Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Mad Cows (1999)
Director: Sara Sugarman
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
An adaptation of a novel by Kathy Lette: Maddy (Friel) is a spunky young Australian determined to make caddish English toff Alex (Wise) acknowledge her and their baby son Jack. Unfortunately, the evil British class system is against her and she soon finds herself in prison, where a batty psycho-therapist (Massey) tricks her into signing adoption papers. And when her only ally, posh totty Gillian (Lumley), agrees to look after Jack, even she turns traitor. Friel is a vital if spindly presence, and Lumley is riveting, exposing desperation beneath the immaculate whore's facade. Gillian doesn't invite easy pity, but shocks us into realising how futile self-awareness is in keeping loneliness at bay. As a result, her transformation into a baby-loving housewife makes a perverse, tender kind of sense. So what's the problem? Lette's one-liners, when spoken, reduce her characters to Tourette victims; they ejaculate punchlines even when no one's around, destroying any sense of naturalism. Newcomer Sugarman directs with her finger on the FF button, but to no avail. All her attempts to hurry time merely make you aware of how much is being wasted.Author: CO'Su
Cast & crew
Director: Sara Sugarman
Producer: Frank Mannion, Aaron Simpson
Cast: Anna Friel, Joanna Lumley, Anna Massey, Phyllida Law, Greg Wise, John Standing, Nicholas Woodeson, Judy Cornwell, Prunella Scales, Geoffrey Robertson QC, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Jodie Kidd, Sophie Dahl, Kathy Lette full cast
Duration: 91 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing






What do you think?
Post your review now