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Shirley Valentine (1989)

Director: Lewis Gilbert

Average user rating
2 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Willy Russell transforms his one-hander into a superior kitchenette adventure which roams from Liverpool to Mykonos, finding room for all the characters who in the more satisfying theatre version were figments of Shirl's imagination. 42-year-old Shirley (Collins) is so raddled by life that she talks to the wall of her strip-pine kitchen, and wonders 'Why, if they give us so much life, aren't we allowed to make use of it?' Hence an improbable plot device by which her feminist friend wins a holiday for two in Greece, and Shirley, after much guilt, doubt and abuse from her plankish husband (Hill), decides to go. But the virtue of Russell's writing is that, for all the cracks, occasional duff lines, and tendency to simplify and stereotype, few can match his ability to make us laugh, cry and ultimately care. Loneliness creeps with Shirley to the Med, and only after a brief dalliance with a Greek local (Conti) does she start to live for real: self-respect and self-reliance beat sex on a boat anyday. Collins is magnificent, and though the film's sexual politics may not be to all tastes, it deserves to be seen for its glowing belief in the worth of personal rediscovery.

Author: SGr 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

  • grace said...
    Posted on Nov 08 2009 07:24 There was way too much nudity, it was just unnecessary. No ending, the viewer is supposed to choose what they think happened but it you feel like it's unfinished. It wasn't that bad but it wasn't good either.
    Report as inappropriate
  • hey said...
    Posted on Dec 02 2008 08:24 this film sucksssss.....
    Report as inappropriate

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Shirley Valentine

Cast & crew

Director: Lewis Gilbert

Producer: Lewis Gilbert

Cast: Pauline Collins, Tom Conti, Julia McKenzie, Alison Steadman, Joanna Lumley, Sylvia Syms, Bernard Hill, George Costigan full cast

Genre(s): Comedy

Duration: 108 mins


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