DAYS OF THE BAGNOLD SUMMER
UK, 2019, 86 minutes, Colour.
Monica Dolan, Earl Cave, Rob Brydon, Tamsin Grieg, Alice Lowe, Elliot Speller Gillett.
Directed by Simon Bird.
Daniel Bagnold, aged 15, was not expecting to spend his summer holiday at home in the suburbs with his divorced mother, Sue. He was all ready to go to Florida to join his father who had left the family several years earlier and is now married, living in America, expecting a child with his young wife. Bags packed. Phone call. Don’t come at this time…
So, this turns out to be a variation on family drama, taking place in the suburbs. It is the story of Daniel. It is the story of Sue. A great deal of the impact of the film, in its low-key way, comes from performances by Monica Dolan (The Dig, and one of Alan Bennett’s dramatic television monologues, Talking Heads). She seems the perfect embodiment of the middle-aged woman, her husband having left her, still puzzling about that, trying to communicate with her 15-year-old son who is moody, to say the least, holding down a librarian’s job, some happy supportive chats with her sister.
And Daniel is played by Earl Cave (who looks very much like a younger version of his father, Nick Cave). He is lanky, lounges about, long hair, listening to rock music, and frustrated with his mother and his not being able to go to the United States (idealising without realising the truth the importance of his father in his life).
The behaviour of mother and son limits the action of the film which is rather episodic. Sue takes Earl to the mall to buy the shoes, they eat ice creams, at home Daniel continues to frustrate his mother. Sue on the other hand encounters another teacher from school, Doug, Rob Brydon, who invites her out on a date. A lot of excitement there but is there any future in it…? Then there is a mother of one of Earl’s friends who is into new age, massage, psychological advice. (She is played by Tamsin Grieg who also appears in one of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads.)
There is an amusing little subplot where Earl finds an advertisement asking for a singer for a band which operates from a garage – and, when he turns up, they are all 10 year olds!
This summer holiday is a film that will appeal more to the adult audience, the parent audience, who can resonate with what Sue has experienced and is going through, especially towards the end when she and Daniel go to a restaurant to celebrate her birthday and Daniel is very gallant to protect her when he sees Doug on a date, repeating the routine he used with Sue. Probably safe to say that an audience of Daniel’s peers might be curious about seeing Earl and what is up to but not enough to sit through the whole film!
Probably ideal for those morning screenings at a local cinema followed by a nice morning tea or lunch.
1. The title? The memories of nostalgic British films? In fact, the contrast with the contemporary story? And the irony of the suburban Bagnold summer?
2. The suburban settings, the house and its interiors, upstairs? The streets? Neighbouring houses and visits? The garage with the band? The shopping malls? The restaurants? The musical score? The hard rock? The old popular songs?
3. The film for a British audience? Audiences familiar with British life? For an older audience identifying with Sue? Any appeal for audiences identifying with Daniel? The mother-son situation? The absent father? The son at age 15 and divided loyalties?
4. The portrait of Sue, her age, personality, bright, lacking in self-confidence, her work at the library, day by day, with the children? Her marriage, her husband leaving her, marrying a younger wife, expecting a child? Her relationship with Daniel, coping with his surliness, taking him shopping, the meals, his music and room? His moods? His criticisms? Yet helping him, the meal and the outings for her birthday? Phone calls from her husband? The situation of the Florida holiday being called off? The encounter with Mr Porter, his charm, the phone number, going out, the meal, the attempted kiss? No further contact? Seeing him in the restaurant with another woman, her reaction? Her sister’s visits, their talking together, sharing confidences?
5. Daniel, age 15, tall and gaunt, long hair, hard rock music, his room and the posters, the summer break, his memories of his father, looking forward to going to Florida, the phone call, his not being able to go? The tensions with his mother? Taunting her? Yet her going shopping for shoes…? His friendship with Ky, visits, sharing, the unexpected break? His mother wanting him to get a summer job, the notices, his CV, not being accepted? The note about the band, discovering it was young boys? Later going back, singing, an audition, their discussions and decisions? Final reunion with Ky, all with the band?
6. Ky’s mother, new age attitudes, the episode with a massage and Sue bursting into tears, her continued friendship, advice?
7. Sue’s sister and daughter, their visits, the two sisters comfortable together, Frank, discussions, support?
8. Doug, teacher, in the library, charm, exchanging numbers, going out with Sue, his charm at the meal, the effect on her, trimming her hair, opening the blouse…? The taxi, his kissing, the promise of contact? No contact? Daniel seeing him at the restaurant, trying to help his mother not see him, her confronting him?
9. The captions through the film, the early days, salad days, dog days, the later days?
10. The end, not a complete resolution, but the experiences of mother and son, the changes they experienced?
