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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