A group of ordinary British women embark upon the first all-female outward-bound course in the UK. While trying to survive in the outdoors, they also face up to what's lacking in their own lives.
Sounds boring huh?
Well, you'd think that this is a slow-moving dirge, with a group of middle-aged frumps railing against the state of their lives, but for some reason it doesn't turn out like that.
I found the whole group to be engaging. With a complete cross-section of ages and temperaments, they seem to represent the complete dynamic of female society, right through from your granny to your best friend.
Though this is primarily an ensemble piece, Julie Walters as the wise-cracking Fran provides the focus, as she becomes friend to some members of the group yet is an object of disdain for others. All of the women reveal something about themselves during the course, whether it's the feminist who is disgusted that she needs a man in her life, or the young housewife who can't decide whether divorce is the answer, but Fran undergoes a complete transformation from not really caring about the course or the group, to admitting her vulnerability and loneliness and giving the final exercise her all.
The film is not a spectacle, but rather shows women being women, talking about sensitive issues and supporting each other, which I think turns some people off. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would heartily recommend it.
