User reviews

A well-observed comedy-drama of a man's sudden discovery of the joys and pains of fatherhood which makes good Sunday night viewing. Harry Silver's comfortable life as a TV producer of low-grade personality chat shows is disturbed when after a one-night stand with an assistant, his wife Gina, having zero tolerance for infidelity, leaves him for a job in Japan, and he has to act as sole nurturer to Pat, his winsome five-year-old son.

Ioan Gryffud is indeed in a different element here, but he provides Harry with the sense of increasing desperation required. He is well supported especially by 7 year old Dominic Howell as Pat. Natasha Little, a specialist at such roles, is excellent as the attractive but self-obsessed Gina and Elizabeth Mitchell (who really is from Dallas, Texas) is a nice contrast as the equally good looking but much nicer American woman Harry eventually falls for.

There is also some fine support from Jack Sheppard as Harry's crusty but concerned father and Pauline Collins as his mother. Ian McNiesh as Harry's lawyer also puts in a spirited performance – I can see him as the next Rumpole. Ian McShane was also enjoyable as Harry's mendacious chat show host.

Although Harry's lifestyle might be fatuous, his relationship with his son becomes the real thing and we feel for Harry when it is threatened. This is made easier for us because Gina is so unsympathetic – you get the impression she felt trapped by the marriage (while pretending to be happy) and was looking for an excuse to end it, grab the kid and leave. The scriptwriters go for a soft ending and in the end Harry, despite refusing to put up a fight, gets all that he wants.

Pleasant Sunday night entertainment – a bit like Hornblower really.

This is the first time I have seen a BBC movie. I was very impressed but I was very impressed with Elizabeth Mitchell. She had every range of emotions in this movie and she rocked. I was glad to see that she got her fair amount of screen time in this movie and that her talents were used. Good movie....

This is based on a book, and has been transformed from paper to screen extremely well. Ioan Gruffudd plays Harry, and portrays him with excellence. Although it isn't meant to be a comedy, it has it's moments. 'Green spagetti' and 'Star Wars' are two main features (you have to have seen it to understand them). One of the funny moments is when Harry is washing his son's hair in the bath, but Pat (the son) doesn't like it because his mother, who has left, and struggles. Harry responds by saying "Does Luke Skywalker cry when he has his hair washed?", and Pat says defiantly, "No!". This drama is ridden with quips, and is a wonderful piece of acting.

In a departure from form Ioan Gruffudd plays Harry, a modern Londoner heading for a premature middle-age crisis, which manifests itself when he buys a jaguar and has a one-night stand with a co-worker. Harry's wife Gina discovers his infidelity and rather abruptly ditches him and moves to Japan, leaving their son Pat in the dubious care of her hippy father. Harry looses his job as a TV producer and decides to retrieve Pat and throw himself into the role of the single parent. The interaction between Gruffudd and Dominic Howell is perfect and very believable, in contrast the relationship with his parents seemed rather forced. In an attempt to replicate the novel, Harry's thoughts are voiced by means of a wry and occasionally moving voiceover, which is both amusing and distracting. Regrettably, Ioan Gruffudd's natural Welsh intonation is replaced by a wavering London accent, which at times leaves him sounding a little flat. However a handful of chest shots should keep the majority of his fans happy. It was certainly a brave attempt to break the `Hornblower' mode, but it is difficult to see Ioan as a less noble and moral character. Additionally, he can't possibly be thirty! I found Gina deeply unsympathetic, the American waitress Syd, in a similar situation, was more favourable. The tone varied between poignant and hilarious, the character of the embittered lawyer was particularly entertaining. Apparently this novel is to be re-adapted for the US market. This is unfortunate, as the London setting seems intrinsic to the story, also although a US audience would appreciate the son's obsession with Star Wars, perhaps not with the same dry humour. Certainly the character of Marty, the obnoxious chat-show host will be familiar the world-over!