The first two thirds of this film are commendable. Although not a particular fan of Emma Thompson, she gives a strong performance as Fiona Maye, a family court judge. Stanley Tucci is a fine actor but miscast as Fiona Maye's husband in this movie. Their marriage is in trouble and the husband announces he wants to have an affair and does so, albeit briefly. Meanwhile Maye is responsible for hearing a case concerning a 17 (almost 18) year old leukaemia patient. His hospital doctors wish to perform a blood transfusion but this goes against the beliefs of his Jehovah's Witness parents.
Maye visits the 17 year old in hospital to determine if he is refusing treatment because of his own beliefs, or if he has been coerced by his parents and church elders who visit him in a regular basis, much to the irritation and concern of his consultant.
Maye's hospital visit is where the film begins to lose credibility. The young working class patient apparently taught himself to play the guitar. Nothing odd about that but instead of learning guitar riffs by say, The Clash or Rolling Stones like any normal teenager he starts to play an obscure ditty by the poet Yeats and wouldn't you just know it, Fiona Maye begins to sing along in his hospital room and he is overly keen for her to stay longer.
From here onwards, the final third of the film descends into an unconvincing and embarrassing romantic melodrama.
Jason Watkins is excellent as ever as Fiona Maye's clerk and Ben Chaplin does fine work as the boy's father. This is a film with great potential sadly let down by an unconvincing, rather predictable and pretentious final act.
Maye visits the 17 year old in hospital to determine if he is refusing treatment because of his own beliefs, or if he has been coerced by his parents and church elders who visit him in a regular basis, much to the irritation and concern of his consultant.
Maye's hospital visit is where the film begins to lose credibility. The young working class patient apparently taught himself to play the guitar. Nothing odd about that but instead of learning guitar riffs by say, The Clash or Rolling Stones like any normal teenager he starts to play an obscure ditty by the poet Yeats and wouldn't you just know it, Fiona Maye begins to sing along in his hospital room and he is overly keen for her to stay longer.
From here onwards, the final third of the film descends into an unconvincing and embarrassing romantic melodrama.
Jason Watkins is excellent as ever as Fiona Maye's clerk and Ben Chaplin does fine work as the boy's father. This is a film with great potential sadly let down by an unconvincing, rather predictable and pretentious final act.