Is Anybody There?

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Is Anybody There?

PG-13

2009

1h 32m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

65%

Tomatometer

112 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Edward (Bill Milner), 10 years old, lives in a house his financially strapped parents converted into a nursing home. Though he doesn't like having elderly housemates, he searches for evidence of an afterlife by recording their dying breaths. When Clarence (Michael Caine), an aging magician, moves into the home, Edward finally has a chance to make a real friend.

Critics Consensus

Though Michael Caine gives an excellent performance, Is Anybody There? features a cliche-filled story that ultimately falters.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

All in all, too many flaws converge to make this other than a predictable and maudlin disappointment, and that's about it, really.

Aug 29, 2018

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Rob Nelson

Variety

Profoundly (and some would say pleasurably) formulaic, the film possesses scant cinematic energy, relying wholly on the familiar transformation of a grumpy old man into an infectiously weepy humanist.

Sep 1, 2009

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Leo Goldsmith

IndieWire

The talent and craftsmanship of "Is Anybody There?" is ample, but it remains uncertain whether there's anybody here still interested in this all-too-familiar story.

Aug 8, 2009

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Felicia Feaster

Charleston City Paper

Crowley's fatal flaw here is a fear of painting the old folk's home as too grim, even as he strives at every turn to milk sentiment from death and dying.

Jan 27, 2020

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

IS ANYBODY THERE? -- They certainly are. This is pure Oscar gold in the shape of a heart.

Nov 8, 2019

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Kelly Jane Torrance

Washington Times

The film belongs, of course, to the masterful Mr. Caine. He brings a lifetime of experience moving us to do so once again as a regretful man who feels crushed under the weight of a lifetime of experience.

Rated: 3/4

Dec 8, 2018

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isla s

This is a touching, amusing and sad watch. I really liked the interaction between Michael Caines character and the young boy. I could understand things from both peoples points of view and I could certainly relate to the boys frustrations and isolation. Its a bit of a weepy type watch at times but it definitely has at least a hint of typical British dark humour, which I liked. It is definitely sentimental but it doesn't shy away from issues relating to old age. This film really appealed to me.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Dreadful. We love Michael Caine. We tried. The forced whimsy and black humor, the cartoonish characterizations, hamfisted direction, overacting, clunky editing -- we stopped after five minutes, then a few nights later I said "Let's at least watch to the point where Michael Caine arrives." That turned out to be a contrived "meet cute (meet angry)" setup. Agh! Just a dreadful, forced, charmless movie. Avoid.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

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Audience Member

This film is touching in so many levels as it deals with so many issues including life ,death and everything in-between. I am not going to spoil anything so I am just going to say that it is about a young boy growing up in an old people's home and a man living there dealing with his regrets. All the cast were wonderful but especially David Morrissey and Michael Cain. I think this is one of Michael Cain's greatest performance to date but lets not forget about Bill Milner and Anna Maria Duff who also gave great performances. The chemistry between Michael Cain and Bill Milner was very good and really does make the film the heart-warming comedy- drama that it is.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

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Audience Member

it was ok for what it was but i didn't like it that much.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

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Audience Member

Michael gives one of the finest acting master classes ever to hit the movie screen. The depth and complexity of his character is a marvel to behold. The rest of the cast add to this extraordinary play with aplomb making this a quiet treat. Nibbles: Jamaica Cake.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

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Audience Member

Enjoyable comedy drama set ion an old peoples home where an unlikely friendship is struck up between Caine and the young child

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

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John Crowley

Director

Michael Caine

Clarence

Bill Milner

Edward

Anne-Marie Duff

Edward's Mother

David Morrissey

Edward's Father

Rosemary Harris

Elsie

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Synopsis

Edward (Bill Milner), 10 years old, lives in a house his financially strapped parents converted into a nursing home. Though he doesn't like having elderly housemates, he searches for evidence of an afterlife by recording their dying breaths. When Clarence (Michael Caine), an aging magician, moves into the home, Edward finally has a chance to make a real friend.

Director: John Crowley
Producer: David Heyman, Peter Saraf, Marc Turtletaub
Screenwriter: Peter Harness
Distributor: Big Beach Films
Production Co: Big Beach, Heyday Films
Rating: PG-13 (Some Disturbing Images|Sexual References|Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 17, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.0M
Runtime: 1h 32m