Another Year (film)

Last updated

Another Year
Another year poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Mike Leigh
Written byMike Leigh
Produced by Georgina Lowe
Starring
Cinematography Dick Pope
Edited by Jon Gregory
Music by Gary Yershon
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 15 May 2010 (2010-05-15)(Cannes)
  • 5 November 2010 (2010-11-05)(United Kingdom)
Running time
129 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$8 million [1]
Box office$20 million [2]

Another Year is a 2010 British comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh. It stars Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville, and Ruth Sheen. It follows a year in the life of an older couple who have been happily married for a long time, making them an anomaly among their friends and family members.

Contents

The film had its world premiere at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival on 15 May 2010, and was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on 5 November 2010, by Momentum Pictures. It grossed $20 million worldwide and received positive reviews from critics, who praised Leigh's screenplay and the performances of the cast (particularly Manville). It was nominated for Best British Film and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (for Manville) at the 64th British Academy Film Awards, while Leigh earned a Best Original Screenplay nomination at the 83rd Academy Awards. The film was also nominated for Best Actress (for Manville) and Best Composer at the 23rd European Film Awards.

Plot

Tom Hepple, a geologist, and Gerri Hepple, a counsellor, are an older married couple who have a comfortable, loving relationship. The film observes them over the course of the four seasons of a year, surrounded by family and friends who mostly suffer some degree of unhappiness.

Gerri's friend and colleague Mary works as a receptionist at the health centre. She is a middle-aged divorcee seeking a new relationship, and despite telling everyone she is happy, appears desperate and depressed, and seems to drink too much. The Hepples' only child, Joe, is 30 and single and works as a solicitor giving advice on housing.

In the summer, the Hepples are visited by Ken, Tom's old friend from his student days. Ken is overweight, eats, smokes and drinks compulsively and seems very unhappy. Tom and Gerri host a barbecue in his honour. Mary drives her newly bought car to the party, but gets lost and arrives late. Having had some wine, she flirts with Joe, whom she has known since he was little. He remains friendly but does not reciprocate. After the party, Mary reluctantly gives Ken a lift to the train station. He makes a clumsy romantic advance and Mary irritably rejects him.

Months later, in the autumn, Mary is once again at Tom and Gerri's home. Joe arrives with Katie, a new girlfriend. Mary appears rude and hostile towards Katie, which Tom and Gerri don't appreciate, creating a rift between Gerri and Mary.

In the winter, Tom, Gerri, and Joe attend the funeral for the wife of Tom's brother Ronnie. Towards the end of the service, Ronnie's estranged son Carl arrives, and angrily asks why the ceremony was not delayed for him. At the reception at Ronnie's house, Carl becomes aggressive and walks out. Tom and Gerri invite Ronnie back to London to stay with them for a while and Ronnie agrees.

While Tom and Gerri are at their garden allotment, Mary arrives unannounced at their home and persuades Ronnie to let her in. Her car has just been wrecked and she is upset. They have a cup of tea and a desultory chat before Mary takes a nap on the settee. When Tom and Gerri return, they are unhappy to find Mary there. Gerri explains to Mary that she feels let down by her earlier behaviour towards Katie. Mary apologises and weeps. Gerri gradually extends a degree of warmth to Mary, suggesting she should seek counseling and inviting her to stay for dinner, and the two women set the table. Joe and Katie arrive, their relationship still appearing strong and happy. The Hepples enjoy dinner together. Mary eats with them but appears lost and uncertain.

Cast

Production

Because the director's usual producer Simon Channing-Williams died in 2009, Another Year was produced by Georgina Lowe, who had worked regularly on Mike Leigh films since Naked (1993). Thin Man Films led the production together with television channel Film4 and Focus Features International. [3] The project received £1.2 million from the UK Film Council. [4] The production involved a budget of around US$8 million, which Leigh said was "the lowest budget I've had for a long time". [1]

Most of Another Year's key cast members had already worked with the director multiple times. Leigh collaborated with the actors for five months to create their characters and world and to do research. The director employed his usual technique: the actors improvise extensively during rehearsals, and the result of those improvisations becomes the basis of the final script. Principal photography took 12 weeks. To simulate the four seasons of a year, cinematographer Dick Pope used four different film stocks, and much attention was paid to details in the props so that the passage of time would appear believable. [1]

The location used for Tom and Gerri Hepple's house is St Margaret's Road, Wanstead, East London. [5]

Release

Another Year premiered at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival on 15 May 2010, where it competed for the Palme d'Or, [6] [7] [8] and was also screened at the 35th Toronto International Film Festival on 13 September, the 48th New York Film Festival on 5 October, and the 54th BFI London Film Festival on 18 October. The film was then released in the United Kingdom on 5 November 2010, by Momentum Pictures, and in the United States on 29 December 2010, by Sony Pictures Classics. [9]

