Protraph
Lack of good storyline.
Moustroll
Good movie but grossly overrated
ThedevilChoose
When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.
Ella-May O'Brien
Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
studioAT
Victoria Wood (who we miss terribly) was best known for being a stand-up performer, but it's important to remember that she was also a very good writer, penning the brilliant 'Eric and Ernie' and this one off 'Housewife, 49'.It combines all the warmth and humour we came to expect from Wood, with also a good sense of historical accuracy and a list of well known actors in support for Wood, who takes the lead.I couldn't say that it was my favourite of the TV drama's she wrote, but Wood was certainly deserving of the acclaim that she earnt for this well written TV drama.
secondtake
Housewife, 49 (2006)The idea here is to make the fear of German bombardment in London during WWII as real as possible. And the focus is an extremely ordinary family--in particular the woman of the house, but also her low-key husband and two clever and fighting age boys.The best of it is really amazing at recreating the feel and look and fear of the times. The character actors are wonderful, even if they must be a bit exaggerated. The slang and whatnot is a total joy, even if at times there is a feeling of pushing that too hard.There is a deflating feeling that all this possibility and gorgeous period set-building is supported by a somewhat flat plot. It's not that the bombing and the deaths are a bit unimportant, but rather it is laid out with a kind of plainness that should have been compelling but in fact ends up being just plain. The writing makes sense--perhaps it's some combination of acting and camera-work that lets it all just happen too often.The music, I have to say, is horrible, a kind of television soundtrack that is out of place, almost patched in by a hack studio orchestra that hadn't even quite seen the film. It's surprising how much this alters the feel to it all.The leading woman, the housewife in the title, is a sympathetic character and, and the actress is compelling. She is a woman caught between all kinds of pressures, family and civic duties all around (and without always appreciation). And this pushes her to her mental limits (even seeing a doctor about it). The demands on the part, on the actress, are a bit too much for this production, and for this actress, Victoria Wood. The final outcome and maybe the larger point of the movie is something more than civilian life in wartime. It's about futility and sadness and perseverance. You might find the last scene comforting for its notion of quiet survival, or depressing for its lack of joy.
drew-121
As a long time fan of Ms Wood, I was very happy to watch this sojourn into the drama world. The writing contained her usual naturalistic flow, the evocation of 1940's Barrow was superb and the journey portrayed by Ms Wood as Ella was totally believable.The subtle way in which she dealt with such issues as those raised by her son Cliff was heartening and again true of the period. Her grasp of the historical perspective, the way families lived and coped with the war was so very true and at the end of the film I was left with a sense of having witnessed real life not a drama.Great acting from David Threlfall and Stephanie Cole.The best thing on TV over Christmas by far!
Jackanackanory
Although I am not a fan of Victoria Wood as comedienne (I just never understood her comedy and therefore never found her funny) I was intrigued by the concept of this drama so I watched it.I am glad I did, as it was a very well written drama that looks into life in the perspective of a mother Nella Last who sees her life change around her, more often than not in the way peoples attitudes are and also throughout the war realises she doesn't know those close to her including her family as well as she thinks she does, this in turn makes her look at her own lifestyle and realises she must change in some aspects too.Although I may not be a fan of Victoria Wood in her primary guise, (as a comedienne), as an actress she has proved in this drama she is a first-rate actress and considering she wrote this drama, a decent writer too.On the whole a nice heart-warming wartime family drama.
