Is Anybody There?

PG-13

Released Apr 17, 2009

1 hr. 32 min.

Drama

List

66%

116 Reviews

Tomatometer

55%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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.

Read More

Read Less

Critics Consensus

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

Read Critics Reviews

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

john m

Bland and pretty aimless in direction. This could be a very heartwarming tale but its focus is all over the place and there's not a lot of clear direction on the relationship between Michael Caine and the boy which is what it seems to be about.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

John Crowley

Director

Michael Caine

Clarence

Bill Milner

Edward

Anne-Marie Duff

Edward's Mother

David Morrissey

Edward's Father

Rosemary Harris

Elsie

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

65%

84%

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

63%

64%

King of California

63%

55%

The Beaver

87%

72%

Rabbit Hole

93%

80%

An Education

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Critics Consensus: 17 Again Is Sweet And Poignant

View more photos

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

Full Review

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: B

Feb 18, 2012

Full Review

David Fear

Time Out

Rated: 2/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

Read all reviews

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
Executive Producer: David M. Thompson, Christine Langan
Screenwriter: Peter Harness
Distributor: Big Beach Films
Production Co: Heyday Films, Big Beach
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