'We're not bad people'. David Nicholls' tale of an extra-marital affair goes well beyond the cliché & is beautifully told- without judgement and with gripping emotions.
THIS IS A SPOILER-FREE REVIEW!
The 7:39
TV Movie, BBC, UK 2014.
Airs in India on Romedy NOW.
Starring: David Morrissey, Sheridan Smith, Olivia Colman, Sean Maguire.
Writer: David Nicholls
Director: John Alexander.
Synopsis: Carl (married, father of two) & Sally (engaged), leading equally monotonous and uneventful lives, meet on the 7:39 train to London Waterloo and take a liking to each other.
'The 7:39' opens with bed-side alarms, oral hygiene exercises, sifting through wardrobes- the usual daily grind. But, the movie goes beyond the usual extra-marital affair cliché in many ways. Carl (David Morrissey) and Sally (Sheridan Smith) leave their respective suburban homes to get to work in London by catching the 7:39 train. Their first chance encounter (not a love-at-first-sight romance) happens over a coarse argument for a seat in the crowded train. The next day, Carl, mindful of his mistake, apologises for his rude behaviour and they introduce themselves. Soon, the smiles, controlled laughs and etiquette-laced conversations begin and they agree to catch a common train on their way back too.
What follows is an engrossing tale full of emotional highs and lows; you are bound to utter a variety of exclamations at quite a few things- the promises and choices of the characters, the gradual build up to what's expected of the characters, et al. So good is John Alexander's direction & his tight focus on the two characters that the the viewer is almost vicariously involved in both Carl & Stella's situations and can feel for their choices and decisions. David Nicholls' writing is neither far-fetched nor long-drawn. The movie's pace matches the pace of Carl & Stella's relationship beautifully- the wait till the next meeting, the briskness of the journey on the train when Carl & Stella are together- are all extremely well done. Carl and Stella's conversations are sweet, dignified and infatuating. Morrissey and Smith's chemistry is mesmerising and is the life of the movie. There is a very high probability that you'll fall in love with the duo and not want their rendezvous to end. Carl and Stella's relationship is so rapturous that you'll dread it coming to end as much as the characters themselves.
David Morrissey as Carl, the married, father-of-two, frustrated employee of a property management company is brilliant. He does full justice to Nicholls' writing which paints Carl in many hues. The beautiful Sheridan Smith does an equally good job with the character of the engaged, gym-trainer Sally Thorn- she is mischievous, fun-loving & brave and brooding at the same time. Olivia Colman (as Carl's wife Maggie) is at her usual best as the simple, undemanding suburban wife (in Carl's words his 'soulmate'). Sean Maguire plays the health-conscious, nagging and over-protective fiancé of Sally very well. He helps bring to fore the character's lack of emotional warmth very effectively.
The background score and cinematography complement the overall feel of the movie very well. It has some amazingly picturesque locations to boast of too. The idea of using full-size watermarks on screen for alarm times and text message conversations deserves special mention- it was a very creative idea & enhances the story-telling experience.
All in all, a must watch!
The Worldly Monk Rating 9.5/10.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Airs:
Thu, 9th June 2016 at 9.30 am on Romedy NOW.
Fri, 10th June 2016 at 1:55 pm on Romedy NOW.
THIS IS A SPOILER-FREE REVIEW!
The 7:39
TV Movie, BBC, UK 2014.
Airs in India on Romedy NOW.
Starring: David Morrissey, Sheridan Smith, Olivia Colman, Sean Maguire.
Writer: David Nicholls
Director: John Alexander.
Synopsis: Carl (married, father of two) & Sally (engaged), leading equally monotonous and uneventful lives, meet on the 7:39 train to London Waterloo and take a liking to each other.
'The 7:39' opens with bed-side alarms, oral hygiene exercises, sifting through wardrobes- the usual daily grind. But, the movie goes beyond the usual extra-marital affair cliché in many ways. Carl (David Morrissey) and Sally (Sheridan Smith) leave their respective suburban homes to get to work in London by catching the 7:39 train. Their first chance encounter (not a love-at-first-sight romance) happens over a coarse argument for a seat in the crowded train. The next day, Carl, mindful of his mistake, apologises for his rude behaviour and they introduce themselves. Soon, the smiles, controlled laughs and etiquette-laced conversations begin and they agree to catch a common train on their way back too.
What follows is an engrossing tale full of emotional highs and lows; you are bound to utter a variety of exclamations at quite a few things- the promises and choices of the characters, the gradual build up to what's expected of the characters, et al. So good is John Alexander's direction & his tight focus on the two characters that the the viewer is almost vicariously involved in both Carl & Stella's situations and can feel for their choices and decisions. David Nicholls' writing is neither far-fetched nor long-drawn. The movie's pace matches the pace of Carl & Stella's relationship beautifully- the wait till the next meeting, the briskness of the journey on the train when Carl & Stella are together- are all extremely well done. Carl and Stella's conversations are sweet, dignified and infatuating. Morrissey and Smith's chemistry is mesmerising and is the life of the movie. There is a very high probability that you'll fall in love with the duo and not want their rendezvous to end. Carl and Stella's relationship is so rapturous that you'll dread it coming to end as much as the characters themselves.
David Morrissey as Carl, the married, father-of-two, frustrated employee of a property management company is brilliant. He does full justice to Nicholls' writing which paints Carl in many hues. The beautiful Sheridan Smith does an equally good job with the character of the engaged, gym-trainer Sally Thorn- she is mischievous, fun-loving & brave and brooding at the same time. Olivia Colman (as Carl's wife Maggie) is at her usual best as the simple, undemanding suburban wife (in Carl's words his 'soulmate'). Sean Maguire plays the health-conscious, nagging and over-protective fiancé of Sally very well. He helps bring to fore the character's lack of emotional warmth very effectively.
The background score and cinematography complement the overall feel of the movie very well. It has some amazingly picturesque locations to boast of too. The idea of using full-size watermarks on screen for alarm times and text message conversations deserves special mention- it was a very creative idea & enhances the story-telling experience.
All in all, a must watch!
The Worldly Monk Rating 9.5/10.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Airs:
Thu, 9th June 2016 at 9.30 am on Romedy NOW.
Fri, 10th June 2016 at 1:55 pm on Romedy NOW.
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