Reviewed by Victor Rebikoff.
Director: Roger Michell, Icon Film Distribution, M 97 Minutes.
‘My Cousin Rachel’ director Roger Michell has adapted the same screenplay for ‘Blackbird’ that Christian Torpe wrote for the Danish Oscar-winning film ‘Silent Heart’, about a mother with a degenerative disease who gathers her family for one final time.
In this touching drama Lily (Susan Sarandon – ‘Stepmom’), on learning of her terminal illness and with the support of her husband Paul, (Sam Neill-‘Palm Beach’) decides to bring her family together to spend her last weekend before she dies.
This includes her older daughter Jennifer (Kate Winslet– ‘Titanic’); Jennifer’s husband (Michael Rainn Wilson – ‘The Meg’); son Jonathan (Anson Boon – ‘Crawl’); her wayward daughter Anna (Aussie Mia Wasikowska – ‘Stoker’); Anna’s partner Chris (Bex Taylor-Klaus – ‘Hell Fest’); and Lilly’s closest friend Liz (Lindsay Duncan – ‘Le Week-end’).
After arriving at their parent’s sumptuous beachside home the reunion seems strained prior to the family and Liz settling down for a series of exchanges before being told by Lily of her decision to be euthanized with Paul’s help.
Although there is an initial acceptance from Jennifer, considerable objection is raised by Anna, who reveals how her family had let her down over her past difficulties but now wants to spend as much time as possible with Lily.
With the weekend due to conclude Paul agrees to Lily’s last request to prepare a lavish Christmas-style dinner that turns into an unexpected family disaster as a result of Jennifer’s fiery outburst and the disclosure of her father’s alleged affair.
In the midst of the ongoing daughter/father altercation it is Lily calming the waters through her intervention which sees both daughters reach some reconciliation over their earlier relationship as they spend their final moments being with their mother.
Despite having to deal with a controversial and at times difficult subject matter Michell has managed to implant some humour and the right amount of sensitivity into his endearing storyline.
Besides assembling a convincing cast to portray the leading characters one cannot go past the performances of Sarandon, an almost unrecognisable Winslet and Wasikowska with the major regret being the highly talented Neil going underutilised.
Vic’s Verdict: 3 ½ Stars
