Maybe I shouldn't have watched this just after binge-watching the original series.
This was 10 years later not 10 minutes.
The concept was good. I too met up with old friends when an old school pal died so I can partly resonate.
As a stand alone film it was ok. I would probably have given it an 8 or 9 but it's not a touch on the original series.
No sex scenes, nudity, cottaging, drug snorting, no gay lovers and the swearing was rather tame.
It was good to see old friends and what they have done with their lives but I can see no need for a This Life + 25 (or more!).
11 Reviews
Woeful, upsetting and a truly awful script
alexhousden3 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Thank god for IMDb allowing me somewhere to vent my frustration and disappointment at the truly awful spectacle that was This Life + 10. I had been eagerly awaiting it for a year since it was announced, as I am a big fan of the original series. I just can't get out of my head how utterly cringe worthy the script was. Oh god it was so bad. And the script was not the only pitiful element of this vain, contrived rubbish. Here are my gripes: 1. The idea..... was terrible. It felt to me as though Amy Jenkins had sat in a room of sycophants for hours, days, weeks even, struggling to comprehend how on earth they would reunite the five. Eventually out of desperation they settled for the awful idea of a documentary within a drama. Why oh why, if this was what they wanted to do, did they not just make a decent documentary about This Life? I would have been more interested in what the actors had done in the past 10 years than this. It was so contrived and pretentious it made me want to hide behind the sofa.
2. The script..... was terrible. One of the best things about This Life was its subtlety in dealing with politics and other 'real life' affairs. They were dealt with, but they formed the backdrop to the real story which was the intertwined lives of the five characters. The commentary about the 90s came from the observations one made about the way they chose to live their lives. They didn't talk about Kosovo or New Labour or name-drop bands like Oasis in the original series. Yet in This Life + 10 they felt the need to have woeful, staged arguments about Iraq and the environment as though they felt so insecure they needed to hold a huge banner up stating that THIS WAS 2006 AND THEY WERE NOW 35 AND MIDDLE CLASS AND VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY BORING!!!!! And as for Egg's comment about the Kaiser Chiefs - I was lost for words. It was like a Little Britain sketch.
3. The plot...... was terrible. Stupid, unbelievable and pretentious. It was like a bad play. They clearly felt the need to cram as many events as possible into the time they had and you couldn't keep up.
4. The acting...... was terrible. Well that is a little unfair actually. I suppose any acing would be terrible given that script. Although Andrew Lincoln was particularly bad this time round, caricaturing himself. The others, well I'll let them off with a yellow card each.
Basically, I am now of the opinion that this should never have been made. At the end of the second series I felt like I had seen something truly special. For 9 years it remained my favourite show. And now I feel utterly let down. I am sure many other This Life fans will feel the same way. Everything that was good about the show has been squandered by this, and everybody involved should hang their heads in shame.
2. The script..... was terrible. One of the best things about This Life was its subtlety in dealing with politics and other 'real life' affairs. They were dealt with, but they formed the backdrop to the real story which was the intertwined lives of the five characters. The commentary about the 90s came from the observations one made about the way they chose to live their lives. They didn't talk about Kosovo or New Labour or name-drop bands like Oasis in the original series. Yet in This Life + 10 they felt the need to have woeful, staged arguments about Iraq and the environment as though they felt so insecure they needed to hold a huge banner up stating that THIS WAS 2006 AND THEY WERE NOW 35 AND MIDDLE CLASS AND VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY BORING!!!!! And as for Egg's comment about the Kaiser Chiefs - I was lost for words. It was like a Little Britain sketch.
3. The plot...... was terrible. Stupid, unbelievable and pretentious. It was like a bad play. They clearly felt the need to cram as many events as possible into the time they had and you couldn't keep up.
4. The acting...... was terrible. Well that is a little unfair actually. I suppose any acing would be terrible given that script. Although Andrew Lincoln was particularly bad this time round, caricaturing himself. The others, well I'll let them off with a yellow card each.
Basically, I am now of the opinion that this should never have been made. At the end of the second series I felt like I had seen something truly special. For 9 years it remained my favourite show. And now I feel utterly let down. I am sure many other This Life fans will feel the same way. Everything that was good about the show has been squandered by this, and everybody involved should hang their heads in shame.
We're still left wondering.
audeo-28 January 2007
Plusses for '+10' included that the dialogue was mostly good, and informative as far as it went, with a little work on our part (replaying is a good idea).
The characters, too, are still as they were, but their histories and relationships are more dodgy. How likely is it that Egg, of all people, would be able to produce a book deep enough to analyse Anna?
The ending, with an aimless Miles just walking away from his life, was also a bit unbelievable. Anna seems still to have some unresolved, derailing baggage from the past that prevents her from being able to fully commit to a present that maybe, deep inside, she doesn't quite identify with, since in some way it's a sidetrack for her, not the way she was meant to go. The idea of total commitment terrifies her since she'll lose out on what she really identifies with, lost though it is. So she can love Miles, but her deep reservations mean she can't act on it.
How did Egg and Milly get back together? The writer of the last episode of the original series -- Richard Zajdlic? -- was obviously told to draw the kind of line under it that would make it impossible for any part of the story we'd been following to continue. He drew the firmest and thickest line I've ever seen in my life! Yet we had been asked to treat This Life as real life, and in real life, things DO continue, and they DO require an explanation. So what happened after the wedding? Did Rachel quit MSW, knowing a vengeful Milly would make her professional life unbearable? How did everyone end up having to leave the house, if that's what happened? We have a right to know!
Maybe the cast can reassemble in the relatively near future for a programme (within a programme, if it's not too complicated) about the filming of Egg's book -- which can't have finished with Miles' wedding -- and their reminiscences can correct the film's inaccuracies, so that we can have some CGI flashbacks to the house, etc. How about it, Amy?
