Another Year

Tom and Gerri are a well-adjusted, mature, couple that loves gardening and spending time with each other. Tom (Jim Broadbent) is a geologist and Gerri (Ruth Sheen) is a mental-health counselor. They have a warm inviting home and a large kitchen in which they enjoy entertaining their friends and family. They are a kind, generous, patient couple, but after a visit from Mary, their patience is put to the test.
 
Mary (Lesley Manville) is a co-worker of Gerri’s and she is a bit of a lonely heart. Divorced, middle-aged and single, she is envious of Gerri’s family and often seeks them out for company. When she does visit, she drinks to excess frequently becoming an overnight guest by necessity. For twenty years Gerri has been a friend to Mary.
 
During the course of the year, Mary’s behavior becomes more and more inappropriate. Tom and Gerri are concerned for her and try to be good friends. But when Mary begins to intrude on family matters, Gerri starts to loose her British reserve. Her face tells the real story but Mary is too self-involved to see the difference. Her boorish behavior is getting harder and harder to take. Will Tom and Gerri tell her to go?
 
Another Year is blessed with a strong, mesmerizing performance by Lesley Manville. Her character is such a “Debbie Downer” that she is hard to be around and yet at the same time she elicits great sympathy. You almost wish that Gerri would tell her off and do her some good.
 
I found Another Year very easy to identify with. I think we’ve all had that friend or relative that’s hard to be around. But you stick with them out of hope, charity, or the realization that you can be annoying too. This film is a wonderful character study and has exceptional performances. It’s worth a look and will surely start a conversation at home. If you don’t have a friend like Mary, maybe you’re the one in the group like her. See this film and watch for the signs.

Rating: First Run A study of manners