed by an eccentric cast of characters right out of an Ealing comedy. Peter Sellers or Alec Guiness would have been right at home with this lot. They work at their own pace and regularly knock off work for a sit down tea or multi-course meal provided by a staff. Time stood still for them long ago. Computers - what are they? The catalog is done the old fashioned way and filed in their heads.
It is not explained where the money came from to maintain this library and lifestyle, there must have been a trust fund, but perhaps I missed it. The mansion is sold to a pushy American who is turning into a business school, and wants the library shut down RIGHT NOW! He had already sent them letters of intent, which seemed to have been mislaid. From the arrival of the Americans, complete with lap tops and bulldozers, the story concerns the efforts of the library staff to thwart his intentions.
My problem with this film is that the story seemed too contrived, especially the ending, where Oswald sacrifices himself to save the library. There was no need for him to leave clues to the existence of a back story for the American Developer in the manner he did. He could have just come right out and revealed them without a plot device. Nevertheless, the final scenes of the brain damaged Oswald were heartrending.
A wonderful slow paced but riveting film especially for Timothy Spalls portrayal of the brilliant eccentric out of place in today's world.