WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY
UK, 2014, 95 minutes, Colour.
Rosamund Pike, David Tennant, Billy Connolly, Ben Miller, Annette Crosby, Celia Imrie, Emilia Jones, Amelia Bullimore, Bobby Smallbridge.
Directed by Andy Hamilton, Guy Jenkin.
The title sounds like one of those essay topics which desperate teachers hand out to their students as the school year begins. If the children in this film had to write such an essay, it certainly wouldn’t be your ordinary themes, action or enjoyment.
The film is billed as a comedy and there is a great deal of humour in it, verbal, action, eccentric characters. However, the mood does change in the middle of the film and while there are some humorous and absurd situations, there is also a great deal of pathos.
The film opens with lovely Scottish loch scenery and a lone fisherman in a boat – who is then revealed as Billy Connolly, the grandfather of the family, not well, but about to celebrate his 75th birthday party. And he is not always fishing as there is a portable TV in his boat as well! But that is justified as he was a prominent footballer in his past, with a still strong reputation.
And then the film transfers to busy London, mother and father trying to organise their three children to get away to Scotland for the celebration. David Tennant (after Doctor Who) is Doug, the father, one of grandfather’s sons, the younger. His wife, Abi, is played by Rosamund Pike (just before she became Gone Girl). They seem fairly desperate, and it emerges that they are not living together, mainly his fault, but they are trying to keep up appearances for the sake of the children. Not that the children aren’t alert, but they also their own eccentricities, the older girl, Lottie, takes a diary with her and has a desperate need to tell the truth, utterly serious. The little girl, Jessie, has a propensity for taking things with her, this time favourite bricks and stones! And Michael, the son in the middle of the two sisters, is very much involved in Viking lore, something which becomes very important in the latter part of the film. After much excitement and getting away, the inevitable question is asked, “are we there yet?” – With the answer that they have only just got to Watford (outer London for those who don’t know it).
Meanwhile in Scotland, the other son, Gavin (Ben Miller), takes himself very seriously and is preparing to host a party in his father’s honour. In the meantime, there is eccentricity in this household as well, the audience later seeing a video with Gavin’s wife absolutely losing it in a supermarket (which, of course, goes viral on You tube). Gavin thinks his son, Kenneth, something of a nerd, which he may well be, but he has a real talent for playing the violin. And grandfather genially loves all his grandchildren.
When a crisis occurs in the middle of the film, and the party is about to begin, the musicians are playing, the guests are arriving, including the local laird whom they are all trying to impress, there is a fair bit of chaos, the children having made a decision which they are standing by, and most of the adults not believing them. The police are called in. The media have a field day, hounding the family, the adults in turn going out to try to pacify the media, only making a mess of their interventions. And a child welfare officer also turns up to interrogate the children.
This review has tried to be very careful in not revealing the twist in the middle of the film, so for those the who decide to go to see it, there are very entertaining performances, some witty dialogue, Billy Connolly as his usual self with a touch of sentiment, unexpected interactions – and, with the hope of some happy ever after after, perhaps, more than a touch of counselling!
1. Family – the film about a family, for family audiences, the impact for parents, children?
2. The title, like a class essay after the holidays? The irony of the title for this kind of film? The shift in tone halfway through?
3. Scotland, the beauty of the lake, fishing (with a TV in the boat), the beauty of the countryside? The Scottish mansion, the beaches? The musical score?
4. London, the suburbs, the streets, cars, hassle, Michael and the Vikings? Jesse and her being obtuse, wanting to bring bricks and stones? Lottie prim, with her diary? The parents, the separation, bickering? On the motorway – ‘are we hear yet?’, and only at Watford?
5. Abi and Doug, the marriage, the children, arguing, try to keep face in front of the children, telling lies? Doug’s affair? Abi’s language? The urging of lies for grandpa on his birthday? Issues of the keys, Doug not able to have them without permission? The argument about staying overnight, the hotel?
6. Gordie, Billy Connolly, his age, suffering from cancer, his 75th birthday? Fishing, watching the TV? His relationship with Gavin and Margaret? With Kenneth? Thinking his son a tightarse, the touches of depression? Kenneth, playing the violin for Gordie? Put down by his father? The preparation for the dinner, the tent, his changing the seating places?
7. The arrival, the pretences, talk, Doug and Gavin and their relationship? Tensions? The children? Gavin and his bluntness, Jessie and her taking the keys?
8. The children, going to the lake for Gordie, talk, happy, the reality of the family, the boat? Gordie and his collapse? The Viking ritual, sad, sent out to sea on fire?
9. The party, the guests arriving, the anxiety, the servants, the music, the laird? the children and their different versions of Gordie’s death and the burial? Jessica speaking slowly? Doug and Gavin, the panic? Telling the guests?
10. The 999 call, Gavin and his being upset, the police and their reaction?
11. The arrival of the friend from New Zealand? His looking like a Viking, Michael’s reaction? His wanting to see Gordie, grief and his death?
12. Kenneth, playing the violin, the band, his not knowing what was going on? Breakfast, opening the window, the media looking in? the girl and the kiss?
13. Margaret, the Youtube clip, her breakdown in the supermarket, reactions? Gavin and his shock? Its being played over and over?
14. The supervisor, her interrogations of the children, tight, everything sounding odd, the Vikings, the holiday, Jessie holding her breath, Lottie and her book and the discussions about lies? Her return, Abi confronting her, but her being nice to Lottie?
15. Everybody talking, admitting the reality, the family’s shambles, family pride?
16. The media, the headlines, the blame, Gordie and his football reputation? The paparazzi outside? Doug trying to explain, Abi and her attempt, Gavin?
17. Everybody at the beach, the solution, playing in the water? Some resolution?
18. The title by the end of the film!
