Set in Edwardian England where upper lips are always stiff and men from the Colonies are not entirely to be trusted, Fisk Senior (Peter O'Toole) has little time or affection for his son, Fisk Junior (Jeremy Northam), but when the pair visits an eccentric Indian, they start a strange journey that eventually allows the old man to find his heart.
Special Agent Matti
You'll need to suspend your disbelief to watch Dean Spanley but once you do, you'll find yourself in a delightful Edwardian fantasy in which the Empire still reigns supreme, the gentleman is the epitome of English life and Peter O'Toole still looks like a cadaver. That would make this film is the thinking man's Weekend at Bernie's.
The key words that describe the movie are delicate, delightful, wistful, poignant, sweet, heart-warming, charming, witty and voyeuristic. There's no great philosophical examination but you do get to go on a strange journey into the slightly gothic, not to mention macabre, Victorian and Edwardian fascination with otherworldliness. The performances are as strong as you'd expect from this cast, from the dourness of O'Toole to the whimsicality of Sam Neill. Bryan Brown is an embarrassingly brash colonial while Jeremy Northam is like a dumpling floating in an Irish Stew (ie exactly right). Toa Fraser has kept a light touch with his direction, which is just what this movie needs.
The comedy, drama, NZ movie Dean Spanley is directed by Toa Fraser and stars Jeremy Northam, Sam Neill, Bryan Brown.
G
100 minutes (1:40 hours)
Film: 5 March 2009
