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11 out of 13 people found the following review useful: Rubbish at Cricket, 9 December 2004 Author: Ion Martea from London, UK
"Wondrous Oblivion" is a film that has as its motive one of the most boring sports out there (at least for those who don't play it) – cricket. Thankfully, Paul Morrison's second feature, after the award winning "Solomon and Gaenor" (1999), is not about cricket at all.We are given a coming of age story of a Jewish boy, David (Sam Smith), born in the family of two Holocaust survivors in the 1950s England: Victor (Stanley Townsend), a Polish émigré, and a very young Ruth (Emily Woof), coming from Germany. The boy has an empowering passion for cricket, obvious from his massive card collection of cricket celebrities. However, he is totally rubbish at it. His destiny is to change when a Jamaican émigré family comes next door, and sets up an improvised cricket court. Dennis Samuels (Delroy Lindo) teaches the boy the craftsmanship of the sport, and becomes a close friend of David.All seems a very familiar bad-sportsman-turns-great story, but Morrison's script is ingenious enough not to fall in the stereotypical Hollywood film-making. The boy doesn't end up the great sportsman that we all wish him to be, but learns something greater, something more important in the process. And this is the 'wondrous oblivion' the author intended to deliver… The 1960s as a whole becomes a decade of surprising changes and animosity, and yet all characters seem to remain static in their conception of their beliefs.This is a good film, and it is worth seeing for the original cinematography and a moving performance from Emily Woof ("Passion", "The Full Monty"), which steals the whole film. Watch out for the dance scene with Lindo, which is dominated both by passion, and religious taboos, and it is surprisingly sexy. The only three problems in the movie are the simplicity with each the Holocaust theme is being treated, the poor knowledge of Jewish faith, as well as the stereotypical two-dimensionality of the entire supporting cast. But this applies only for a picky audience."Wondrous Oblivion" is one of those films that one cannot dislike, or at least loathe. Pacing, beautiful, and quite funny really.
8 out of 9 people found the following review useful: London Fields, 20 October 2003 Author: seamus enright (seamustenright@yahoo.com) from Cork, Ireland
This is one of the best films about the immigrant experience in the UK that I've seen in a while.It starts off appearing to be about a very English-looking German Jewish boy who's family are ultra-assimilationist and who wants nothing more than to succeed at the most English of sports, Cricket.As it unfolds it takes in the experiences of some of the first West Indians to come to England, and are much more talented at cricket but doomed to suffer the depradations of little Englanders by virtue of their high melanin levels.The complex racial issues that ensue are handled in a way that's sensitive and believable, as long as you can believe that the young jewish boy really is jewish, and not the scion of some old anglo-Norman family. The period detail is pretty spot on as well, though the use of colourised pathe footage slightly jars with the overall aesthetic of the film.Mercifully, you don't have to be able to understand cricket to get this film, just appreciate how difficult it can be to live in a strange country
6 out of 7 people found the following review useful: Race in Britain is not often dealt with so well, 5 May 2004 Author: sarahcyn from London, England
A sensitive and well-made study of the impact of two waves of immigrants on London communities: the first in the form of a young family of German-born Jews driven out by Hitler, the second in the form of their new neighbours from Jamaica. Cricket is the medium which draws together young cricket-mad David and his new neighbours - especially the cricket-made father and daughter of the family. But the friendship also leads David's young mother, neglected by her workaholic, decent and God-fearing husband, to develop a crush on her more warm-hearted, more vibrant but also decent and God-fearing West Indian neighbour whose habit of spending all day in a string vest and more free-and-easy manner is something of a contrast with her husband's straightlaced attitude and permanent uniform of woolly cardigan. Both David and Ruth fall to the temptation to exploit their new friends: David uses Judy to help him improve his cricket, Ruth attempts to use Dennis for the sexual satisfaction she is missing out on as her husband works all hours to improve the family's fortunes (and send his children to expensive schools). But when Judy turns up at David's birthday party he turns her away; and when Ruth makes a pass at Dennis, she is politely but firmly repulsed. This is a lovely film that deserves to be remembered; it is very accurate of the period full of good little touches but also has a strong, positive ending in which both couples, and both families, become stronger and closer despite their diverging paths, as the enmity of the local racists draws them together in near-tragedy.
