IS ANYBODY THERE?

UK, 2008, 95 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, Bill Milner, Anne- Marie Duff, David Morrissey, Peter Vaughan, Leslie Phillips, Rosemary Harris, Sylvia Sims, Ralph Innocen, Karl Johnson, Ralph Riach.
Directed by John Crowley.

'Is anybody there?' is the question that mediums put to potential spirits who might materialise during a séance.

'Is anybody there?' or 'Is there anything after death?' is one of the main preoccupation of 10 year old Edward, an only child who lives in a small home for the elderly (and the dying) run by his busy and harassed parents. It is 1987. Edward is fascinated by Arthur C. Clarke's television programs about haunted houses and takes his tape recorder to the room of the dead hoping to hear vibrations and possible contacts. A touch morbid, but he does live in a house where people die.

But, that is only part of this humane film.

There is a great deal of attention on the oldies, their foibles, of course, as well as the attempts to keep their lives cheerful (singalongs etc) and the way they relate to one another. There is a mini-gallery of British character actors including Sylvia Sims, Rosemary Harris, Elizabeth Spriggs, Peter Vaughan and Leslie Phillips. Then along comes a former travelling magician, Clarence Parkinson, in his van. He does not want to be in a home and, in slight ways, bucks the system. He is played my Michael Caine at his sympathetic best, though Clarence has not led the most perfect of lives. Initially, he clashes with the accident-prone Edward.

However, they begin to bond, Clarence trying to wean Edward from his deathly preoccupations and welcoming life, Edward finding a grandfather figure that he can admire. Clarence is steadily succumbing to senility, faces the facts about his life and the wife that he loved but alienated – and does not know where she is buried. The visit to the cemetery provides a fine climax to the film, its understanding of characters and the need for forgiveness and reparation.

In the background are Edward's parents and the tensions of their work and strains on their marriage, with Anne Marie Duff and David Morrissey giving strong performances. But, along with Michael Caine, it is the young Bill Milner (so good in Son of Rambow) who gives a completely believable performance as Edward.

An enjoyable reminder of the realities of mortality and death.

1.The appeal of the film? For the old? For the young? For the parent generation?

2.1987, the look, the music, Mrs Thatcher’s government? The status of homes for the elderly? Their care? Difficulties?

3.The title, its use in a séance, questions about the afterlife? Ghosts, spirits, contact with the dead?

4.The portrait of Edward, ten becoming eleven? The loner, only child, with his parents, their being busy? With the elderly, the atmosphere of the home, school and bullying, not having friends, the teacher and his essays about ghosts? Taping the dead, the noises? Arthur C. Clark’s television series about haunted houses, his watching them (and clashing with Clarence who wanted to watch other programs)? His preoccupation with death, his wanting to know what happened after death?

5.His parents, their life in the past, sweethearts, not going to university, having Edward? Work, home? The mother and her hard work, harassed? The father, lackadaisical? His regrets, arguing with his wife, working on the jobs, participating in the celebrations? Loving his son? However, the eyeing of Tanya, driving her home, getting his coat, spying from the window? The taped declaration of his love for her? Edward and his giving up his room? Their being severe with him? The issue of the party? Their reaction to his tapes and his preoccupation with death? His hiding under the bed after Lilian died and her visitors came? The tape and Mum hearing her husband? The father leaving? Edward as lost, their going together to find him, the decision to try to come together again, speaking honestly, Mum and the makeup, the date?

6.The range of the residents: Bob and the experience of World War One and his having the shakes? Reg and his drinking, off-colour jokes? Elsie and her dancing background, artificial limb, wanting Reg to dance? Prudence and her age, size, watching television, popping the bubbles? The old lady who was a maid and her treating visitors like other servants? The old man kicking the football? Lilian and her being aggressive, her dying, her sister-in-law’s caustic comment on her?

7.Edward and his tapes, listening to them, almost causing an accident with Clarence? The other breakages? Upsetting Clarence? Clarence and his truck, the background in magic, arrival, not wanting to be in a home, his critique, unsettled? The room as temporary, Edward’s reaction? With the others, observing the singalongs, caustic comments? His fears? The memories of his wife? The attempted suicide in the truck? The photos, the advertisements, the truth about his relationship with his wife, with other women, the divorce, not seeing her again, not knowing where her grave was?

8.With Edward, trying to get him to face up to the realities of death but welcome life, the issues of the afterlife, his wanting to come back as a badger? Trying to bring Edward to life, picking him up after school, the cemetery, the fake séance and using his magic tricks, explaining the magic tricks, Edward trying to do the card and hand trick? The success of the card emerging from the pocket? Their talking with each other, the tapes? The drive to Clarence’s storage, losing his memory, the bad driving, Edward having to drive the car? Clarence’s declining health, senility? Persuading Edward to have the party, the friends, the cake, the magic, the finger and the guillotine, changing the switch twice, cutting off Bob’s finger, his collapsing? Bob going to hospital – and his hand no longer shaking?

9.Mishaps with Clarence, kicking the ball, later with the older man? The discussions about Clarence, the possibility of senility, Edward not wanting him to die and leave? His being a grandfather figure for Edward, his mother’s discussion about her own lack of this experience and how important it was for Edward? His taking Clarence on the train, going to the cemetery, his wife’s grave? Clarence and his bewildered reactions?

10.His parents coming to pick Edward up, the meal, their talk, Clarence in the car, thinking Mum was his wife, his apology, Mum forgiving him, the kiss? Clarence being ready for death?

11.Clarence dying, Edward and his sadness, reliving the memories and the final words of Clarence and his saying goodbye?

12.Edward more settled, not wanting his room back, learning more about the old people? Happy to see his parents together?