Very Annie Mary [2001] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Played with resolute intensity by Rachel Griffiths, Annie-Mary is hardly odder than her fellow townsfolk. But when her father has a stroke and she is thrown on her own awkward resources to fulfil both her personal dreams and those of her mortally sick friend Bethan, she finds unique comic ways to cope with disaster. Redemption comes with the return of her ability to sing.

The excellent cast includes cameos from Ioan Gruffudd and Matthew Rhys as the gay couple who run the sweet shop and Ruth Madoc as a libidinous widow. Everyone delivers all-stops-out performances in even the smallest roles. The promising script is loaded with one-liners; but its constituent parts promise more than they eventually deliver. --Piers Ford

Annie Mary's father, Jack (Jonathan Pryce), runs the local bakery and not only likes to sing like Pavarotti over the speaker system of his truck as he makes his deliveries, he dresses up like the great tenor (including a mask). Annie Mary used to sing too, and even won a contest 15 years ago that earned her a chance to study in Milan. But then her mother died and Annie Mary has not sung since. For reasons that only become clear if you think about it at the end, her father treats her abominably. For her birthday he gives her a cabbage, and when he is cold he makes her curl around his feet. Annie Mary has no luck with the boys in town, even though she offers to pay one for a kiss. Her best friend is Bethan Bevan (Joanna Page), a bedridden 16-year-old who is quite ill. It is only with Bethan that Annie Mary can watch the silent videotape of her and her mother 15 years ago when they were happy. Meanwhile, the mayor wants to raise money to send Bethan to Disneyland and Annie Mary would like to help.

Then her father suffers a stroke, and the responsibility for taking care of him and running the shop falls to Annie Mary. Eventually she realizes that she has the upper hand now, and with a new sense of freedom she paints the kitchen a ghastly color and decides to join a local female pop group for a talent contest in Cardiff where there is a prize of 1000 pounds. Is this a chance for redemption, a recipe for disaster, or both? More importantly, will this be the point when Bethan (and the audience) finally get to hear Annie Mary sing? Certainly she can do better than the weak Freddie Mercury imitation she attempts. Then there is the question of the house that Annie Mary waves at when she walks by it.

Annie Mary is an odd duck, but then most of the people in town are strange. While this is entertaining, it really does not set up the big ending as well as it might if this was less of a comic-tragedy and more of an outright tragic tale. After all, her father's actions towards her are truly despicable, and as a general rule I am not inclined to find that sort of abuse comic. The low point that Annie Mary reaches makes her not only a sad figure, but rather pathetic, and some viewers may find that their reservoir of sympathy towards her has run out. Certainly her few friends in town reach that point. But such doubts about her character do not deter from the gloriously transcendent moment that Annie Mary achieves thanks to her one true friend. Whatever problems there might be with the set up of the big moment, Sugarman and Griffith both deliver on that score.


What a Great British film!   September 6, 2005
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

This film was a huge and very pleasant surprise to me - purchased in a hurry with a number of other DVD's to keep the kids quiet while on holiday we sat down to watch, I was half expecting an American Teen Movie as I'd only glanced at the cover and what I got was what should be a british classic in the same league as The Commitments, 4 weddings & a funeral, etc. Brilliantly scripted and beautifully filmed it did what any great movie should do - it made me laugh, it made me cry, it left a great lasting impression when it finished, and it made me wish the film was longer! This is definately a film that I could watch again and again!


Very Annie Mary   February 13, 2003
Mrs Debra J Fuller (Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire United Kingdom)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

I first saw this little gem on a long haul flight and had the crew and my family looking at me in utter disbelief as I laughed out loud!
It is hilarious...although you have to have a Welsh sense of humour (I do; and yes we do have one!)to see all the nuances of Welsh life.I love everything about this film...the gorgeous Rhys Ifans as a gay sweet shop owner was a treat,as was the scratch and sniff Bibles..."Jesus rode into Jerusalem on an ass...scratch here" Absolutely brilliant!