Phyllida Law Movies

Two strangers find their chance meeting in a South London train station suddenly bringing together two entirely separate groups of friends, colleagues, lovers, and acquaintances in director Roger Goldby's tale of intersecting lives. Anna (Anne-Marie Duff) and Stephen (Rolf Little) were sitting in a deserted train platform when kindly senior citizen Roger (Frank Finlay) engaged them in conversation while eagerly awaiting the arrival of his beloved wife. As they listen to Roger fondly reminiscing about all of the things that he and his wife did when they were younger, Anna and Stephen realize that they have made a real connection and, if only for a moment, allow their individual lives to slip out of focus. Having recently separated from Toby (Adrian Bower), single mother Anna is now faced with the task of bringing up her young daughter Charlie all by herself. Anna's neighbors are married young parents Jem (Zoe Telford) and George (Rupert Graves). While Jem and Anna are close friends who share all of their secrets, the one thing that Anna hasn't let out is the fact that she has entered into a troublesome affair with George. Stephen, on the other hand, has recently moved in with Fiona (Christine Bottomly), who is so eager to start a family that even her parents are pressuring she and Stephen to get pregnant. But the more intense the pressure gets, the less certain Stephen becomes that he is prepared for such a commitment. It seems like the only peace Stephen can find these days is in his work at a local old folk's home and his friendship with understanding resident Helen (Phyllida Law). Later, after Stephen and Anna go their separate ways, their lives both move into a pivotal period as they find themselves wondering just what would happen should they ever meet again. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A pair of dentists deal their own unique blow against the Third Reich in this low-key British comedy, which is actually based on a true story. In 1942, war rages all through Europe as Nazi Germany has taken France, attacked London, and defeated British forces at Dunkirk. In the midst of this chaos, Sgt. Peter King (Kenneth Cranham) and Pvt. Leslie Cuthbertson (Leo Bill) are serving in the village of Aldershot as part of the Royal Army Dental Corps, whose motto is "An Army Who Can't Bite, Can't Fight!" Eager to do more than fill cavities or pull wisdom teeth as the fate of Great Britain hangs in the balance, Sgt. King hatches a mad scheme to leave his post, make his way across the English Channel, and launch his own miniature invasion of France. Logically assuming that some assistance would be a good idea, he persuades Pvt. Cuthbertson to join him, and armed with ten grenades, a pair of pistols, and 20 bullets, they set out to take on the Vichy troops all by themselves. Derek Jacobi and Rosanna Lavelle highlight the supporting cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

An American businessman rents a cottage in Ireland, only to find the cottage is also inhabited by leprechauns as well. Soon, the American finds himself embroiled in a fierce dispute between the leprechauns and their enemies, the fairies, that only he can help settle. ~ All Movie Guide

Mad Cows is a slapstick comedy about sex and the singles scene. Single and confused Maddy has just had a baby. The first day that she goes out with her baby, she gets arrested at Harrods for shoplifting. While in detention at the Holloway Prison's Mother and Baby Unit, she smuggles Jack out in her friend's handbag. She seeks help from her ex-lover Alex, who is sure he is god's gift to women. In the meanwhile, the prison psychotherapist Edwina Phelps is on Maddy's back. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide

The ghost of a dead child preoccupies a woman in this British made-for-television supernatural thriller. Emma Thompson stars as Marie, a woman trapped in an unhappy marriage to philandering husband Joe (Adrian Dunbar). When the couple goes on holiday, Marie gets obsessed with the ghost of a little boy who drowned in a nearby lake. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide

A charming grifter who boldly feeds off the greed of others must straighten up before he loses everything in this British crime drama featuring House M.D. star Hugh Laurie. Leo Hopkins (Laurie) is the kind of con man who can sweet talk his way out of even the tightest of jams; he isn't afraid to take risks, and most of the time those risks pay off amicably. Eventually, Leo's nefarious ways catch up to him as his gambling addiction becomes a serious problem, his secretary seduces him, and his morally bankrupt boss gives him a troubling ultimatum. Now, as this unrepentant deceiver watches his life go up in flames, he'll be forced to make a decision that could alter the course of his entire life. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Waking Ned Divine (1998) meets Up in Smoke (1978) in this wacky British comedy about growing marijuana. Grace Trevethan (Brenda Blethyn is a cheerful upper-class housewife and gardening enthusiast who is blithefully unaware of business matters. This all changes when she learns that her husband fell from an airplane without a parachute. Her husband's numerous hare-brained schemes at getting rich quick left their accounts in utter ruin. Worse, if she does not raise 300,000 pounds quickly, she might lose her manor. Out of sheer desperation, she turns to her oddball Scottish gardener Matthew (Craig Ferguson), who suggests growing pot. Grace puts her green thumb to work, and in the blink of an eye the greenhouse is converted into the biggest marijuana farm in Cornwall. Soon, word gets out to the not unsympathetic townspeople, including the local doctor -- who is somewhat of a pot enthusiast -- and a horror flick-loving Vicar. Unfortunately, a nervy French drug lord (Tcheky Karyo) also learns of their scheme and soon starts causing trouble. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

Adapted from a stage play by Sharman McDonald, this film marks the directorial debut of British character actor Alan Rickman. Set against a bleak winter landscape of rural Scotland, the story centers around the recently widowed Frances (Emma Thompson) and a visit from her mother, Elspeth (Phyllida Law, Thompson's real-life mother). Elspeth seeks to console Frances, but Frances resists. The mother and daughter have a prickly relationship. While they thrust and parry emotionally, Frances' son Alex (Gary Hollywood) longs for the tomboy Nita (Arlene Cockburn). Two young boys, Tom (Sean Biggerstaff) and Sam (Douglas Murphy), are in the neighborhood looking for adventure. Two older women, Chloe (Sandra Voe) and Lily (Sheila Reed), go to funerals of strangers. The epidosic film eventually ties together all these characters in a surprising way, but the core of the drama is the evolution of the difficult mother-daughter relationship. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide

Innocent Victim is a psychological thriller based on the Ruth Rendell novel Tree of Hands. London based, best-selling author, Benet (Helen Shaver), who has just written a controversial novel, lives alone with her young son. Benet's mother, Marsha (Lauren Becall), visiting from the United States, is a manic-depressive who has psychotic episodes. When Benet's young son dies, Marsha kidnaps a local child to serve as a substitute. Benet believes she should return the child but upon investigation she finds out that the child has been severely abused by his parents. After the child's disappearance, the parents are charged with the murder. A more skillful filmmaker might have dealt, as the novel does, with the moral issues of guilt and responsibility and the terrible moral dilemma faced by Benet. Instead, director Giles Foster presents the film in a rather straightforward, nonjudgmental fashion which allows for little character growth and diminishes the impact of what should be an ironic and disturbing ending. Innocent Victim, while at times compelling, and based on an interesting premise, would have been a memorable film if Foster had taken more chances and pushed his actors to give the performances that they are capable of but here are only hinted at. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide