WasAnnon Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

JinRoz For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

beresfordjd Just watched this on TV stuffed with unwanted ad breaks which still could not ruin this excellent film. Maggie Smith is tremendous as always and is ably supported by Ronnie Barker who disappears into his character in the way he does when doing comedy , Timothy Spall and the beautiful Emily Clarke who has grown into a gorgeous young woman. The whole thing is held together by a truly beautiful setting in an Italian villa which has made up my mind to visit Italy in the not too distant future. It evokes a feeling of peace and contentment in spite of the violence which throws all these characters together. It seems a great pity that more people are not aware of this wonderful piece of drama and acting by the ensemble cast.

MarieGabrielle This film, while the theme has been done, has a cadence and beauty to it. Maggie Smith as romance writer Emily Delahunty is sympathetic and believable, a woman who survived many travails in Europe, including childhood abuse. She comes out of it okay, and is now the hostess to five other victims of a terrorist attack, the only survivors on board the train.The child Amy becomes autistic, and Dr Innocenti attempts to help her, and much debate is over where she should be returned. To the U.S. to her uncle? (Riversmith, very well done by Chris Cooper). An anal- retentive professor who, while at dinner discusses his career. The habits of the red carpenter ant. His wife, he emphasizes, has a completely different line of work. She studies the black carpenter ant. The expressions on some of the guest's faces are priceless.There are a few patchy areas, the detective Giancarlo Gianinni, inquiring about the terrorists, this part of the story is never really fleshed out for the audience. There is an embarrassing scene with Smith drunk on wine and Riversmith is repulsed by her. It is sad, as she is merely a kind, older, and lonely woman.Overall a curious story, with beautiful shots of Siena and Umbria. Good performances especially by Smith and Chris Cooper. Do not miss. 9/10.

przgzr Sometimes it is good not to know much about a movie before watching it, so you won't have any prejudices. And it is sometimes even good to have wrong idea about what you're going to see, because you can be pleasantly surprised.My House in Umbria sounded as it was happening on the beginning of 20th century, either in castle full of aristocrats (like Age of Innocence) or in deserted house with poor artists having no money to leave (Stealing Beauty; Sirens). Room with a View or Under Tuscan Sun came in mind too.The train in first few minutes was obviously not a century old one. Characters were more likely to fit in Miss Marple story. And that was just a beginning of surprises.A warm story about so different people that can successfully create a small community (instant family) is so hard to find. Unusual communities are usually shown as unstable group and intense interpersonal relations build the dynamic of group which develops the plot. (Tillsammans, Black Moon, Hair as an example.) But it is developing harmony that we see in House in Umbria, people who learn to lean on each other and help each other in the same time. Almost like an ideal early Christian community. Though religion isn't a topic of the movie, there are more Christian feelings here than in many religious movies. From loving and helping to forgiving. When one of the main characters appears to be the one guilty for all the tragedies that happened to the group, he isn't shown as a villain but rather a seduced man, a poor victim of circumstances.The only person who is rather odd and doesn't fit is the only one that enters the movie after first five minutes (when we meet all other characters): another surprise - in an American (HBO!) movie the only person we dislike is the only (adult) American character in the movie (played incredible effectively by Chris Cooper as a superb contrast in cast). The interaction between him and the group is the only real conflict we see, and during that time our feelings towards him change. Finally we learn to accept him the way he is (as we should accept all people, says another message of the movie), because he is just that kind of man. He is not evil, he is just different. And, maybe as the only influence he was able to let himself implement, he makes an unexpected choice at the end, realizing that though this community is strange and odious to him, it's not necessary worthless, and it might be wrong forcing someone to replace this warmth and caring love with his scientifically precise but cold, emotionless world.Something, however, didn't change from the beginning: Maggie Smith is still so Ms Marpleish that I was expecting at least one small murder which she could solve. And all people living in House in Umbria might have been imagined by Agatha Christie, actors (Barker, Spall, Dazzy, Cooper) ideal for Poirot's suspects and even Giannini as inspector could pass well as inspector Japp.But at the end I didn't mind lack of murder. It was one of those rare TV movies that can be recommended to anyone who prefers emotions and peace instead of action and violence. It is not a soap opera, it is not cheesy; and don't let my words make you understand it is a religious movie: it is humanity in the first place that House in Umbria promotes.

Jackie Scott-Mandeville This film would immediately appeal to anyone addicted to Maggie Smith and the idyllic Italian countryside of Umbria, but it has unexpected delights to offer in its unassuming, almost art-house, flavour, and the low-key, but affecting, performances of excellent actors Timothy Spall and Ronnie Barker. Chris Cooper is rather wooden, but his academic, unemotional character casts a strong contrast to the hapless vagaries of Maggie Smith's Emily Delahuntey, and therefore works well.Suspension of disbelief is required for the over-imaginative plot, almost out of one of Emily's romance novels. But the pleasure of such a film is simple, and simple pleasures can entertain as much as the richer, more complex enjoyment of films it might be compared with such as 'Tea With Mussolini' (which, of course, is a much fuller film in terms of plot, characters, script, and drama). 'Enchanted April' also comes to mind as another film where the Italian countryside is almost a character of the film and much more than a backdrop.A very pleasant interlude for a winter's afternoon, or Spring evening, and Maggie Smith is as mannered and original as ever. I especially loved her flowing clothes, which suited her and her character very well.