Julie Walters Movies

Events from the life of the author Jane Austen inspired this romantic historical drama, which speculates of a romance that may have had a significant impact on her life and work. Twenty-year-old Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway) is the daughter of Rev. Austen (James Cromwell), a minister who looks after a flock in a small rural community in Southern England with his wife (Julie Walters). While her older sister, Cassandra (Anna Maxwell Martin), is engaged to be married, Jane resists her family's efforts to match her up with Mr. Wisley (Laurence Fox), the wealthy but dull nephew of Lady Gresham (Maggie Smith), a minor member of the British nobility. Jane has the heart of an artist, and hopes to distinguish herself as a musician or a writer, though her parents don't think much of her prospects. When Jane meets Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy), a young man her own age, she's intrigued; while he scoffs at her writing style, he clearly sees she has talent, and is eager for her to learn more of the larger world by exposing her to more daring literature and modern pastimes such as boxing. As Tom begins to court Jane, she finds herself increasingly attracted to this poor but keenly intelligent man, though she soon realizes her own ideas about love and marriage are sometimes at odds with the conventions of the society in which she lives. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Brassed Off meets My Name Is Joe in this gritty coming-of-age drama about a young son of a poor English coal miner who dreams of being a ballet dancer. The film is set during a 1984 miners' strike in Durham county, where angry clashes between picketers and cops in riot gear are nearly daily occurrences. Among the most vociferous protestors are Tony (Jamie Driven) and his dad (Gary Lewis), who nags his youngest son Billy (Jamie Bell) into taking boxing classes. Though the kid can do some fancy footwork, he can't take a punch. One day at the gym, he notices a ballet class taught by hard-bitten Mrs. Wilkinson (Julie Walters), whose young daughter dares him to join. When his father gets wind of this less-than-manly pursuit, he pulls him from the class. Sensing a raw and natural talent, Mrs. Wilkinson offers to teach the lad for free in preparation for the local auditions to the Royal Ballet School. When Tony gets in trouble with the cops, Billy is forced to miss the trials, leading to a confrontation between Billy's pop and Ms. Wilkinson. Though at first he steadfastly refuses to consider his son's desires of going into ballet, he comes to realize that this might be the one shot that Billy has in order to escape the danger and grinding tedium of a miner's life, so he sets out to earn the money by any means necessary to send his son to London. This film is the directorial debut of renowned British stage director Stephen Daldry. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

