This movie is much more than a murder mystery. It's a satire to the futile society of the early 20th century, a touching story about a mother and a son, and much more. The screenplay is truly great. All the delicate subplots are we-written and have something to say, and they all come together in the end. None of then is just a filler; all are incredibly interesting and important. The comedy is subtle and intelligent, as is the drama, and both are together perfectly well. The down stairs part was dark, true and much more dramatic, even if the comedy is there too, in a much more heartbreaking way. The upstairs part is full of light and futility, and funnier. Both work. The dialogs are inspired and some of the best you can get, full of dark humor and inspired sentences.
The directing is great, with the camera moving around in a beautiful way and it's never tiring. The editing is brilliant, letting you understand every plot and they all come together beautifully. The order of the scenes is also perfect. The cinematography is adequate; in the downstairs dark and with some hints of light that are amazing, and upstairs it shows the light and color necessary. The music is great.
The acting. It's amazing, as the rest of the movie. All the actors are great. Maggie Smith, with her wittiness, is perfect; Kelly McDonald, the leading, is soft spoken and has a good screen presence; Kristin Scott Thomas is charismatic; Claudie Blackley is touching and her character is deeply sympathetic; and all the others are great. This is deeply recommended 10/10
The directing is great, with the camera moving around in a beautiful way and it's never tiring. The editing is brilliant, letting you understand every plot and they all come together beautifully. The order of the scenes is also perfect. The cinematography is adequate; in the downstairs dark and with some hints of light that are amazing, and upstairs it shows the light and color necessary. The music is great.
The acting. It's amazing, as the rest of the movie. All the actors are great. Maggie Smith, with her wittiness, is perfect; Kelly McDonald, the leading, is soft spoken and has a good screen presence; Kristin Scott Thomas is charismatic; Claudie Blackley is touching and her character is deeply sympathetic; and all the others are great. This is deeply recommended 10/10