Onlinewsma Absolutely Brilliant!

BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Jakoba True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

texxas-1 I watched this film about 6 years ago when I was Felicia's age, and I have never seen anything so depressing. I felt so down after watching this horrible film and I hated all men. Felicia's journey totally makes you see how scummy some men can be and I'm not talking about the old man that tried to kill her, I mean the lowlife that slept with her, promised to keep in touch then doesn't. If you're going to use and abuse a 17 year old girl at least have the decency not to knock her up in a country where abortion is illegal! Then of course there was the user's horrible mother who was trying to keep Felicia away from him, then there was Felicia's killer friend who sees the user shes looking for but doesn't tell Felicia, at one point they all end up in the same pub together but he says nothing hoping Felicia wont see. It was so depressing. The only decent thing the killer does is get Felicia the abortion. Felicia never does get reunited with the user who knocked her up which makes it even more depressing, even though by the end of the film shes over him.

btm1 I came to "Felicia's Journey" without advance knowledge of the film. The Verizon FiOS program information describes it simply as, "A young woman leaves rural Ireland to search for the man who got her pregnant." It also listed two cast members: Bob Hoskins and Arsinee Khanjian. FiOS doesn't even mention Elaine Cassidy who does such an outstanding job as the title character, the female lead. The description did not even categorize the film as a drama of comedy.I chose to save this on my DVR because I usually like films that Bob Hoskins agrees to be in. I had not heard of Arsinee Khanjian or her husband, the director Atom Egoyan.I suggest that I was fortunate to not have advance knowledge. Early in the film I realized that Joe Hilditch (Hoskins) was unusual. He seems to run the lunch room of a heavy industry factory, but has the title of "catering manager;" although he is not the head chef of a four star restaurant, he is presented as a culinary expert of great sensitivity. Yet despite his obvious culinary expertise, at home he prepares meals while following along with a TV cooking show. In other words, this is a complex character, someone you are interested in learning more about.That is probably about as much as you should know about this film before you watch it for the first time. Oh, one more thing - it is not a comedy.

Jackson Booth-Millard I think I saw a trailer for this film, and I wondered what it was about, and since it was four stars from the critics I thought I'd give it a go. Basically middle-aged catering manager Joe Hilditch (Bob Hoskins) spends all his time studying tapes of eccentric French TV chef Gala (Arsinée Khanjian), and following her recipes. Meanwhile, young woman Felicia (Elaine Cassidy) is making her way from Irelandto find her boyfriend Johnny Lysaght (Peter McDonald), who moved to England to work in a lawnmower factory. On arrival, she briefly meets Hilditch, who recommends a boarding room to her, oh, and we see more of her relationship with Johnny in flashbacks. I certainly wasn't expecting it, but it is revealed to us (the audience) that he has in fact befriended and abused many other young women, and he has taped them! Oh, and he also has flashes of a horrible experience with being on TV with Gala as a child! He of course has his sites set on Felicia, but he won't do anything to her until she has gained his trust, "helped" her in her search, and persuaded her to abort a baby she will be having. He does eventually get to stage where he can make his move, and of course the next morning you see the blood on her night dress. He is quickly visited by the slightly crazy and religion obsessed woman who tries to make him be part of her "path of happiness", and I'm not sure but I think he saw the error of his ways, and he lets Felicia go, and hangs himself. Also starring Claire Benedict as Miss Calligary, Brid Brennan as Mrs. Lysaght, Gerard McSorley as Felicia's Father and Sheila Reid as Iris. This is what I like to refer to as the nut-case film, not exactly the same as them, to similar to the characters from films like One Hour Photo and Misery. Bob Hoskins was number 37 on The 50 Greatest British Actors. Very good!

futures-1 Starring Bob Hoskins and Elaine Cassidy, directed by Atom Egoyan. I have yet to see a film by Egoyan I don't like, and this is no exception. They're all moody, tend towards the dark, alienated, and full of unspoken thoughts and emotions. However, this one has a slightly edgier, "David Lynch" sort of feel to it. Things that appear normal, sweet or soft are not so. Motivations are hidden. Actions aren't as linear as they appear. Felicia is a young Irish girl who is pregnant, rejected by her family, and leaves for England to find her so-called "boyfriend who loves her". She meets an older man who offers his help to find the future father… at least it appears so… maybe it IS so. She DOES need help… more and more. This is an evenly paced, slowly swirling story that asks you to watch for subtle changes and hints of things to come. It is part suspense story, and heavy on the psychological drama. Hoskins is gentile, obsessive, anachronistic, and eerie as hell. Cassidy is fragile, pretty, and glowing in honesty.