Catherine Tate Movies
Recalling two of her forerunners, Dawn French and Tracey Ullman, the auburn-haired and rubber-faced British comedienne Catherine Tate scored hugely in her native England for The Catherine Tate Show, a compendium of irreverent, off-the-wall sketches in which she played a broad array of nutty characters, often with the added element of elaborate makeup. Favorite recurring portrayals included the Cockney nag Lauren Cooper (famous for her catchphrase "Am I bovvered?"), upper middle class Briton The Aga Saga Woman (an absurdly perfectionist housewife and mother given to fits of anxiety), and Derek Faye, a bald and overtly homosexual gentleman with a falsetto voice who repeatedly draws accusations of being gay but responds with, "How very dare you." Unlike, say, the work of Sacha Baron Cohen, Tate's sketches were invariably scripted, even one in which Tony Blair made a cameo appearance.Raised as an only child by her florist mother, her grandmother, and her godmother in the Brunswick Council Estate of Central London, Tate reportedly struggled with shyness from early on, but also claimed a streak of flamboyancy that prompted a life-changing discovery: when she acted humorously, people habitually examined her with much less scrutiny. As an adolescent, she attended a Catholic convent school, but was forced out at the age of 16 when the nuns couldn't provide her with the resources to develop her acting abilities; in the years to follow, she trained as an actress at the University of London's famed Central School of Speech and Drama, then, after accepting a series of minor "straight" roles, decided to give stand-up comedy a shot. Her success in that venue is of course well-known (The Catherine Tate Show evolved into a minor institution on British television), but it ultimately left her dissatisfied and she wanted to be taken seriously as a non-comedic actress. That dream materialized with plum roles in features including the Jewish-themed coming-of-age seriocomedy Sixty Six (2006) (as Aunty Lila), director Edward Blum's ensemble-driven romantic comedy Scenes of a Sexual Nature (2006), and Billie Eltringham's period political comedy Mrs. Ratcliffe's Revolution (2007). ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Hot on the heels of the acclaimed third series, Doctor Who returns for a fourth installment with a familiar face alongside the Doctor (David Tennant). Award-winning actress (and comedian) Catherine Tate returns as the Doctor's new companion, reprising her role as Donna Noble, who was featured in the 2006 Christmas special "The Runaway Bride." Now reunited, the Doctor and Donna travel back to Pompeii in AD 79 on the eve of the infamous eruption where people are slowly turning to stone; investigate a series of grisly murders with the help of Agatha Christie; journey to the home world of the sinister Ood; and come face to face with an old enemy of the Doctor's. Series 4 also sees the return of the Doctor's previous companions, the vivacious Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) and the feisty Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman).
- Starring:
- David Tennant, Catherine Tate, (more)
- 2007
This is not a Love Song director Billie Eltringham returns the the helm to tell this comedic tale of a 1960's-era clan of British communists who choose to leave their beloved Britain to seek out Utopian bliss in East Germany. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Catherine Tate, Iain Glen, (more)
A hyperactive and high-fashion American transplant living in London and working for Vogue magazine does her best to enhance the lives of those around her while remaining blissfully unaware of the man who longs to profess his true love to her in an ultra-modern romantic comedy produced by Luc Besson and David Fincher and directed by Alek Keshishian. Emily Jackson (Brittany Murphy) lives a charmed life. Always on the go in her Mini Cooper and able to talk until the sun comes up and then some, her fast-paced lifestyle belies a sensitive soul who takes great joy in playing matchmaker for her many friends. It's Emily's gay roommate and constant companion, Peter (Matthew Rhys), who usually becomes the subject of the quirky Cupid's frequent pairings, and when handsome new photographer's assistant Paolo (Santiago Cabrera) arrives at the Vogue offices, Emily makes it her mission to bring the two men together. Unfortunately for the contemporary Holly Golightly, Emily is so busy arranging a love connection between Peter and Paolo that she remains completely blind to the obvious torch carried for her by the one suitor who longs to provide her the with the loving companionship that she so cheerfully arranges for others. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brittany Murphy, Santiago Cabrera, (more)
