Cal Macaninch Movies
Directed by Shona Auerbach, Dear Frankie revolves around nine-year-old Frankie (Jack McElhone) and his mother, Lizzie (Emily Mortimer). The mother and son duo have been on the run for as long as Frankie, who has been deaf for years, can remember. In an effort to protect Frankie from the truth -- that a psychotic father, whose physical abuse caused his hearing loss, is at the root of their constant need to move from one home to the next -- Lizzie pens a series of letters from Frankie's "father" in hopes of assuaging his curiosity. However, when Frankie becomes convinced that his father is taking a break from his exotic adventures and making his way back home, Lizzie must make a tough decision: find another way to pacify Frankie's desire to meet his father or tell him the awful truth. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
- Starring:
- Emily Mortimer, Jack McElhone, (more)
- 2000
Joanne Whalley stars in this slick British thriller about the usual bond between a mentally-scarred psychologist and a traumatized prostitute. Dr. Caroline Henshaw (Whalley) is a sexophobic, anorexic, workaholic shrink who puts her work ahead of her relationship with her long-suffering husband (Neil Dudgeon). When she encounters masseuse and battered wife Sandra Maitland, she comes to believe that the girl's thuggish mate should die...and sets out to do the deed. This film was screened at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- Starring:
- Joanne Whalley
- 2000
Mary McGuckian directs this bleak biopic about famed Manchester United soccer star George Best, who dumped his career down the drain with booze, brawling, and drugs. The film charts Best's (John Lynch) rise from Belfast, to fame, to dissipation. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Lynch, Ian Bannen, (more)
- 1999
The ambitious two-part British miniseries Warriors (aka Peacekeepers) managed to put a human face on the war in Bosnia, and also raised several provocative questions concerning the U.K.'s controversial participation in the conflict. By focusing on a select group of soldiers and their families, the production analyzed the troops' effectiveness in the bloody campaign, and whether or not it was worth the sacrifice. In Citizen Kane fashion, the story began with the British battlefield involvement itself, then flashed back to the events leading up to the conflict -- and flash-forwarded to the aftermath. When originally telecast in Britain on November 20 and 21, 1999, Warriors was followed by a live debate over the issues touched upon in the film. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Matthew MacFadyen, Cal Macaninch, (more)
The Lost Son brings together talented British director Chris Menges with a well-known face of French cinema, Daniel Auteuil, who plays a detective in self-exile in London who deals mostly with cases of adultery. At the same time, he is trying to come to terms with the ghosts of his past. While trying to locate the brother-in-law of an old friend who once saved his life, he finds himself in the middle of a network of pedophiles. The director tries to avoid voyeurism or over-simplification in dealing with such a sensitive issue. The tone is not judgmental. One memorable image sums up the thrust of the film: a silent boy urinating on the corpse of one of his torturers. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Auteuil, Nastassja Kinski, (more)
- 1998
Three friends -- married couple Billy and Ruby (Cal MacIninch and Rachel Fielding) and their single friend Sammy (Richard Mylan) -- meet and talk about old times. It seems the three first met when they were adolescents and all suffering through a harsh upbringing in a state home for children, which left them emotionally damaged. Further, all is not well with them as adults; Billy and Ruby are on the verge of divorce, Ruby wants to be with Sammy, and Sammy wants both of them to move in with him. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cal Macaninch, Rachel Fielding, (more)
British documentary filmmaker Phil Agland turned to drama with this re-creation of Thomas Hardy's rural Wessex of the late 19th century, adapted from Hardy's 1887 novel. In the woodland Wessex community of Little Hintock, laconic woodsman Giles Winterbourne (Rufus Sewell) lives in a cottage belonging to the lady of the manor, Mrs. Charmond (Polly Walker). Peasant girl Marty (Jodhi May), who sells her hair to wigmakers, is attracted to Giles. However, Grace (Emily Woof, of The Full Monty), daughter of local timber-merchant Melbury (Tony Haygarth), returns home from finishing school. Giles and Grace were once childhood sweethearts, but class barriers now stand in their way. Grace marries young Dr. Fitzpiers (Cal MacAninch), and the happy newlyweds depart on their honeymoon. Fitzpiers' true snobbish colors begin to surface, and his philandering ways eventually lead Grace back to Giles. Shown at the 1997 London Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Emily Woof, Rufus Sewell, (more)
- 1995
- NR
A gay man in the final stages of AIDS suffers terrible mood-swings causing additional suffering for his devoted lover in this British drama. Tom, the sick one, is from Glasgow. His lover Ira, is a US television correspondent. Together they live in London where Ira works. The changing moods are difficult for both, and Tom, searching for peace decides to return to Scotland to reconcile with his family. Unfortunately, his emotions rage out of control and nothing works out as he had hoped. Ira shows up and makes matters worse. Both end up tossed out and forced to return to London. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
Splitting Heirs is a dull mistaken identity comedy about a British Duke (Eric Idle) who is switched at birth when his parents accidentally left him behind in a restaurant, picking up the wrong baby by mistake. Idle is raised by Pakistanis and when he discovers his true identity, he begins plotting to kill the American (Rick Moranis) who is the unwitting imposter. His plans go awry, and Idle hires a lawyer (John Cleese) to help him regain his title. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rick Moranis, Eric Idle, (more)
- 1991
Made for British television, Alive and Kicking is the bleak but compelling story of two druggies. Smudgen (Lenny Henry) is not only a user but a dealer; his wife Marie (Annabelle Apsion) is in what seems to be a perpetually strung-out state. When Marie has a baby, the authorities take the child away from her because neither she nor Smudgeon show any signs of straightening out. Enter social worker Liam Kane, played by the formidable Robbie Coltrane. Kane's violent, abrasive "cold turkey" technique has a positive effect on the couple, though one wonders if it is truly going to last. In contrast to Smudgeon and Marie, Jane Horrocks appears as Gail, an addict who is perfectly satisfied with her life...or what's left of it. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