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 92% of 173 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.2/10.The website's consensus reads: "Characterized by strong performances and the director's trademark feel for the nuances of everyday life, Another Year marks another solid entry in Mike Leigh's career of kitchen-sink English drama." [10] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 81 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". [11]

Another Year debuted at Cannes and although it failed to receive any prizes, it was highly praised by critics, [12] [13] [14] scoring a 3.4/4 average at Screen International's annual Cannes Jury Grid, which polls international film critics from publications such as Sight & Sound , Positif , L'Unità and Der Tagesspiegel . [15]

Wendy Ide of The Times described the film as "Leigh at his confident best" and "a disarmingly humane work", writing, "Mike Leigh shows admirable restraint: there are no manufactured crescendos, just a melancholy refrain that builds to its raw realisation in an achingly sad final shot." [16] Xan Brooks of The Guardian described Another Year as "a rare treat", [17] and Geoffrey Macnab of The Independent described the film as "an acutely well-observed study of needy and unhappy people desperately trying to make sense of their lives." [18]

Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Another Year is about the turning wheel of life, an examination of the pleasures and jealousies, disappointments and insecurities, destroyed dreams and rekindled hopes that make up our daily existence. It may sound commonplace, but in the hands of master filmmaker Mike Leigh, the everyday becomes extraordinary." [19] A. O. Scott of The New York Times called the film "splendidly rich and wise" and opined that "as in its immediate precursor, Happy-Go-Lucky , Mr. Leigh is also after a more elusive and troubling form of injustice." [20] Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post gave the film three out of four stars, and described it as "a joy, albeit one suffused with melancholy - a visually rich, musical, unmannered slice of life that magnifies experience rather than miniaturizing it." [21]

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)Result
Academy Awards [22] 27 February 2011 Best Original Screenplay Mike Leigh Nominated
Belgian Syndicate of Cinema Critics [23] 8 January 2011 Grand Prix Nominated
British Academy Film Awards [24] 21 February 2011 Best Supporting Actress Lesley Manville Nominated
Best British Film Nominated
British Independent Film Awards [25] 5 December 2010Best DirectorMike LeighNominated
Best Actress Ruth Sheen Nominated
Best Actor Jim Broadbent Nominated
Best Supporting ActressLesley ManvilleNominated
Cannes Film Festival [26] 23 May 2010 Palme d'Or Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards [27] 20 December 2010Best ActressLesley ManvilleNominated
Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films [28] 21 March 2012Best MovieNominated
Best DirectorMike LeighNominated
Best Supporting ActressLesley ManvilleWon
Best Original ScreenplayMike LeighNominated
Best Performance by an Ensemble CastNominated
European Film Awards [29] 4 December 2010 Best Actress Lesley ManvilleNominated
Best European Composer Gary Yershon Nominated
London Film Critics Circle Awards [30] 10 February 2011Best British ActorJim BroadbentRunner-up
Best British ActressLesley ManvilleWon
Ruth SheenNominated
Best British DirectorMike LeighRunner-up
Best British FilmRunner-up
Best British Supporting Actor David Bradley Runner-up
Peter Wight Nominated
London Film Festival Awards [31] 27 October 2010 Best Film Nominated
National Board of Review Awards [32] 2 December 2010Top Ten FilmWon
Best Actress Lesley ManvilleWon
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards [33] 14 December 2010 Best Supporting Actress Lesley ManvilleWon
Best Ensemble Cast Nominated
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards [34] 6 December 2010 Best Original Screenplay Mike LeighNominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirsten Dunst</span> American actress (born 1982)

Kirsten Caroline Dunst is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the anthology film New York Stories (1989) and has since starred in several film and television productions. She has received several awards including nominations for an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and four Golden Globe Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isabelle Huppert</span> French actress (born 1953)

Isabelle Anne Madeleine Huppert is a French actress. Known for her portrayals of cold, austere women devoid of morality, she is considered one of the greatest actresses of her generation. With 16 nominations and two wins, Huppert is the most nominated actress at the César Awards. She is also the recipient of several accolades, such as 5 Lumière Awards, a BAFTA Award, 3 European Film Awards, 2 Berlin International Film Festival, 3 Cannes Film Festival and Venice Film Festival honors, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award nomination. In 2020, The New York Times ranked her second on its list of the greatest actors of the 21st century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Oldman</span> English actor (born 1958)

Gary Leonard Oldman is an English actor and filmmaker. Known for his versatility and intense acting style, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, three British Academy Film Awards, and nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards. His films have grossed over $11 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Broadbent</span> British actor (born 1949)

