Movie Review: Is Anybody There?
John Crowley Directs Michael Caine in Alliance, BBC, Big Beach Film
May 14, 2009
In a recent interview, actor Michael Caine (The Dark Knight) revealed that he waived his usual fee in order to appear in Is Anybody There? because the script moved him so much.
His sacrifice is our gain. The latest film from John Crowley (Boy A) is an incredibly moving story about an unlikely friendship, and snatching life and hope from what could be a bitter end.
Is Anybody There? Stars Michael Caine and Bill Milner
Edward (Bill Milner from Son of Rambow) is an 11-year-old boy who resents seeing his home turned into a hospice for the elderly. Unable to connect with kids his own age and angered at the constant succession of walking dead who turf him out of his own room, Edward is obsessed with ghosts and discovering whether or not there's life after death.
Enter a retired magician named Clarence (Michael Caine). Initially content with telling Edward to bugger off at regular intervals, the cantankerous conjurer eventually strikes up a friendship with the withdrawn little boy. As they get to know one another, Clarence gradually teaches the boy about living for the moment, because it might be the last one you get.
"I've got regrets piled up behind me," Clarence says to his young friend in a crucial scene. While Clarence enjoys showing Edward various sleight of hand tricks, the elderly magician also tells the boy not to imitate him in other ways.
But there's a very good reason why Clarence is staying in this hospice, one that becomes increasingly apparent during the course of the film.
While the above set-up could set the stage for your typical mediocre weepie, two things make Is Anybody There? rise above the pack. The first element is the script by Peter Harness (1066), which is moving without being maudlin. Drawn from his experiences growing up in a nursing home, Harness renders his dialogue beautifully, dispensing pathos and humour with equal intensity.
The second advantage is the unbelievable chemistry between the two leads. Michael Caine is the kind of actor who brings his 'A' game to every role, no matter how wretched. However, he delivers a career-defining performance to depict a former entertainer who would love to rage against the dying of the light, but is sabotaged by his own mind and body.
The real prize here, though, is Wilner. The young actor shows his winning turn in Son of Rambow was no fluke, bringing believability and sympathy to the role of a child who no longer knows what he can call his own. His is a natural presence, without the obvious artifice associated with most young thespians. It'll be interesting to see how he develops as a performer; if he can refine his craft without losing that natural edge.
Combine this with a film that combines tears with the typically dry British humour (the way one character has his Parkinsons' tremors healed is a classic) and you have a winner.
The Final Analysis
If this movie doesn't move you, then you can officially consider yourself dead from the heart outwards. Is Anybody There? is a stunning achievement. 9/10.
