HAMPSTEAD

UK, 2017, 104 minutes, Colour.
Diane Keaton, Brendan Gleeson, James Norton, Lesley Manville, Simon Callow, Phil Davis.
Directed by Joel Hopkins.

There is often a nice expectation about a film when it has a title referring to a particular area of London. Will we see a lot of the area? Who are the people who live there? And will the area lend itself to some romance? Yes, to all the questions.

Hampstead Heath has been the location for quite a number of London-set films. We do see a lot of the Heath, the open park lands, the houses surrounding and the streets and shops, the view of the London skyline in the distance. A pleasure for the audience to be there.

This is Emily’s story. She is an American, she herself referring to English opinion that she is something of a quirky American (still shades of Annie Hall), has married an Englishman, lived in London for years, has a son. But, her husband has died and has left her in quite some financial difficulties.

She is a friend of a number of the women in the area, middle class to upper-class women, used to a comfortable way of life, assuaging their consciences by taking on a number of protests (like the elimination of mobile phone towers in the area) and interested in the pulling down of old hospital buildings and new accommodation development. Emily is part of the group. She also works as a volunteer in a charity shop and friendly with the young man who is distributing leaflets for particular courses like preserving the salmon.

Emily has a son, Philip, played by Grantchester’s James Norton. A complication arises when the Hampstead ladies set up an eligible middle-aged bachelor lawyer who could help solve Emily’s financial problems – which he is only too eager to do and to form a liaison with Emily.

So, where can this go? The answer is in the form of Brendan Gleeson, something of a bear of a man, initially with a grizzly impression but showing more cuddly signs as the film goes on. He is Donald, who lives in what looks like from the outside a dilapidated shack, an independent life, growing his own vegetables, gruff with outsiders. Actually, Emily notices him when she is looking from her attic with binoculars she is thinking of selling and becomes intrigued by him, sees him being attacked and calls first-aid.

Curiosity gets the better of her and she approaches him. Yes, it is an unlikely romance but, of course, that is where it is going. The couple hit it off, he tells his story of coming from Dublin, escaping his home and family, a relationship with a London woman, her death, his building the shack and living on the Heath – to the disgust of his uppercrust neighbours.

The developers are wanting to pull down an old hospital and are certainly wanting Donald’s land. Emily helps him, the young man protesting for the salmon joins her in sprucing up Donald’s house, Emily getting a protest group to act for him (which he initially gruffly disavows).

The problem goes to court, presided over by Simon Callow, the developers eager to oust Donald and reclaim the land, he trying to show that he has a claim, relying on a neighbour (Phil Davis) who kindly offered to carry an oven all those years ago but whom Donald criticised and attacked. He becomes linchpin for a solution to the problem.

That is, the problem of the shack. But, the further problem arises whether Emily could live with Donald in the shack or whether she should sell her flat and buy a cottage in the country.

As we are puzzling how this can be resolved and how the film can end, it does rather nicely and romantically. But how, you might ask!

1. Romantic comedy? American and Irish characters, in London?

2. The title, the visuals of the heath, the park? The neighbourhood, the streets, homes and buildings, the shack on the hospital grounds, the lake? The summer season? The musical score and dramatic tone?

3. Emily’s story, widow, her anger at her dead husband? His affair? Secrecy? Her age, American background, considered quirky? Her flat, the leak in the roof? The concierge and the mail and taxes? Her friends, going to the meetings, discussion of the repairs, £5000, Fiona and her financial assistance? Emily and Philip, the situation at home, her husband’s anniversary, her eventually going to the grave, her anger and throwing things? Her volunteer work in the shop? The mother with the cantankerous child? The protests, the young man and the salmon cause? The protests about mobile phone towers? The quality of her life?

4. The attic, the goods, thinking about selling, the binoculars, looking at the window, seeing the tramp, the shack, his swimming, the continued looking? His being attacked? Calling for first-aid? Her demonstrating with the petition, seeing him, following him, talking with him?

5. The inter-cutting of Donald’s story, his age, appearance, tramp, the shack, swimming, the eviction notice, wrapping the carrot?

6. Hampstead society, interested in finance and development, the hospital as an eyesore, their snobbery, the protest against mobile phone towers? The owner and the other women, their characters, and marriages? Friendship with Emily? Setting up James, his accountancy work, the date, his come on?

7. Emily and Donald, Diane Keaton’s style, Brendan Gleeson as bearish? Emily, the beret, wearing it – and memories of Annie Hall? Their talking, sharing, questions and discussions, Donald and the woman, the relationship, her death, his running away? Emily and her financial situation? The bonding, going to the attic, the relationship, the bath, his meeting Philip?

8. Emily starting the campaign for him, the young man and the group protesting, repairing the shack, the painting, the flowers? Donald and his reaction, eventually saying thank you?

9. Emily’s birthday, the party, James and his singing, kissing Emily? Seeing the tramp, going to the attic, Emily’s reaction, being ashamed, Donald leaving?

10. The court, the hearing, the lawyers, the Indian lawyer, the judge and his presiding? Donald’s explanation about himself? His life? The court wanting documents? Emily remembering the man who carried the oven? Tracking him down? His testifying, his hospital document verifying the situation, his saying that he helped because he was once homeless?

11. Donald, the supporters, in the court, around the car?

12. Donald and Emily talking, his not wanting to move, Emily and her decision to sell positions in the house, Philip’s help, selling the flat, buying the cottage? Giving the money back to Fiona, telling Fiona she was under her husband’s thumb, Fiona knowing about the husband’s affair, Fiona saying Emily was braver?

13. Phillip helping with the move, the buying the cottage, nice, going to the village, chasing the hen, hearing the news?

14. Donald, the shack and the barge, setting the rumours about going to France? His declaring his love for Emily, and the sailing on the river?