James Broadbent is an English actor. A graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 1972, he came to prominence as a character actor for his many roles in film and television. He has received various accolades including an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, an International Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards as well as nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Grammy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Jason Leigh</span> American actress (born 1962)

Jennifer Jason Leigh is an American actress. She began her career on television during the 1970s before making her film breakthrough in the teen film Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). She received critical praise for her performances in Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989), Miami Blues (1990), Backdraft (1991), Single White Female (1992), and The Hudsucker Proxy (1994), and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Dorothy Parker in Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Leigh</span> English writer and director (born 1943)

Mike Leigh is an English writer-director and former actor with film, theatre, and television career spanning nearly 60 years. He has received numerous accolades, including prizes at the Cannes Film Festival, the Berlin International Film Festival, and the Venice International Film Festival, three BAFTA Awards, and nominations for seven Academy Awards. He also received the BAFTA Fellowship in 2014, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1993 Birthday Honours for services to the film industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denis Villeneuve</span> Canadian filmmaker (born 1967)

Denis VilleneuveOAL is a Canadian filmmaker. He has received seven Canadian Screen Awards as well as nominations for three Academy Awards, five BAFTA Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Villeneuve's films have grossed more than $1.8 billion worldwide.

<i>Secrets & Lies</i> (film) 1996 British film by Mike Leigh

Secrets & Lies is a 1996 drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh. Led by an ensemble cast consisting of many Leigh regulars, it stars Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Hortense, a well-educated black middle-class London optometrist, who was adopted as a baby and has chosen to trace her family history – and discovers that her birth mother, Cynthia, played by Brenda Blethyn, is a working-class white woman with a dysfunctional family. Claire Rushbrook co-stars as Cynthia's other daughter Roxanne, while Timothy Spall and Phyllis Logan portray Cynthia's brother and sister-in-law, who have secrets of their own affecting their everyday family life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brenda Blethyn</span> British actress (born 1946)

Brenda Blethyn is an English actress. Known for her character work and versatility, she is the recipient of various accolades, including a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and a Cannes Film Festival Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards and two Primetime Emmys. She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama in 2003.

<i>Topsy-Turvy</i> 1999 British film by Mike Leigh

Topsy-Turvy is a 1999 British musical period drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh, starring Jim Broadbent as W. S. Gilbert and Allan Corduner as Sir Arthur Sullivan, along with Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville and Ron Cook. The story concerns the 15-month period in 1884 and 1885 leading up to the premiere of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. The film focuses on the creative conflict between playwright and composer, and their decision to continue their partnership, which led to their creation of several more Savoy operas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesley Manville</span> British actress (born 1956)

Lesley Ann Manville is an English actress. She is known for her frequent collaborations with Mike Leigh, appearing in the films Grown-Ups (1980), High Hopes (1988), Secrets & Lies (1996), Topsy-Turvy (1999), All or Nothing (2002), Vera Drake (2004), Another Year (2010), and Mr. Turner (2014). She has been nominated for two British Academy Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her roles in Another Year (2010) and Phantom Thread (2017), with her performance in the latter earning her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

<i>All or Nothing</i> (film) 2001 film by Mike Leigh

All or Nothing is a 2002 British drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh and starring Timothy Spall and Lesley Manville. Like much of Leigh's work, the film is set in present-day London, and depicts three working-class families and their everyday lives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rooney Mara</span> American actress (born 1985)

Rooney Mara Phoenix is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including nominations for two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and a British Academy Film Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruth Sheen</span> English actress

Ruth Sheen is an English actress. From the late 1980s, she has appeared in British television shows, films and plays. A participant in the films of Mike Leigh, she won the European Film Award for Best Actress for her performance as Shirley in Leigh's High Hopes (1988).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 Cannes Film Festival</span> Film festival

The 49th Cannes Film Festival took place from 9 to 20 May 1996. American filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola served as jury president for the main competition. Sabine Azéma hosted the opening and closing ceremonies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Cannes Film Festival</span> Film festival

The 63rd Cannes Film Festival took place from 12 to 23 May 2010. American filmmaker Tim Burton served as jury president for the main competition. Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for the drama film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives.

Jeffrey McDonald "J. C." Chandor is an American filmmaker, best known for writing and directing the critically acclaimed films Margin Call (2011), All Is Lost (2013), and A Most Violent Year (2014). His accolades include nominations for the Academy Awards, the Golden Bear and two National Board of Review victories for Best Picture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Cronenberg</span> Canadian writer and film director

Brandon Cronenberg is a Canadian director and screenwriter. He is the son of renowned filmmaker David Cronenberg and the brother of Caitlin Cronenberg. He is known for his science fiction horror films Antiviral (2012), Possessor (2020), and Infinity Pool (2023). He has won several accolades for his work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tye Sheridan</span> American actor (born 1996)

Tye Kayle Sheridan is an American actor. He made his feature film debut in Terrence Malick's experimental drama film The Tree of Life (2011) and had his first leading role in Jeff Nichols's film Mud (2012).