7 out of 9 people found the following review useful: Mix Jamaica, Judaism and Cricket, and what do you get?, 13 March 2005 Author: brewsterlewster from portland, maine
This is a gem of a film which was the opener for the Maine Jewish Film Festival. But it is not about just one of these topics. It is a wondrous story which could take place anywhere in the world. The film succeeds because it uses tired themes ("there goes the neighborhood") and puts a fresh slant on them with terrific acting and cinematography. You do not have to know anything about any of the subjects, Jamaica, Judiasm or cricket, but you will learn something about humanity when seeing this film. Sure, it is not perfect but it is rare to see a bigger budget film handle these themes so well. This film is definitely worth seeking out.
5 out of 6 people found the following review useful: Wondrously Uplifting, 4 October 2004 Author: KeithTAndrews from London, England
This film is simply quite magical.Its subject matter is really racial hatred in Britain in the early 1960s, but it is done against the background of a Jewish boy being taught to play cricket by an Afro-Caribbean who has moved in next doors.The charming script is matched by outstanding performances throughout, with Delroy Lindo being topped only be the young, and excellent Sam Smith.Perhaps most rewarding of all is that there are no cop-outs in this film- the boy doesn't get the girl and win the game. He has to make a choice, which is beautifully handled.
4 out of 5 people found the following review useful: Not fantastic but a nice film that made for an engaging watch nonetheless, 22 December 2006 Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK
David Wiseman loves cricket and follows it religiously despite not actually being any good at it. His efforts to get onto the school cricket team start and end with doing the scoreboard while at home his collection of player cards takes up his time. When his Jewish neighbours move out, the Wiseman's find themselves dropping down the neighbourhood suspicion list as the new neighbours are Jamaican. The eldest of the family, Dennis, immediately uproots the roses in the garden and begins doing who knows what, to the amusement of the neighbours. However when it transpires that they have been making a set of cricket nets David ignores the community disapproval and starts to play with the Samuels family.Featuring a handful of people from Eastenders, UK actors and one Hollywood star this film was a strange find at the cinema but it understandably didn't do a great deal while it was there. From the trailer it seemed that it was clearly going to be about overcoming prejudice and using cricket as a plot device for this. However watching the film it doesn't seem to completely ever decide if it wants to explore this, the relationship between Ruth and Dennis or a coming of age story surrounding David. Although it is perfectly reasonable that the film would try to combine all three of these, it doesn't really pull it off as well as it could have done. Instead of pushing one thread it runs a middle ground for each one of them and in fairness it does it well enough to make for an interesting film albeit one that is neither that charming or convincing.The cast help hold the threads together by being consistent in their performances. Smith does well in his role although he is perhaps too easily pulled around by the mix of directions associated with his character even if he does do well scene to scene. Lindo was a surprise find in this film mainly because of how famous he is; his character is hardly complex but he is charismatic and talented enough to do well with it regardless. Woof has a strange character and suffers from the film not really sticking with her threads in all regards. Townsend is solid in support while the rest of the cast fill in round the edges well. Nobody is brilliant but the material doesn't really allow for that on many occasions.Overall then a pretty enjoyable film. It tends to take the middle-road in several threads rather than pushing it out on any one, which does rather reduce the impact while rounding the film out to be more about the people than any one theme. Not fantastic then but a nice film that made for an engaging watch nonetheless.
4 out of 5 people found the following review useful: Cricket, Ska and Kosher Jammers, 8 May 2004 Author: ian_harris from London, England
This is a delightful and very entertaining movie. You do not have to be mad on cricket to love it (my partner Janie proves that point) but I suspect it helps.My own background is quite similar to that of the young lad (not quite so long ago, not quite so poor, not quite so bad at cricket without coaching, not quite so good with coaching......) so my own views on the films charms and resonances are probably unrepresentative. Suffice it to say that the film touched almost all of the right buttons.There are some lovely, amusing bits. For example, one sequence shows several short shots of the characters playing "yard cricket", including one shot of them trying to practice catching in their sowesters in the pouring rain. Hilarious and delightful.The racism theme is handled with great sensitivity, but without the complexity that might otherwise make the film profound rather than obvious. The film is sentimental, at the end especially so, to the point of being cheesy. But then quattro formaggio with extra cheese and parmesan on top tastes pretty good. There are one or two historical anomalies. Most reports of the film I have seen refer to the date as 1960. West Indies toured England with Worrell and Sobers in 1957 & 1963. Worrell was finished by 1966. I think it must therefore be 1963. But there's a lovely scene where the Jewish mother and West Indian father dance to "I'm in a Dancing Mood" by Delroy Wilson - published 1966. In fact most of the Ska (or should I describe some of it as Rock Steady) would have been post 1963 I think. But I suppose I should get a life rather than fret about these things - the music was wonderful. And juxtaposing Ska with "Micky Katz and his Kosher Jammers" and yard cricket worked surprisingly well.It is a lovely film and well worth the investment of 106 minutes to smile, laugh and be moved.
