Best movie ever!

Admirable film.

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Observe the common tearjerker. Check out our characters: A sad old gruff (Terence Stamp) with no joy in his heart, and his jolly terminally ill wife who sings in a local pensioners choir. Old people? SINGING?! BAH HUMBUG!! The young choir master, played by Gemma Arterton, encourages him to sit and watch, but nope. He'd rather sip his tea, or play a stimulating game of dominoes. He's got problems of his own too... Like a fractious relationship with his son. He NEVER told his lad "I love you". Isn't it sad? *SNIFF*After the elderly glee club get themselves onstage and murder songs like Let's Talk About Sex, wearing stupid costumes with much facial gurning, they somehow impress a judge who puts them through to some national finals. Sadly, and not at all predictably, the grouch's wife dies before the big day arrives. Hmm... Who'll take her place... Could it be a) Lord Lucan b) Mr Majeika or c) The Living Embodiment Of Scrooge Himself. Place your bets now...It's admirable in a way, the plot throws up artificial contrivances then snuffs them out a few minutes later in an equally asinine way . Like the scene towards the end, when the oldies choir is kicked out of the competition JUST before going on stage... because the organisers don't want to be accused of 'dumbing down'. Well, on that score I CAN agree with them, but... why bother sending down a guy to judge them and why invite them all the way to the big event, only to inform them of their disqualification just before the performance?ANSWER: Because the movie needed a BIG MOMENT of Terence Stamp rebelling, forcing his way onto the stage, all his fellow pensioners in tow. And of course, despite blatantly ignoring their instructions, the organisers let them proceed. It's just bad scriptwriting, where the ends justifies the means no matter how unconvincing the execution is. A better film would have found a way of pushing all the right buttons, without all this film-flammery.And guess who's in the audience cheering on his dad, after receiving a 'surprise' package in the post containing all the old photographs of him having fun with his pater when he was just a nipper, proving ONCE AND FOR ALL he was 'loved'? Is it: a) Elvis b) Puff The Magi... Oh, what the heck, you know the rest. So anyway, as you may have guessed, I'm not exactly the intended audience for this blubfest, which is supposed to looked on with an uncritical eye by those who want to have a good ol' sob into their duvet. Those of more clear thinking are advised to put their faculties on hold for the duration, lest you end up spoiling the entire story for yourself by predicting everything in advance. It isn't difficult.On the plus side, it's nice to see so many actors and actresses of er, 'senior years' being given a chance, despite the fact most of the time they're just in the background, miming terribly. And it's impossible to dislike any aspect of the movie to be honest, after all... It's intentions are good. It just all feels like they're going through the motions rather than giving us anything of substance, and I came away feeling as hollow as an Easter egg.I haven't got a heart of stone, I HAVE enjoyed stuff like this before. See Brassed Off for details. This is just risk-free, no frills, playing to the gallery fluff in comparison. 5/10

This could be one of the saddest story in the world;it is not:although Marion is terminally-ill ,she is still full of Joie De Vivre :singing helps her through the night ,and keeps her alive much better than any religion would do.The movie is not melodrama,it's not a tear-jerker although at least two of its scenes bring tears to your eyes.This is a musical ,and the songs perfectly fit the story.In their two renditions ("true colors" and "lullaby" (goodnight ,my angel) ,the two legends of the English cinema inject more real emotion into the lyrics than you might think possible.(In a movie ,only Meryl Streep had impressed me so much with her "he's my pal" in "ironweed").Gemma Aterton's performance compares favorably with the two giants':she 's got plenty of go ,she's so warm,so generous ,so nice it's hard to believe a man walked out on her.SPOILER AHEAD :as for Marion,she is so endearing a character that when she passes away,halfway through the film, we have the rare feeling of missing ,not the actress,but the person herself ,as though we had lost one of our very best friends.And this final song ,sung by her husband,is a song of redemption:Arthur opened up,he is alive again ,more than when Marion was still with him .And for the first time since she died ,he sleeps peacefully in their bed.Against the trend ,although it throws new light on senior citizens (they are not always singing Beethoven and "respectable" works) ,"A song for Marion" is a great moment of true emotion.

This is a beautiful movie.With an talented and convincing cast, this film makes an instant connection with you which gets harder and harder to pull away from as the movie goes on.To summarise it, A Song For Marion (Unfinished Song) is about a grumpy pensioner who's wife has cancer. There are depressing moments in it, but it is guaranteed to make you laugh to -- something I look for in films.I have watched this film twice now, and I still cry as it's so, so emotional.Some good music and perfectly directed.I have to say that this is not only a great film, it's so, so underrated. I would recommend it for anyone aged between 9 and 109! It's fantastic and I can assure you, you will not regret it.

There's nothing exceptional in this movie, except the way it reflects life, which can be indeed unexceptional but intense at the same time. Everyone who has experienced the loss of a dear one, or simply everyone who can feel cannot but enjoy a movie like this. So the saddest side is counterbalanced by the happiest side of life, I cried and laughed and in the end I enjoyed the picture. The story is simple and predictable but it also manages to embrace the most important feelings of life very simply. Probably a little unrealistic in the way the main character evolves, since it is rather improbable for an old man to abandon his morose nature, it is however to appreciate the belief that there's always hope for everyone and that it is never to late to make things right. The cast is great, Vanessa Redgrave proves superb as she is always, but also Terence Stamp offers a very touching performance. The closing dedication "to family" gives an idea of what the movie wanted to communicate, without ever sounding pretentious or mawkish.