Ventured out to the local dollar cinema to see Calendar Girls on Friday. It's a lighter Billy Elliot, in a way, full of the breezy British humor one would expect from a film based on a true story about women putting together a nude calendar as a charity project to honor one woman's late husband.
It stars Helen Mirren and Julie Walters, for pete's sake, so of course it's pretty darn good. The story isn't really that important, it's the acting and one liners that give the movie its spark.
However, I was struck by how even when playing a pretty innocuous character, I occasionally felt a little creeped out by Helen Mirren's character. Maybe it's due to associating her with Prime Suspect and Gosford Park, but there definitely seemed to be a steeliness underlying her portrayal of Chris.
All told, definitely worth a look, especially if you're into light British comedies.
Posted by waking slow at March 29, 2004 07:40 AM