The Age of Commercialism

Such a frustrating disappointment

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

A utter delight from start to finish. Raymond Briggs ability to turn 'ordinary' people into extraordinary stories is incomparable. The story of his mum and dad living through incredible times, world war 2, particularly. The voices of Broadbent and Blethyn are the highlight, there able to bring Ethel and Ernest to life as us the audience fall in love with these simple but very human characters. Visually as expected it's beautiful yet simplistic in its form and adult Raymond has a very poignant and educated voice which works beautifully alongside his less informed but traditional parents.I could wax lyrically about this all night but do yourself a favor take 90 minutes out of your lives and laugh, cry and wonder how Briggs is once again able to make the simplistic fantastic!

If imitation really IS the sincerest form of flattery then Noel Coward is wallowing in it wherever he may be. Having pioneered the idea of telling a story of real people seen against the backdrop of changing times between the Boer War and 1930 in Cavalcade he refined it to tell the story of the Gibbons family of Clapham 'between' the wars'. taking in the Wembley Exhibition of 1924, the General Strike of 1926, the Abdication in 1936, Chamberlain's Peace In Our Time and the outbreak of World War Two. Against this backdrop the Gibbons', mother, father, their three children, Reg, Vi and Queenie, lived and loved, married, died, ran away from home, returned, all depicted by a master craftsman. Now Raymond Briggs 'borrows' the formula and employs it to tell the simple, yet tremendously affecting story of his own parents, from their meeting, courting, marriage, his own birth, evacuation, return, time in college, marriage and death of his parents. There will, of course, be those with no knowledge of Cavalcade or This Happy Breed who may credit Briggs with inventing this method of storytelling. No matter, Coward would probably not begrudge him his moment in the sun and it is a film choc full of both charm and sentiment, one that can stand multiple viewings.

The notion of 'ordinary people' is perverse, like fingerprints, everyone is different, living in a celebrity culture where appearing on a television reality show can somehow make you special, someone to keep up with or be interested by, it was timely to receive this Christmas antidote to superficial stardom. Raymond Briggs' endearing depiction of his parents through a tumultuous half of the 20th century was also an excellent history lesson, showing how major, earth-shattering events influenced supposedly ordinary people. Most of all, it showed how class, status, social mobility and home ownership influenced British social history. There are sadly few milkman around now, if there were, neither they nor contemporary equivalents, would be able to afford the spacious terrace house in Wimbledon!Just as in Robert Tressell's landmark work 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists' Edwardian decorators did not think privilege was 'for the likes of us', former ladies maid Ethel, supported the status quo, voted Conservative, did not envisage storming the barricades anytime soon, whilst Ernest aspired to Labour's inspirational message after the travails of Workd War 2 and was an intrinsic part of the ideological spirit that brought the NHS, welfare state and a less class-ridden society.Raymond is shown eschewing office work, despite having worked as a draughtsman during national service, for the seemingly risky and unstable world of art. How right he was, as we saw, to follow his talent and become one of the world's greatest illustrators. Although his parents were not famous, they showed the extraordinary stoicism that brought this country through. Sadly extreme voices, alienation and dissimilitude have turned true British grit, tolerance and decency upside down with the appalling, self-defeating referendum and disgraceful betrayal of 'Brexit means Brexit'. Whether part of a family (as here), community (partying on VE Day) or country (Ernest reading the paper daily and keeping up with news on the radio), we are part of one Europe and one world; fragmenting it will lead back to Morrison Shelters in the lounge - or worse. The innate decency of Briggs and his parents, their acceptance of only being able to have one (super) child, Raymond's wife being schizophrenic and unable to have children, was a marker of this warm, life-affirming film which not only brought tears to our eyes, but should lead us to be better people and show a more caring attitude. We may not all be illustrators or artists, but we can all draw our conclusions....

In a year where the Christmas TV schedules have been packed with 'specials' that weren't special at all it's very refreshing (and a nice change) to have something as lovely as 'Ethel and Ernest' on to watch.Beautifully animated, it brings to life Raymond Briggs' graphic novel of the same name. Capturing the life of his parents this charts their struggles, their highs/lows against the changing face of Britain.The book covers some tough issues, and I was pleased to see that the film did not shy away from these either, but doing so in a dignified and poetic way.Parents thinking this is going to be like 'The Snowman', another adaptation of Briggs' work should be warned though, this isn't always child friendly due to the content.Well done to all those involved in the making of this film.