The Sense of an Ending review: Jim Broadbent heads up this intriguing mystery that shines a light on the lies we tell ourselves.
The Sense of an Ending review, by Kat Hughes, April 2017.
The Sense of an Ending review
Based on the novel by Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending stars Jim Broadbent as Tony Webster, a divorced semi-retired man who finds his life flipped upside down after he receives an unexpected letter. The letter contains news of an inheritance from an old friend who has passed away. However, the item in question is being held hostage by an ex-girlfriend, a woman who seems determined to keep Tony out of her life, but why?
The Sense of an Ending offers up an interesting idea, do we really remember things the way they were? Or rather, do we distort things so that we can better cope with our own short-comings? We’re not always the best version of ourselves, but with a careful lie here and there we can warp our history, moulding things so that we look (and feel) better. Played out in both the past and present, The Sense of an Ending, slowly twists, distorts, and ultimately changes the past, revealing the long hidden truth behind the lie that Tony has been living with.
The Sense of an Ending review
The focus of both timelines is Jim Broadbent’s Tony. Broadbent is something of a British acting institution and once again he’s solid and reliable, giving a fantastic turn. Tony, on paper, isn’t the nicest of characters. He’s not mean or nasty, he’s just self-involved, semi-estranged from his adult daughter, and at times a little rude. Broadbent manages to get the audience to like Tony and shows them the layers hiding beneath the surface, making him completely human. He also injects a surprising amount of humour, most of this coming from everyday life. There’s one scene in particular, wherein Tony is trying to track down his ex-flame and his old schoolmates suggest the internet – that really encourages the laughs. Tony and his friends all sit around Tony’s computer trying to teach Tony how to use Facebook. His friends have embraced new technology, social media etc., but Tony still prefers writing letters to phone calls and emails.
The Sense of an Ending review
There’s an interesting overarching story tying the timelines together. Information is drip-fed slowly as the full truth of the story falls into place, keeping us engaged and entertained the whole way through. The ending itself however, unfortunately feels a little conventional, and some will see it coming a ways off.
A film firmly targeting itself at the illustrious ‘silver pound’, younger viewers may struggle with some aspects, mainly down to their inability to fully relate to Tony’s time of life. Again this isn’t a bad thing, there are so many films that focus in on the young, it’s about time our elders were given someone they can properly relate too.
The Sense of an Ending review
Very much a ‘slice of life’ drama The Sense of an Ending manages to be very mundane. That’s not a slight on the film, it’s actually meant as a compliment in a strange way. By watching characters in films do very ordinary things in a very naturalistic way, it feels more like you’re watching a real-life stranger than a fictional character. Granted, this desire to be so like real life can get a little distracting at times, especially with all the London locations. Anyone that lives or works in the city may find themselves pulled out of the film world as they recognise that shop or this park.
Whilst A Sense of an Ending won’t set the world on fire, there are some great performances to be found here, especially from Broadbent. It’s a film filled with slow-burning intrigue, and offers a nice mystery plot to the usual ‘slice of life’ drama. Harmless and inoffensive, A Sense of an Ending is the perfect film to curl up on the sofa with a glass of wine and a box of chocolates on a dreary Sunday afternoon.
The Sense of an Ending review, by Kat Hughes, April 2017.
The Sense of an Ending arrives in UK cinemas from Friday 14th April 2017.
