This movie is brilliant, really it is. The fact that it is based on a true story only adds to it and makes it that much better.
Basically, this movie is following Harold Guppy, a man who we want to like but does some pretty despicable things on our road to the ending. He seems like he's had quite a bit of trouble in his life (he lets us know in a discussion with his brother) and he wants to start fresh. This won't be the only time he has such ambitions.
Harold is immediately welcomed into a family who are looking to rent a room. Enter Julie Walters. Although it's a nice, friendly, relationship at first, Harold and Mrs. Beasley's relationship soon turn sexual (though he's in his 30's and she her 50's), where they even result in having sex in bed with Mrs. Beasley's (or as he calls her, Mum's) daughter Joyce.
Their relationship is smooth enough until Harold decides he wants to get out. Mum has this psychological control over him and it isn't healthy. They are now regularly sleeping together (with Joyce still in the bed) and Harold needs to get out of the situation. So he escapes, at least, for a while.
Soon enough Mum has control of him again, saying she'll tell the police that Harold sexually abused Joyce. So here he is again, back in Mum's control.
We are led to believe that Harold really is a good boy, just a weak one. We have compassion for him, as he really needs Mum (it's not as if he ever had one growing up), and he can't escape. But he must.
All the way to the end, we pity our Harold as everything falls apart. And it does fall apart for poor Harold.
This movie is sad in its simplicity and we do feel for many of the characters, Harold's brother and wife, Mum's children, Joyce, Mr. Beasley, the list goes on.
I'd suggest this movie a million times over. The film-maker films each shot so coldly, there never really is any sunshine, and everything seems so grey...it's reminiscent of the relationship Harold and Mum have. Icy.
Julie Walters and Rupert Graves deliver masterly performances, as well as the young girl who is Joyce. Congrats to everyone who worked on this film, it's amazing.
