Allelujah

Audience Reviews

View All (5) audience reviews

Paul T The movie took a turn that was unexpected. I was left disappointed and upset. Foxtel, the viewing platform I used was disingenuous in its brief explanation of movie. Quoting "when the geriatric ward in a small Yorkshire hospital is threatened with closure, the hospital decides to fight back." This synopsis was not the movie I watched. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 07/14/24 Full Review Karl J What a muddled mess. Is is a hospital or an old folks home? The "patients" seemed relatively healthy and the togetherness forced. Jennifer Saunders was not convincing as a caring nurse. The plot has been done before with more laughs and more tears. A disappointing movie all round. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/04/24 Full Review Satin B eFn BBC cardboard sandwich ⚠️ Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/02/24 Full Review Alan W Based on a recent Alan Bennett play which has been described as a love letter to UK's National Health Service, Richard Eyre's film, with a screenplay adapted by Heidi Thomas, is set in a fictional Yorkshire hospital specialising in geriatric care which is threatened with closure due to cost cutting. Weaving together various individual vignettes of both patients and staff, it seeks to paint a picture of a state-run medical system whose resources are stretched paper thin whilst advocating on behalf of the less-than-glamorous sector of elderly care and their importance in a modern developed society. This is mostly a sweet film, and come the final scene, an emotionally rousing call-to-arms to save a thoroughly British institution that many of us come to depend upon as a matter of life and death. So it's rather odd, if not contradictory, for the script to have such an unexpected genre-switching sting at the end, which can do its main objective a disservice. Far be it for me to criticise a national treasure such as Bennett, but this fictional hospital unrealistically seems to function with only one doctor (probably betraying its theatrical roots) whilst the storylines here don't raise far beyond the level of that one finds in Holby City. What does impress, in this well-intentioned but curious film, is Jennifer Saunders' performance, channelling Julie Walters, as the head nurse, where she's so immerse into her character, you forget you're watching the comedienne plays a non-comedic role. It's also great to see David Bradley in a meatier role that allows him to work his acting muscles, which he does so rather beautifully, as does Derek Jacobi in a smaller role; while Judi Dench fans should be warned that she's only peripherally here to boost the wattage of a thoroughly British cast of thespians. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/10/24 Full Review Louise L Classic Alan Bennett, brilliant as always Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/29/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Allelujah

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW