Lucybespro
It is a performances centric movie
Doomtomylo
a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.
Hayden Kane
There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
paulclaassen
It is rare that one finds a film that is a comedy, drama and musical all in one and great in all genres. The humor is seriously funny, the drama very dramatic and sad at times, and the musical element vibrant, flamboyant and daring. The film simply would not have been the same without Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins in the lead. They are FANTASTIC together! I thought Will Young was also very good, and he even gave us a peek-a-boo at his bum! (Well, erm, Bob Hoskins did more than that...). All elements of the film work in perfect harmony to bring a thoroughly enjoyable masterpiece. This is one of my all-time favorite films.
itamarscomix
Like the best of British dramedies, Mrs. Henderson Presents is, most of all, a joy to watch. A witty script and snappy, fast dialog; excellent British actors (Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Will Young and Christopher Guest are all deliciously nasty); occasional laughs, and most of all, a lot of heart and a lot of humanity. Much like The Full Monty, this film takes a subject matter that would have probably come across as lewd and awkward in an American film, and makes it very approachable by putting as much emphasis as possible on the human spirit, almost to the point of naiveté; but it never falls into kitch, and manages to make for a true feel-good movie in the real sense of the words.The film's only real failing is in its pacing, which made me feel like there could have been a lot more to this story. This is felt most clearly with the characters, who go through very little development. We get some insight into the main characters played by Dench and Hoskins, though not a lot of it; but other characters don't even get that, and it's most irritating with the Maureen, played wonderfully by Kelly Reilly, who has the making of a main character but one gets the feeling that a lot of her scenes were left out in the editing process, because she jumps from scenes to scenes completely changed but the viewer gets no sense of the process she goes to, and ultimately cares about her very little. These problems are probably to some indecision about whether this should be a historical drama or a character study, and the 100-min runtime just isn't enough to carry both. That stops it short of being a great film, but it's still a very good one and one it's impossible not to enjoy.
moonspinner55
Elderly though indefatigable British widow in 1937 decides (seemingly on a whim) to invest her time and money into renovating a shuttered theatre in London, hiring a savvy show manager to coordinate the programs and help her with such wonderful tasks as auditions. After several weeks of success, the lovingly bickering business partners find the West End is draining them of their audiences, so Mrs. Henderson nonchalantly offers an invaluable solution: to bring the frisky style of France's Moulin Rogue to England--but will the stuffy Lord Chamberlain permit them to showcase nude women on the stage? Alternately endearing and creaky mixture of comedy, drama, pathos, sentiment, and war-time nostalgia easily gets by on the strength of stars Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins (who also served as executive producer). The editing is a bit sloppy, rendering the narrative slapdash on occasion, while the WWII backdrop is so artificially presented it seems almost to represent a fantasy (perhaps intentionally). However, Dench is a winner, creating an enjoyable and three-dimensional characterization: at once willful, exasperating and loving. She's both mother-hen to her girls and wife-substitute to Hoskins, who works very well with her. Watching this great actress glide through the simple material so bemusedly reaps its own rewards and, though the heaviness of the film's midsection appears to be leading nowhere, the picture does finally move us by focusing on character instead of on incident. **1/2 from ****
bexter-570-846938
Stephen Frears presents a wonderful movie. Another outstanding cast with a fantastic performance from Judie Dench (as Laura Henderson) Playing the part of a bored widow until she buys the windmill theater.I found this movie exceptionally brave to go outside of the ordinary and film a movie about naked girls in the 1920's. But even though this film has some nudity, it isn't about nudity. It is about listening and following instead of giving instruction. and it's about it's personality that counts not there looks(I'm sure you have heard about that saying)and there are others I'm sure that I haven't included.A huge portion of my enjoyment of this film was of course the music and dance that went on in the windmill theater.George Fenton(the writer of the music)and Will Young (singer and actor)a perfect combination which made the ending song (turn the sails of the windmill) sad because it was nearing the end of the film.
