Imdb Ranking 6.8
The movie, set in Ireland at Christmastime, in the Woodlands, a residential home Four of the residents are : Donald, a retired judge; Heather and Hazel, spinster sisters who continually argue; and Georgia (Vanessa Redgrave) a former showgirl now hooked on martinis. These four difficult lodgers have driven away workers and other lodgers with their antics, and now the stability of the Woodlands is threatened.
The house is run by the strict Kate, and when her wild younger sister Ellie comes to help for the holidays to save for another round the world trip. We then see Georgia terrorizing the help, as she accuses them of stealing while looking for a lost earring. Ellie takes a liking to Alice who is living out her last days with her memories at the home. Against nurse's orders Ellie takes her down to the river on a rainy day. The nest day Alice dies, and Ellie is devastated.
,br> when the holidays come only Donald, Heather, Hazel and Georgia remain. Ellie and Kate's mom has a stroke and Kate heads home and leaves Ellie in charge. Donald calls Ellie at 5:30am to order his breakfast. Georgia sings "How About You" while walking around.
Ellie starts discovering things about her charges. Hazel is a very good painter. Heather has tried to keep Hazel from meeting her son that was taken from her thirty five years ago by her father, who she says ruined all their lives. Hazel has been writing as Heather to her son Simon saying she doesn't want to see him.
Georgia sneaks over to the local pub where Ellie discovers her leading the pub in singing "How About You." Georgia explains how after her husband died sh had nowhere to go, which is why she is at Woodland.
Ellie tells them that they are going to have a Christmas dinner together and when they start complaining she goes off on them, telling them Woodland could close because of their behavior and they would be out on the streets. Donald starts to talk to Ellie about his late wife. He regrets not sobering up before she died.
The group forms a committee to plan the dinner. First they are all going to go out shopping, but Hazel does not go out. They head out and end in a bar that is decorated with Hazel's paintings. Donald tells them how he was forced to retire because of his drinking. Hazel tells Ellie how she had a boyfriend who was a painter, and her father locked her in her room for months. Meanwhile heather starts winning on the pool table.
At the dinner they all get along and have a great time. The nest day Mr. Evans from the Department of Health shows up and says that Ms. Harris' license will be revoked. The residents try to talk Mr. Evans to stay with them for dinner. He leaves but he comes back and apologizes telling them that his wife just left him, so he comes for dinner.
When Kate pulls up in her car Hazel is painting outside, Heather is working in the garden and Donald and Georgia are sitting talking. Ellie decides to leave but says that first she is going to spend some time with her mother.
A decent movie, modeled after One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, but it just wasn't as good. It didn't have the comedy or the drama of that great movie but then again, very few movies are that good. And if you are going to play "How About You", it has to be the Frank Sinatra version. Vanessa Redgrave was really good in this.
