Is Anybody There?

2008
PG-13
1h 34m

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

5.1K

YOUR RATING

A drama set in a seaside English town circa 1987, which charts the unlikely friendship that develops between an acerbic old performer and the death-obsessed young son of the homeÂ’s overwhelmed owners.

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Drama

A lonely boy who lives in his parents' home for the elderly explores his obsession with the afterlife through his friendship with an aging magician.A lonely boy who lives in his parents' home for the elderly explores his obsession with the afterlife through his friendship with an aging magician.A lonely boy who lives in his parents' home for the elderly explores his obsession with the afterlife through his friendship with an aging magician.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

5.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 nominations

Trivia
The last movie of Elizabeth Spriggs (Prudence). She died during post-production.

Goofs
Some think the father's mustache at the party is a continuity error as he shaved it off that morning. However, it is a fancy dress party and the father is clearly wearing a fake mustache to go with his costume.

Quotes
Edward: [Reading a headstone] "Samuel Peet. Not Dead. Only Sleeping."
Clarence: Huh. He's gonna be pissed off when he wakes up.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: 17 Again/State of Play/Grey Gardens/Is Anybody There?/Earth (2009)

Soundtracks
Arthur C Clarke's Strange World
Written by Alan Hawkshaw
Published by ITV Productions / EMI Music Publishing Ltd
Courtesy of ITV Productions Ltd

User reviews45

Review

Featured review

A young lad fascinated by death befriends a retired magician.

Brilliant. I loved every minute of it.

The movie had the perfect mix of comedy and drama. It's a joy to watch Bill Milner (of Son of Rambow fame) go toe to toe with Michael Caine.

It was interesting to hear from the director how the movie originally had political undertones. As I recall from the Q&A at the TIFF screenings, the director said that the movie was set in the late 80s partly because of Margaret Thatcher - who declared that "There's no such thing as society... only individuals and families."

I'm glad they decided to skip the politics altogether though. It would have taken away from such a simple story that in itself is just beautiful one to watch.