Nigel Cole directs the feel-good comedy Calendar Girls, based on the true story of a group of working-class British housewives who became overnight celebrities by posing for a nude calendar in order to raise more than 500-thousand pounds for a new leukemia unit. The film follows the adventures of best friends Chris Harper (Helen Mirren) and Annie Clarke (Julie Walters), both members of the charitable Rylstone Women's Institute in North Yorkshire. After Annie's husband John (John Alderton) succumbs to leukemia, the friends are motivated to take some action. They convince the group to craft a tastefully nude calendar featuring the usual ladies' activities of gardening and baking, as photographed by the young amateur Lawrence (Philip Glenister). Despite the disapproval of the Institute's leader Marie (Geraldine James), the calendar quickly becomes a best-seller and leads the group to Hollywood. Ciaran Hinds appears as Chris' husband Rod Harper. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Irreverent British writer Dennis Potter speaks aloud what many literary historians have only postulated in whispers in Dreamchild. The film is set in 1932, on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Alice in Wonderland creator Lewis Carroll. The guest of honor at the New York-based celebration is 80-year-old Alice Liddell (Coral Browne), who as a child inspired Carroll's whimsical novels. Amidst the cajoling of both devoted fans and fast-buck hustlers, the grim-faced Alice tries to remain calm and dignified. What none of the idolaters suspect is that Alice harbors a long-suppressed secret concerning her "very special" relationship with Carroll -- a secret revealed in an extremely tasteful fashion during a flashback sequence, featuring Amelia Shankley as young Alice and Ian Holm as Charles Dodgson, the virginal, child-obsessed clergyman whom the world knew as Lewis Carroll. The darkness of Dennis Potter's vision is lightened by Muppeteer Jim Henson's marvelous three-dimensional renditions of the Wonderland and Looking Glass characters. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A trio of Oscar nominations and a pair of Golden Globes went to this acclaimed romantic comedy-drama based on the play by Willy Russell. Julie Walters stars as Rita, a witty, 26-year-old working class British hairdresser who decides to seek an education at Open University. Rita needs a tutor, and she selects Dr. Frank Bryant (Michael Caine), an alcoholic college literature professor whose life is a shambles. Divorced, Bryant's new lover is now having an affair with his best friend and he's increasingly depressed, seeking solace in whisky. Bryant's domestic turmoil is mirrored by Rita's, as she has opted for college over motherhood, a source of friction between her and her husband. As Rita blooms intellectually under the tutelage of Bryant, she realizes that what she really lacks is self-confidence, not education, and a gentle romance blossoms between her and Bryant. At home, however, Rita's newfound self-respect and intelligence cause her even greater pain. Director Lewis Gilbert and writer Russell teamed again six years later on the similarly-themed Shirley Valentine (1989). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Written for television by Victoria Wood, Happy Since I Met You is an excellent showcase for the talents of Educating Rita star Julie Walters. Cast as a ditsy dramatics teacher, Julie tries to help aspiring actor Duncan Preston. Though both resist the inevitable as long as possible, love inevitably blooms. Several well-known British actors show up in cameo roles, notably the irrespressible Tracey Ullman. Filmed in 1986, Happy Since I Met You was first seen on American cable TV in 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Adolescent wizard-in-training Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for another year of schooling and learns more about the dark past of the boy who grew up to become Lord Voldemort in this, the sixth installment of the film series that originated from the writings of author J.K. Rowling. There was a time when Hogwarts was thought of as a safe haven, but thanks to Voldemort's tightening grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds, that simply isn't the case anymore. Suspecting that the castle may even harbor an outright threat, Harry finds his investigation into the matter sidelined by Dumbledore's attempts to prepare him for the monumental battle looming ever closer on the horizon. In order to discover the key to Voldemort's defenses, Dumbledore enlists the aid of resourceful yet unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, who may have a clue as to their enemy's Achilles' heel. Meanwhile, teenage hormones cause the students at Hogwarts to lose focus on their true mission. As Harry and Dean Thomas clash for the affections of the lovely Ginny, Romilda Vane attempts to woo Ron away from Lavender Brown with some particularly tasty chocolates. Even Hermione isn't immune from the love bug, though she tries her hardest to suppress her growing jealousy and keep her emotions bottled up. But there is one student who remains completely aloof from the romance blossoming all around, and he intends to leave a dark impression on his classmates. With tragedy looming ever closer, it begins to appear as if peace will prove elusive in Hogwarts for some time to come. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

After directing the first two movies in the Harry Potter franchise, Chris Columbus opted to serve as producer for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and passed the baton to Y Tu Mamá También director Alfonso Cuarón. Though "immensely popular" is an understatement when it comes to Harry Potter, Azkaban is somewhat of a departure from its predecessors, and particularly beloved among fans for its surprise ending. Prisoner of Azkaban also marks the introduction of Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), who has escaped from the title prison after 12 years of incarceration. Believed to have been the right-hand-man of the dark wizard Voldemort, whom Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) mysteriously rendered powerless during his infancy, some of those closest to Harry suspect Black has returned to exact revenge on the boy who defeated his master. Upon his return to school, however, Harry is relatively unconcerned with Black. Run by Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) -- who is widely regarded as the most powerful wizard of the age -- Hogwarts is renowned for its safety. Harry's nonchalance eventually turns to blind rage after accidentally learning the first of Black's many secrets during a field trip to a neighboring village. Of course, a loose serial killer is only one of the problems plaguing the bespectacled wizard's third year back at school -- the soul-sucking guards of Azkaban prison have been employed at Hogwarts to protect the students, but their mere presence sends Harry into crippling fainting spells. With the help of his friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), and Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Remus Lupin (David Thewlis), Harry struggles to thwart the Dementors, find Sirius Black, and uncover the mysteries of the night that left him orphaned. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