<i>Mr. Turner</i> 2014 film by Mike Leigh

Mr. Turner is a 2014 biographical drama film based on the last 25 years of the life of artist J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851). Written and directed by Mike Leigh, the film stars Timothy Spall in the title role, with Dorothy Atkinson, Paul Jesson, Marion Bailey, Lesley Manville, and Martin Savage. Leigh called Turner "a great artist: a radical, revolutionary painter", and said, "I felt there was scope for a film examining the tension between this very mortal, flawed individual, and the epic work, the spiritual way he had of distilling the world".

References

  1. 1 2 3 Grove, Martin A. (31 December 2010). "'Another Year,' Another Oscar Nom? Mike Leigh Will Wait and See". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Another Year". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on 23 May 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  3. ↑ Macnab, Geoffrey (6 May 2010). "Georgina Lowe, producer". Screen . Archived from the original on 29 May 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
  4. ↑ "Films in production and development awarded funding from the UK Film Council". UK Film Council . 23 February 2010. Archived from the original on 1 March 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  5. ↑ "See Wanstead on film". wansteadium.com. 5 November 2010. Archived from the original on 26 February 2011.
  6. ↑ Noah, Sherna (15 April 2010). "Mike Leigh film in running for Palme D'Or". The Independent . Archived from the original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  7. ↑ Brooks, Xan (17 May 2010). "Cannes film festival diary: Another Year, a rare treat". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  8. ↑ Turan, Kenneth (18 May 2010). "Cannes Film Festival: There will never be another Mike Leigh". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  9. ↑ "Another Year" (PDF) (Press release). Sony Pictures Classics. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  10. ↑ "Another Year". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  11. ↑ "Another Year". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on 27 December 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  12. ↑ O'Hehir, Andrew (17 May 2010). "Best of Cannes: Another Year with Mike Leigh". Salon.com . Archived from the original on 23 January 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  13. ↑ Frosch, Jon (15 May 2010). "Mike Leigh's Another Year an early festival high point". France 24 . Archived from the original on 6 February 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  14. ↑ Jones, Emma (19 May 2010). "Another Cannes, another Mike Leigh classic". BBC News . Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  15. ↑ "Cannes Jury Grid 2010" (PDF). Screen International . 27 May 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  16. ↑ Ide, Wendy (17 May 2010). "Another Year at the Cannes Film Festival". The Times . London. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  17. ↑ Brooks, Xan (17 May 2010). "Cannes film festival diary: Another Year, a rare treat". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  18. ↑ Macnab, Geoffrey (17 May 2010). "Another Year, Cannes Film Festival" . The Independent . London. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  19. ↑ Turan, Kenneth (29 December 2010). "Movie review: 'Another Year'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  20. ↑ Scott, A. O. (28 December 2010). "Injustice, British and Otherwise". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  21. ↑ Hornaday, Ann (20 January 2011). "A telling portrait of wedded bliss". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on 9 November 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  22. ↑ "The 83rd Academy Awards". oscars.org . Archived from the original on 25 January 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  23. ↑ ""A Single Man" de Tom Ford, grand prix UCC 2011". La Libre Belgique (in French). 10 January 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  24. ↑ "Film in 2011". British Academy of Film and Television Arts . Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  25. ↑ "The Moët British Independent Film Awards Announce Nominations and Jury for 13th Edition". British Independent Film Awards . Archived from the original on 4 November 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
  26. ↑ "Official Selection 2010". Cannes Film Festival . Archived from the original on 3 October 2009. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
  27. ↑ "Chicago Film Critics Awards – 2008-2010". Chicago Film Critics Association . Archived from the original on 24 February 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  28. ↑ "2012, 18th Annual Awards". Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films . Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  29. ↑ "Nominations for the 23rd European Film Awards". EFA . Archived from the original on 11 November 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
  30. ↑ Ng, Philiana (20 December 2010). "The King's Speech, Another Year Lead Nominations at London Critics' Circle Film Awards". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  31. ↑ "2010 Awards Shortlists". London Film Festival Awards . Archived from the original on 3 November 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
  32. ↑ "David Fincher's THE SOCIAL NETWORK Tops National Board of Review Awards 2010". ALT Film Guide. Archived from the original on 3 December 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
  33. ↑ "2010 Awards". San Diego Film Critics Society . Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  34. ↑ "The 2010 WAFCA Award Winners". Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association . 6 December 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.