It is presented as comedy, and judged as comedy it is only partially successful.

~ Val Kermode -

It is presented as comedy, and judged as comedy it is only partially successful.

~ Val Kermode -

Loach lets those who lived through this speak for themselves.

~ Val Kermode -

Loach lets those who lived through this speak for themselves.

~ Val Kermode -

Despite all the lingering close ups, it's hard to feel anything for these women.

~ Val Kermode -

Despite all the lingering close ups, it's hard to feel anything for these women.

~ Val Kermode -

Sakaguchi draws raw and unflinching performances from his actors.

~ Val Kermode -

Sakaguchi draws raw and unflinching performances from his actors.

~ Val Kermode -

There is hardly any suspense and never any change of tempo. Or to put it in a positive light, it rattles along at a good pace with plenty of self-mocking humour.

~ Val Kermode -

There is hardly any suspense and never any change of tempo. Or to put it in a positive light, it rattles along at a good pace with plenty of self-mocking humour.

~ Val Kermode -

This fast-paced film takes us through five months of meetings, plans and photo shoots without ever losing momentum.

~ Val Kermode -

This fast-paced film takes us through five months of meetings, plans and photo shoots without ever losing momentum.

~ Val Kermode -

This is a gentle comedy which probably won't make you laugh out loud, but it is full of rich visual detail that will make you smile.

~ Val Kermode -

This is a gentle comedy which probably won't make you laugh out loud, but it is full of rich visual detail that will make you smile.

~ Val Kermode -

Hot girls aren’t always secure. Sometimes they need an ordinary guy, one they feel safe with. Yeah, right.

~ Val Kermode -

Hot girls aren’t always secure. Sometimes they need an ordinary guy, one they feel safe with. Yeah, right.

~ Val Kermode -

The joke soon wears thin.

~ Val Kermode -

The joke soon wears thin.

~ Val Kermode -

You couldn’t make it up!

~ Val Kermode -

You couldn’t make it up!

~ Val Kermode -

An excellent mix of real and virtual world visuals keeps all this highly entertaining.

~ Val Kermode -

An excellent mix of real and virtual world visuals keeps all this highly entertaining.

~ Val Kermode -

For a short while I thought this might be an entertainingly bad film. It isn't.

~ Val Kermode -

For a short while I thought this might be an entertainingly bad film. It isn't.

~ Val Kermode -

The fact that the director is a long-time friend of Rachel means that there was a lot of trust involved when filming her work.

~ Val Kermode -

The fact that the director is a long-time friend of Rachel means that there was a lot of trust involved when filming her work.

~ Val Kermode -

This is a deserving Oscar winner and I urge you to see it.

~ Val Kermode -

This is a deserving Oscar winner and I urge you to see it.

~ Val Kermode -

By opening up his story Hood may reach a wider audience and this is a subject which certainly cries out for more attention.

~ Val Kermode -

By opening up his story Hood may reach a wider audience and this is a subject which certainly cries out for more attention.

~ Val Kermode -

When I watched this film, many in the audience were in tears.

~ Val Kermode -

When I watched this film, many in the audience were in tears.

~ Val Kermode -

Entertaining and stylish.

~ Val Kermode -

Entertaining and stylish.

~ Val Kermode -

This is no talking heads documentary. Cameras take us into the displacement camps of Uganda, where local survivors talk of their babies beaten to death.

~ Val Kermode -

This is no talking heads documentary. Cameras take us into the displacement camps of Uganda, where local survivors talk of their babies beaten to death.

~ Val Kermode -

Instead of going for the more interesting option, this settles for being a “things exploding” movie.

~ Val Kermode -

Instead of going for the more interesting option, this settles for being a “things exploding” movie.

~ Val Kermode -

Ryan Reynolds suggests he could give a really good comic performance with better material. Sandra Bullock doesn’t.

~ Val Kermode -

Ryan Reynolds suggests he could give a really good comic performance with better material. Sandra Bullock doesn’t.

~ Val Kermode -

Captivating, cleverly written and beautifully played by the two leads.

~ Val Kermode -

Captivating, cleverly written and beautifully played by the two leads.

~ Val Kermode -

Tahar Rahim makes Malik believable and sympathetic as a profoundly disadvantaged child rapidly learning to become a man.

~ Val Kermode -

Tahar Rahim makes Malik believable and sympathetic as a profoundly disadvantaged child rapidly learning to become a man.

~ Val Kermode -

Spurlock is mesmerising in his pitches.

~ Val Kermode -

Spurlock is mesmerising in his pitches.

~ Val Kermode -

Funny and also very sad.

~ Val Kermode -

Funny and also very sad.

~ Val Kermode -

This soon begins to feel like a good idea stretched too thinly.

~ Val Kermode -

This soon begins to feel like a good idea stretched too thinly.

~ Val Kermode -

Prepare to be absorbed, fascinated, disturbed.

~ Val Kermode -

Prepare to be absorbed, fascinated, disturbed.