A 12-year-old Jewish boy teetering on the cusp of manhood finds his eagerly anticipated Bar Mitzvah threatened by a lethal combination of World Cup fever, the loss of the family business, and the shenanigans of a mischievous elder sibling in a coming-of-age comedy directed by Paul Weiland and starring Helena Bonham Carter, Stephen Rea, and Gregg Sulkin. The year is 1966, and Bernie Rubens (Sulkin) is about to become a man. As the date of his Bar Mitzvah draws nearer, however, it seems like the stars have aligned to prevent it from being the blow-out bash he has always dreamt of. Not only is his wayward older brother drawing away all the attention in the family, but his father's business is slowly going down the drain as well. To make matters worse, England has finally fought their way to the World Cup Final, and the big game is scheduled for the very same day as Bernie's Bar Mitzvah. Will Bernie's friends and family be able to resist World Cup fever and make it to the celebration he has gleefully anticipated his entire childhood, or will the mania that has overtaken all of England pull a red card on the day that was supposed to be a clean-shot goal? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gregg Sulkin, Helena Bonham Carter, (more)
A working-class English boy who has been fortunate enough to be accepted into a posh private university struggles to realize his lifelong dream while simultaneously winning the heart of the girl he loves in a romantic, bittersweet comedy directed by Tom Vaughan and starring James McAvoy, Rebecca Hall, and Charles Dance. The time is the mid-'80s, and the University Challenge phenomenon is sweeping through England. Despite his underprivileged background, Essex boy Brian Jackson (McAvoy) knows that he has what it takes to make it to the finals on one of the most popular programs in all of England. Upon being accepted into Bristol, the ambitious young student soon tries out for the school's University Challenge team, and set the gears of his ultimate fantasy into motion. Effectively estranged from his single-parent mother (Catherine Tate) just for being accepted into the school, Brian soon gets set to cross yet another class line when he becomes smitten with his beautiful University Challenge teammate and attempts to woo her into his arms her with his formidable advanced general knowledge skills. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James McAvoy, Alice Eve, (more)
- 2006
With a new human companion, The Doctor must race against time to save the world from destruction at the hands of an evil group. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
A handful of couples discuss their romantic and erotic tribulations on a sunny afternoon in this romantic comedy drama. It's a beautiful day in London, and a number of people head out to Hampstead Heath Park to enjoy the weather, though not every couple on hand is as comfortable as the weather might suggest. Julia (Gina McKee) and Gerry (Hugh Bonneville) are having a picnic as part of a blind date, but they don't seem to be enjoying one another's company. Billy (Ewan McGregor) and Brian (Douglas Hodge) are a gay couple at a crossroads -- Billy wants to settle down and adopt a child, but Brian doesn't believe this will stop his partner's chronic infidelity. Iris (Eileen Atkins) and Eddie (Benjamin Whitrow) were an item many years ago, but aren't sure what to make of one another when they meet by chance in the park. Sara (Catherine Tate) and Pete (Adrian Lester) discover how much they care for one another just as they're on the verge of divorce. Jamie (Andrew Lincoln) finds he has some explaining to do when his wife Molly (Holly Aird) catches him ogling a pretty young woman (Eglantine Rembauville) who is inadvertently exposing her underwear. Ludo (Nick Sidi) and Anna (Sophie Okonedo) are a couple whose romance doesn't seem fated to live out the day. And Noel (Tom Hardy) is a lecherous sort who is looking for a woman as interested in sex as he is. Scenes of a Sexual Nature was the first feature film from director Edward Blum; the picture was shot on a shoestring budget, with the actors being paid union scale in exchange for a share of the film's profits. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ewan McGregor, Sophie Okonedo, (more)
This release captures British comedian Catherine Tate -- 'Queen of Catchphrase'-- performing a variety of Christmas themed sketches featuring the characters created by Tate for her popular TV series The Catherine Tate Show, like angsty teenager Lauren, and the trash talking Nan. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