5 out of 7 people found the following review useful: Bowled me over, 20 June 2004 Author: Philby-3 from Sydney, Australia
I've not a lot to add to what's already been said (it's nice how movies like this attract intelligent and insightful comments). I didn't think it owed a lot to `Billy Elliot' but there certainly parallels with `Bend it Like Beckham' - sport as a way to acceptance in a new society. The wrinkle here is that young David Wiseman has desire, but no apparent talent. The suspension of our disbelief is severely strained when his new West Indian neighbour Dennis coaches him to competence in his tiny back yard. As coach Ian Holm put it to aspiring Olympian Ben Cross in `Chariots of Fire' `an athlete does not find a coach, the coach finds the athlete'. Well, I suppose Dennis must have seen something in David. And David certainly has dreams of success via his talking cricket card collection. Otherwise this is a perfectly delightful movie about growing up and fitting in. Even David's mother's flirtation with Dennis does not end in disaster. The reactionaries fail to drive away the newcomers and it doesn't even rain at the final cricket match (this can't be England!). Gary Sobers and Frank Worrall (played by actors) turn up. Pretty fanciful but utterly charming.
3 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Survivors, 13 November 2006 Author: jotix100 from New York
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
The Wiseman family, a Polish couple and their two children, have been living quietly in East London. The Wisemans are Holocaust survivors. Their working class neighborhood tolerated this Jewish family even though it's clear they don't like them. As the house next door to the Wisemans becomes empty, a new immigrant family arrives. The only trouble is they are Jamaicans and black, so the neighbors concentrate in the new arrivals and they even try to enlist Ruth Wiseman into their ranks in hating the Samuels family.At the center of the story is a sweet boy, David Wiseman, who loves cricket. He is a lousy player. Imagine young David's surprise when the next door neighbors put up a netting in their backyard so Dennis, the patriarch, can teach his young daughter, Judy, in how to play the sport. It doesn't take long for David to try to get on the Dennis' good graces because he sees in him the man that can teach him how to be a good player. By sheer persistence, David becomes a good player and begins to gain acceptance among his peers in school as he makes the cricket team.At the same time, Ruth, who is much younger than her husband, sees also in Dennis a man that is completely different from her own husband. One thing lead to another, and it doesn't take long for Ruth to try to insinuate herself to Dennis, something that he discourages her from doing. David, who has made a good friend in Judy Samuels, has to choose between his newly found school friends and the girl next door on his birthday celebration.A few of the tough youths in the area decide to take a stand and scare the Samuels from leaving their neighborhood. One night David wakes up and watches in horror as his neighbors' house begins to burn. He is instrumental in alerting the Samuels who are the victims of a hate crime just because the color of their skin.Paul Morrison, the writer and director of "Wondrous Oblivion", shows a good understanding for the subject of his film. Mr. Morrison doesn't take sides, he just presents the story that feels real and a situation that could have been plausible. Where he has succeeded is in bringing to life characters that feel as though we might have known them. The director also captures that era in London.Delroy Lindo, a distinguished actor of stage and screen, makes a great impression with his Dennis. Equally sensational is Emily Woof, who as Ruth Wiseman, has the one of the best roles in the film. Ruth, who sees in Dennis all what her man isn't, is naturally attracted to the happy-go-lucky Dennis. Their scenes together at the dance hall and later when she tells him about loving him. Young Sam Smith, who plays David, contributes to enhance the film with his earnest take on the young boy. Leonie Elliott plays Judy Samuels and Stanley Townsend is seen as the elder Wiseman."Wondrous Oblivion" shows an excellent director, Paul Morrison, who is one of the best new talent coming from England.
i really enjoyed Wondrous, Oblivion, 14 February 2008 Author: awhitecat from United Kingdom
Some good people in it.There is hope out there, somewhere.....I remember Dennis from Cider House Rules, but I don't think I've seen him elsewhere? Cricket doesn't have the movies made about it, like Baseball, or American Football (or even soccer). There were some feature length films made back in the 1950's, I think, but nothing since..... I wonder why that is? Maybe something to do with the English themselves and how they see Sport? Maybe.......... but Australians, don't see Sport in a similar way at all........... they're fiercely competitive, about ANY sport, and they don't make Sporting films either..... Any ideas out there?
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