Wonderfully offbeat film!

Good idea lost in the noise

Brilliant and touching

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Juliet Stevenson is quite affecting playing a single mother--with eligible men beating down her door--who is preoccupied with the ghost of her deceased boyfriend who has taken up residence in her flat. Relatively gimmick-free British comedy was quickly labeled by professional critics as the thinking man's "Ghost". While comparisons between the two titles is rather unimaginable today (and, ultimately, irrelevant), the film does have a familiar ring to it. Still, there are many pleasurable sequences, including spirit Alan Rickman having other-worldly visitors over for movie night, debating the merits of Woody Allen's output. Amusing and clever, the picture does somewhat overstay its welcome, though is ultimately blessed with very fine acting. **1/2 from ****

I watched this film first when I was much younger. It was on TV, and seemed like a good way to waste an afternoon. It grabbed me from the first. I watched it spellbound to the end, and hunted for years until I managed to find my own copy.For me this movie cannot be labelled as a chick flick, nor is it a tear- jerker, although I still cry buckets each time I watch it. It is full of real honest emotion. The characters portrayed by Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman are both touching and devastating, but yet still the kind of people you meet every day.Until watching this movie, I believed that love was for suckers and a soul mate could only be found in a Disney movie. (Not that I don't also love those! After watching the movie, I found a new perspective and truly understood for the first time what real love could be.I would recommend this film wholeheartedly to anyone, be they male or female. Sure, it's not an action flick or sugary sweet rom-com, but it is amazing!

Nina's {Juliet Stevenson} life is torn apart with the unexpected death of her lover, Jamie {Alan Rickman}. Stuck in a rat infested flat and under expensive therapy, Nina's grief is suddenly stopped in its tracks when Jamie comes back into her life as a ghost. Just as Nina meets Mark, a potential suitor.For his first feature film, director and writer Anthony Minghella chose this touching, and often funny, tale of bereavement and learning to love again. Written in the main for Stevenson to showcase her talents, its strengths lie in the actors performances, the sensitive writing and its low key moody production ethic. Often it's been tagged the British answer to the Moore/Swayze movie Ghost. That's a lazy link and a touch misleading, as this is, if anything, the anti blockbuster movie, while the respective plots bear little resemblance. And besides which, this was made quite some time before Patrick and Demi were playing slinky round the pottery wheel.Stevenson is marvellous, she gives Nina real depth, and in one grief stricken scene she delivers one of the most believable enactments of that emotion ever put on to celluloid. Rickman shines as he gets his teeth into something outside of the bad guy roles he was {still is} known for. Watch out for a poem (La Muerta) segment shared between the two, pure class. And as Mark, Michael Maloney is hugely effective in what is the tricky third wheel role. While the impressive acting on show is boosted by Barrington Pheloung's poignant, rhythmic musical score.There are a number of interpretations put forward as to what Truly, Madly, Deeply is about. But really it has to be down to the individual viewer to make their own deductions. What isn't in doubt is that for anyone who been deeply in love or has lost a loved one to death, this film can't fail to ignite a number of emotions. Even as the comedy takes a hold, comedy which sits nicely within the structure of the tale I might add since some critics were baffled by the blend, one just knows we are being guided to a telling point where the story finishes for the protagonists, but goes on for us viewers long after the credits have rolled. To first time viewers I say, banish any hope of Hollywood histrionics and flourishing visuals and let Minghella and his wonderful cast take you by the hand. For the rewards are there for the discerning adult. 9/10

Before anyone else's girlfriend gets fooled by the romantic storyline and positive comments on IMDb, read this review and pay heed!After suggesting to my girlfriend that we watch 'weepie' films 'Always' and 'Forever Young' (both great films BTW) she quickly became addicted and wanted more more more. So she has done the film-choosing of late.Unfortunately she got fooled by this Ghost-ish storyline and we were subjected to this celluloid horror for about 23 minutes before neither of us could stand any more.While I myself prefer indie films, I am not against the odd romantic weepie such as the ones mentioned above. However, when it comes to sitting down at the weekend watching these kind of films, you kind of really need a big budget glamorous Hollywood movie to do the job. You tend to feel a bit ripped off if it's just a kitchen sink drama.This BBC offering is truly awful to watch. It looks just like an 80's BBC drama. It feels like a TV programme. British/kitchen sink dramas can be OK (Saturday night & Sunday morning, KES) but this is far from OK.The script was uneventful and was going nowhere. At the point of turning the film off we still had no idea what the motivation for any of the characters was, or if anything was ever going to happen. We had no involvement in the story – nothing to look forward to. The protagonist goes to a psychiatrist, talks about her dead husband, complains to her landlord about rats and not a lot else.As mentioned it was around the 23 minute mark, when her builder, boss, friend and landlord were all in her kitchen talking about washing up (of all things) that we decided this was not a film for us!Reading some of the other reviews I almost feel like giving it a chance again. But then I remember how dire it was and the feeling soon goes