If ever there was a film that did what it said on the tin then it is Finding Your Feet. This boomer rom-com and English dramedy is all about second chances and discovering your true self. The film is a pleasant and predictable one that should appeal to fans of Hampstead and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel franchise.
This film is directed by Richard Loncraine (Wimbledon) and is written by Meg Leonard and Nick Moorcroft (St. Trinian’s). It stars Imelda Staunton (Pride) as Sandra, a snobbish woman who has devoted the last 35 years of her life to her husband, Mike (John Sessions). He is a police officer who is on the verge of retirement and a forthcoming recipient of a knighthood. At first glance their marriage seems like a happy one, but at a party celebrating Mike’s illustrious career at their enormous estate in Surrey, Sandra discovers that Mike has been having an affair for the past five years.
Sandra’s life naturally beings to unravel. She decides to go and seek solace at her estranged elder sister, Bif’s council flat. Bif (Celia Imrie (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)) is like a breath of fresh air. She is a free-spirited, serial-dating hippie and is the fun one when you consider her alongside Sandra’s uptight conservativeness.
Bif introduces her younger sibling to her eccentric but supportive group of friends. They include the sharp-tongued and funny, five-time divorcee Jackie (Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous)) and the acerbic but kind-hearted, Charlie (Timothy Spall) who lives on a barge, restores furniture and diligently visits his wife who has severe dementia in the nursing home.
Over the course of this light and heart-warming film, Sandra – ahem – finds her feet. She realises that her marriage was a stuffy one and she rediscovers her love of dance and passion for adventure. This story is one that grapples with a number of different themes like death, romance, self-discovery and the challenges of getting older. The result is a pleasant ride that is utterly predictable at almost every turn but also very entertaining thanks to a great veteran cast putting in strong performances and some clever one-liners in the script. (Lumley’s one about her latest divorce was simply fabulous darling, so I won’t spoil it here.)
Finding Your Feet is not a unique or revolutionary film but as a simple slice of escapism it works. It is a story that feels real and convincing and has enough heart and emotion to appeal to a broader audience then those wearing varying shades of grey in their hair. Finding Your Feet is a tale of redemption and a fish-out-of-water story about a strong woman who finally learns how to swim and dance through life’s second act.
Review Score: THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Finding Your Feet is in cinemas today.
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