~ Val Kermode -

When Davies says “The world was young and oh, how we laughed,” he sounds like Death waiting to take it all away.

~ Val Kermode -

When Davies says “The world was young and oh, how we laughed,” he sounds like Death waiting to take it all away.

~ Val Kermode -

The film-makers have a good eye for detail.

~ Val Kermode -

The film-makers have a good eye for detail.

~ Val Kermode -

The overall, very sad message of the film is that here is a nation of people freed from the gruelling work patterns of the past, but who now find themselves trapped in dull, monotonous and soul-destroying jobs.

~ Val Kermode -

The overall, very sad message of the film is that here is a nation of people freed from the gruelling work patterns of the past, but who now find themselves trapped in dull, monotonous and soul-destroying jobs.

~ Val Kermode -

Catherine Zeta Jones never manages to engage our sympathy as someone mourning her sister or truly caring for her niece.

~ Val Kermode -

Catherine Zeta Jones never manages to engage our sympathy as someone mourning her sister or truly caring for her niece.

~ Val Kermode -

As a study of one character, this could have been very effective, but done three times it becomes rather tedious.

~ Val Kermode -

As a study of one character, this could have been very effective, but done three times it becomes rather tedious.

~ Val Kermode -

It is easy to engage with this family, who seem totally relaxed with the presence of cameras.

~ Val Kermode -

It is easy to engage with this family, who seem totally relaxed with the presence of cameras.

~ Val Kermode -

From the opening credits, this is a visual treat.

~ Val Kermode -

From the opening credits, this is a visual treat.

~ Val Kermode -

Taken as a whole, this makes a fine and entertaining six hours of viewing.

~ Val Kermode -

Taken as a whole, this makes a fine and entertaining six hours of viewing.

~ Val Kermode -

We have to ask ourselves whether we are watching a child being exploited or whether we are ourselves guilty of exploitation.

~ Val Kermode -

We have to ask ourselves whether we are watching a child being exploited or whether we are ourselves guilty of exploitation.

~ Val Kermode -

I can’t believe that Mike Newell, who once made the wonderful Dance With A Stranger, could turn out something as awful as this.

~ Val Kermode -

I can’t believe that Mike Newell, who once made the wonderful Dance With A Stranger, could turn out something as awful as this.

~ Val Kermode -

This is a film with a fine regard for detail, and it is neither mocking nor deferential.

~ Val Kermode -

This is a film with a fine regard for detail, and it is neither mocking nor deferential.

~ Val Kermode -

Good performances from two of the leads cannot save this dreary film.

~ Val Kermode -

Good performances from two of the leads cannot save this dreary film.

~ Val Kermode -

This beautiful and intelligent film is generally regarded as Visconti’s masterpiece.

~ Val Kermode -

This beautiful and intelligent film is generally regarded as Visconti’s masterpiece.

~ Val Kermode -

There are some amazing performances here.

~ Val Kermode -

There are some amazing performances here.

~ Val Kermode -

Taking a subjective view, some may find this film too self-consciously packed with significance.

~ Val Kermode -

Taking a subjective view, some may find this film too self-consciously packed with significance.

~ Val Kermode -

Despite the bravery of some of the interviewees, I would have liked more answers.

~ Val Kermode -

Despite the bravery of some of the interviewees, I would have liked more answers.

~ Val Kermode -

Lowell and Mortimer’s cinematography is excellent.

~ Val Kermode -

Lowell and Mortimer’s cinematography is excellent.

~ Val Kermode -

It is a wonderful comment on the French as a nation that they can take something like this so very, very seriously.

~ Val Kermode -

It is a wonderful comment on the French as a nation that they can take something like this so very, very seriously.

~ Val Kermode -

What really makes this sparkle is the outstanding script from writer Diablo Cody.

~ Val Kermode -

What really makes this sparkle is the outstanding script from writer Diablo Cody.

~ Val Kermode -

The children tell us in their words and in their silence all we need to know.

~ Val Kermode -

The children tell us in their words and in their silence all we need to know.

~ Val Kermode -

Stick with it, because this turns into a very funny and feelgood film.

~ Val Kermode -

Stick with it, because this turns into a very funny and feelgood film.

~ Val Kermode -

It is good to see Kristin Scott Thomas, often underused, in a role which makes real demands on her talents.

~ Val Kermode -

It is good to see Kristin Scott Thomas, often underused, in a role which makes real demands on her talents.

~ Val Kermode -

This is really just a humorous device to examine a serious subject, the multiple problems of modern Italy.

~ Val Kermode -

This is really just a humorous device to examine a serious subject, the multiple problems of modern Italy.

~ Val Kermode -

Just as An Inconvenient Truth was able to reach a wide audience thanks to a strong message well presented, this film has the potential to do the same.

~ Val Kermode -

Just as An Inconvenient Truth was able to reach a wide audience thanks to a strong message well presented, this film has the potential to do the same.

~ Val Kermode -