"Better a fallen rocket than never a burst of light."
~ Tom Stoppard, The Invention of Love

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Mrs. Caldicot’s Cabbage War (2002)

 
Truthfully, I picked this film today because the title piqued my interest. I’m glad I did; Mrs. Caldicot’s Cabbage War is a fun jaunt, a sort of lighthearted, nursing-home rendition of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
 
Mrs. Caldicot has just become a widow. In her mind, it means she’s out from under her domineering husband’s thumb. She’s been browbeaten for decades, and she’s ready for her life to resume. Unfortunately, her son and daughter-in-law don’t think she’s fit to look after herself and send her to a nursing home that’s more concerned with cost-cutting than resident care. While there, Mrs. Caldicot and her new friends take on the staff in an attempt to regain a little independence and dignity for themselves.
 
PC plays Derek, Mrs. Caldicot’s not-exactly-offspring-of-the-year son. Derek is overstressed and overworked, and he doesn’t have time to bother with his mother, especially not when her house could be used so much more profitably without her in it.
 
Let’s face it: he’s kind of a weasel. No complaints about PC’s performance, but Derek is a fairly one-note villain and, as such, isn’t as interesting as Mrs. Caldicot and some of the other residents.
 
And a little something for the Whovians – Pauline Collins (Queen Victoria from "Tooth and Claw") plays Mrs. Caldicot, and watch for a brief appearances by Annette Badland and Camille Coduri, Jackie Tyler herself.
 
Accent Watch
 
Well… it’s definitely English, but I’m not quite sure if it’s supposed to be RP or London. It keeps kind of shifting back and forth; tsk, tsk, PC…
 
Recommend?
 
In General – Sure. It’s a fun, imaginative film with a lot of spark. In a way, it reminds me of Heroes (the Stoppard-adapted play, not the TV show), and that’s a good thing in my book!
 
PC-wise – Hit or miss. PC has plenty of screen time but not a lot to do. And did I mention weasel?
 
Warnings
 
The beginning is kind of unsettling, when you see how controlling Mrs. Caldicot’s husband was. Other than that, a few sexual references. Pretty tame.


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