In 1954, all of England was rocked by a shocking crime that took place in a quiet coastal town and involved a socially upstanding landlady, her smart, newly blossomed teenage daughter, and a handsome but troubled Australian in search of family he had never known. In retelling this true story, first-time filmmaker Philip Goodhew offers a blackly comic and ironic look behind the proper lace curtains of a seemingly normal British household and reveals a seething pit of repressed lust, jealousy and deadly obsession. The tale begins as Harold Guppy (Rupert Graves) leaves a ship and ambles toward the home of his long-lost brother Maurice Guppy (Les Dennis). The reunion is tepid, for Maurice's wife Iris (Elizabeth McKechnie) is suspicious of Harold and unwilling to welcome him into her home. It doesn't help that the callow Harold reveals a troubled, though somewhat cloaked past. Unable to stay with his brother, Harold finds lodging in the home of friendly, late-middle-aged Mrs. Beasley (Julie Walters). With her rhinestoned glasses, boxy dresses, short bouffant, and prim take-charge manner, Mrs. Beasley seems the epitome of 1950s motherhood and good housekeeping. Harold soon meets the rest of the family, the fresh-faced, bright, but rather macabre Joyce (Laura Sadler in her feature-film debut), and Mr. Beasley, a quiet, hen-pecked (the Mrs. hasn't had relations with him in years and forces him to sleep in his own room) WW I survivor who despite his missing leg, still supports his family. Things seem normal enough until a fateful game of spin-the-bottle during Joyce's 14th birthday party reveals an entirely different side to Mrs. Beasley. That night she creeps to Harold's bedroom and pleads with him until he weakens and accepts her advances and they begin to make wild love. The row awakens Joyce who pops into Harold's room and refuses to leave until the would-be lovers allow her into the bed. Thinking her asleep and unaware, Mrs. Beasley and Harold quietly resume their cavorting. Joyce is very much awake and spends the night scheming to get Harold to come to her. Thus begins an inescapable downward spiral for the weak-willed Harold that culminates in a desperate and horrific act of violence. Though it is not difficult to guess that none of the three protagonists will come to a good end, the graphic nature of the story's climax is jarring and out of place in the otherwise low-key and rather dry comedy. That the trio's characters are so broadly drawn, even bordering on cariactures, lessens the impact and the actual horror of the case. Still, Intimate Relations is a well-made film that aptly captures the flavor of post WW II England and contains many memorable lines.That the three try so hard to keep up the appearances of a normal household (Mrs. Beasley insists that Harold call her "Mum," a word he later has tattooed upon his arm) only adds to the bitter humor. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Just Like a Woman is a contemporary cross-dressing farce played as if it were a romantic comedy. But still, in the deep recesses of the celluloid, the narrator from Ed Wood's Glen Or Glenda can be heard intoning, "Remember, transvestites are not homosexuals." The story begins when businessman Gerald (Adrian Pasdar) is kicked out of his house by his wife, who discovers Gerald in the possession of a strange woman's underwear. After being cast out of hearth and home, he ends up living in a rented room at the home of fortyish divorcee Monica (Julie Walters). The two proceed to fall in love, and all is well until Monica spots a mysterious woman creeping upstairs to Gerald's room. When Monica investigates, it turns out that the mystery woman is, in fact, Gerald. Monica is taken aback, but only for a moment, and they continue their affair -- dresses, panties, garter belts and all. As one of Monica's friends points out to her, "It's 'is 'obby, luv . . . like golf . . .except you see more of him." Unfortunately, so does Gerald's boss, Miles Millichamp (Paul Freeman) who abruptly fires him for being a transvestite. But Gerald's firing affects his firm's negotiations with an important Japanese company and he must muster up enough fortitude to both straighten out his career and his panty hose. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

A boy learns a painful lesson about the ways of the heart in this period drama set in the 19th century. Vladimir (Nick Stahl) is a naive young man whose family is neither poor nor especially well off. While spending the summer in the country before going away to college, Vladimir is hired as a page for the wealthy family next door, whose matriarch is a middle-aged princess with a severe drinking problem and failing health. The princess has a lovely teen-aged daughter, Zinaida (Kirsten Dunst), and Vladimir soon becomes deeply infatuated with her. Vladimir hopes to somehow win Zinaida's heart, but she has a large circle of admirers, many of greater wealth, social position, and confidence than himself. While Vladimir becomes close friends with Zinaida, he isn't sure how to move their relationship to the next level, and the young man is crushed when he discovers one of his rivals for her affections happens to be his own father. Produced under the title All Forgotten, Lover's Prayer also stars Julie Walters and James Fox. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide