Friday, April 13, 2007

Gideon’s Daughter


Yesterday I was able to watch this BBC made for TV movie again and for the second time it totally grabbed my attention. This made me think that I should write something here.

After checking the usual sites I noticed that probably not many people have seen this 2004 movie and it is a shame. Now is available in DVD, so maybe some will feel compel to rent it after learning some basic background.

This is a sensitive and poignant drama written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff that is set in the intense spring and summer of New Labor’s victory and Diana’s death. Tells the story of Gideon Warner (Bill Nighy) a PR guru who has to stop and re-evaluate his world when his daughter threatens to leave his life, perhaps as revenge for his serial infidelities. His daughter Natasha (Emily Blunt) that has become alienated from her father because his love for her is ardent to the point of claustrophobia; she harbors bitterness that he was absent during great swathes of her childhood and is anxious to put distance between herself and her father, she first plans a year abroad in remotest Colombia and then decamps to Edinburgh as a student. Last, but not least, Stella (Miranda Richardson) a mother trying to bury her grief in an unconventional way after the loss of her young son.

Performances by Nighy, Blunt and Richardson are outstanding and very credible. Emily Blunt, now more known to wider audiences thanks to the Devil wears Prada, sings in this movie and she does it quite well, but pay attention to the words… it is a painfully striking song! The song was nominated for a 2006 Emmy as outstanding original music (Adrian Johnston) and lyrics (Stephen Poliakoff).

For his remarkable performance Bill Nighy won the 2006 Satellite Awards for Best Actor in miniseries or a motion picture made for TV, this awards are given by the International Press academy. Also won the same award in the 2007 Golden Globes.

Emily Blunt won the 2007 Golden Globe for Best Performance in a supporting role for a series, mini-series or motion picture made for TV.

Miranda Richardson was nominated for a 2006 Satellite Awards for Best Actress in the same category and the movie got a nomination for best motion picture made for TV in the same awards.

With so many honors for the actors and the movie, this film is one not to miss. No tears here, this is drama that resembles very much reality for men and father-daughter realtionships; perhaps this makes the movie to appeal to audiences beyond traditional drama viewers.

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