Me Without You (2001)

Director:

Sandra Goldbacher

Writers:

Sandra Goldbacher (screenplay) and
Laurence Coriat (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 November 2001 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

From Sandra Goldbacher, writer/director of The Governess, comes a film about the agonies and ecstasies of friendship.

Plot:

Two best friends grow up on the outskirts of London in the 1970s and 1980s.

Plot Keywords:

Movie Fan | Beret | Female Nudity | Nightclub | Teenage Crush

Awards:

2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. July 12	10:50 PM	PBS
Sun. July 13	2:20 AM	PBS
Wed. July 16	12:30 AM	PBS

Cast

Ella Jones	...	Young Holly
Anna Popplewell	...	Young Marina
Cameron Powrie	...	Young Nat
Trudie Styler	...	Linda
Allan Corduner	...	Max
Deborah Findlay	...	Judith
Nicky Henson	...	Ray
Anna Friel	...	Marina
Michelle Williams	...	Holly
Oliver Milburn	...	Nat
Hannah Bourne	...	Carolyn
Russell Mabey	...	Craig (as Russel Maybey)
Blake Ritson	...	Tim
Francis Lee	...	Paul
Eve Cooper-Rose	...	Sophie

Also Known As:

Meine beste Freundin (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexual content and drug use.

Runtime:

Germany:94 min (TV version) | USA:107 min

Country:

UK | Germany

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:MA | UK:15 | USA:R | Italy:T

Filming Locations:

Isle of Man

Company:

Fireworks Pictures

Trivia:

Anna Friel originally auditioned for the role of Holly.

Quotes:

Marina: You should dye your hair Holly, you look like a virgin.
Holly: I am a virgin.
Marina: But you don't need to broadcast it.

Movie Connections:

References Sjunde inseglet, Det (1957)

Soundtrack:

Aria

Surprisingly good...

Friendship is a curious thing, and it's a topic which hasn't been explored too recently at the cinema. Me Without You puts this right, following the relationship between Holly (Williams) and Marina (Friel) from the seventies through the present, watching as them grow up and exploring their feelings towards each other and each other's families.

Imagine a British answer to The Ice Storm or American Beauty, and you're about half-way there, as this contains performances of genuine passion and emotion which leads you to engage on a surprisingly deep level with the characters as it delves beneath the surface of friendship. There is a moment about an hour in with Holly where it was impossible not to feel her character's desperation. While mostly drama, there are many moments of subtle humour which are effective without disturbing the overall flow of the piece.

The direction, especially with some inspired lighting in the last half hour is more than adequate, and the soundtrack perfectly evokes the spirit of the era, as do the costumes which have obviously had great care taken over them.

More importantly, though, this is a film which will really make you think, make you question the nature of friendship and your friends - you'll want to recommend this film to them, but you probably won't for fear of losing them afterwards!

A delight, and not at all what you might expect from a British film starring an ex soap actress. The two leads put in fine performances, and the supporting cast more than pull their weight. It's fair to say that I felt some of the nudity and drug use were slightly gratuitous, but this is a criticism that could also be levelled at American Beauty to a certain extent. This isn't quite a five star film, but it's pretty close.