The characters, too, are still as they were, but their histories and relationships are more dodgy. How likely is it that Egg, of all people, would be able to produce a book deep enough to analyse Anna?
The ending, with an aimless Miles just walking away from his life, was also a bit unbelievable. Anna seems still to have some unresolved, derailing baggage from the past that prevents her from being able to fully commit to a present that maybe, deep inside, she doesn't quite identify with, since in some way it's a sidetrack for her, not the way she was meant to go. The idea of total commitment terrifies her since she'll lose out on what she really identifies with, lost though it is. So she can love Miles, but her deep reservations mean she can't act on it.
How did Egg and Milly get back together? The writer of the last episode of the original series -- Richard Zajdlic? -- was obviously told to draw the kind of line under it that would make it impossible for any part of the story we'd been following to continue. He drew the firmest and thickest line I've ever seen in my life! Yet we had been asked to treat This Life as real life, and in real life, things DO continue, and they DO require an explanation. So what happened after the wedding? Did Rachel quit MSW, knowing a vengeful Milly would make her professional life unbearable? How did everyone end up having to leave the house, if that's what happened? We have a right to know!
Maybe the cast can reassemble in the relatively near future for a programme (within a programme, if it's not too complicated) about the filming of Egg's book -- which can't have finished with Miles' wedding -- and their reminiscences can correct the film's inaccuracies, so that we can have some CGI flashbacks to the house, etc. How about it, Amy?
An outsider's perspective
arthurmauk2 January 2007
I had never seen "This Life" before, but I took a leap of faith and followed my TV guide. It turned out to be right for once. I immediately bonded with the characters and the show wasted no time in getting to the juicy bits. I felt like I had been with flatmates with these guys since forever, even five minutes into the programme! The mock documentary format was put to good use as we got to know our new (old) characters again. It was being used as an aside comment box, telling us things that would feel unnatural had it been told in the third person. I thought it worked very well. The drama unfolded gradually and we learnt about how each character has developed since we last saw them ten years ago (well, for the first time for me!). There were some surprises and confusions but I ate it all up. I don't want to spoil the plot, especially for the nostalgic fans, so I won't say anything more other than it's all top notch, riveting stuff. I don't know how it compares to the original series, but since I've enjoyed this special so much I'm considering buying the DVDs for them. An entertaining 90 minutes and I would recommend it even for those who have not seen "This Life" before, you'll get sucked in right away. Oh, and before I go, I must gush about the music. I'm a soundtrack freak and I adored this one - some very current selections at the start that gave it an optimistic note, and from what I've heard they put in some classic tracks as an homage to the original series. The funniest thing was that I was thinking how great it would be to have some Portishead on the show, and then Sour Times kicked in(!) Very apt, especially with Beth Gibbons wailing "Cos nobody loves me... it's true." right when Anna was talking. Props to the music team. ;)
BIG disappointment
stacey-williams13 January 2007
I was so disappointed! i just loved this life, but this was terrible. The thing that was so good about the series was that it seemed to be such a well observed picture of a very specific social demographic, it just seemed to ring true because of the detail and the dialogue. Yet the ten-years-on drama introduced a whole sequence of unlikely plot devices just for the sake of it - why did Egg need to have become such a hugely successful writer? why did miles have to have bought a really ugly large hotel? Why would Warren have ventured into cheesy self help websites? these things all just seem to have been picked out of a hat marked 'farcical plot ideas'. surely the ideal thing would been for their lives to be shown to have developed along realistic, mundane trajectories and then the writer could re-visit the canny social observation that we saw before. The plot always used to be driven by character and situation, not by daft, unlikely random events. And i think the location choice of the supposedly impressive country house was just ghastly. and the final line being 'i love you guys!' Jesus! i actually can't think of a comment on that.
Nice to reminisce
pink_lyns3 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I had been looking forward to This Life +10 since they first announced a reunion, and it was great to see the old characters back again, but was by no means amazing.
The characters and their fates over the past 10 years were believable - it made sense that the reversal of roles in Milly and Egg's relationship (he was now the high flier and she the stay-at-home mum) had caused problems, Anna was powerful and single, but had thankfully given up the booze. Warren had taken his years of therapy and become a life-coach, while Miles had also given up the law and made millions in business, with a trophy Asian wife to match. The bringing back together of the group produced old tensions - did Miles even like Warren? How much were Anna and Milly judging each other? The addition of Claire, who was filming the whole weekend for a program on Egg's book, was grating - you didn't particularly warm to her and she seemed to get in the way. However this was the point, it was a comment on the obsession with reality TV (which had developed in the intervening 10 years of course) and was a way of getting the characters to talk directly to camera about their feelings, in the same way that the therapist did in the original series.
It didn't fall foul to sweet sentimentality - the characters didn't claim to have kept in touch massively over the 10 years, with Anna and Milly having particularly fallen out. And the ending was the same, there was no staying together for Anna and Miles despite them finally both admitting their love for each other - these were two characters that couldn't ever live together and make a relationship work, and after one night together Miles left to go travelling, leaving Anna to have a baby with Warren. All the endings were neatly died up - Milly and Egg were back on track after he gave up his writing career, Anna was getting the chance at motherhood and with it, helping Warren get over his grief at losing Ferdy, and Miles was off to get some perspective in Timbuktu. It was nice that everything was left in a tidy way - unlike the massive cliffhanger of the original series where we were always left wondering 'what happened?!' The whole thing seemed a bit rushed and pointless, but it was certainly great to see the original characters and re-live the original series. My advice? Buy the DVD's and see just how great the original was. If you liked this, you'll LOVE 'This Life'.
8/10
The characters and their fates over the past 10 years were believable - it made sense that the reversal of roles in Milly and Egg's relationship (he was now the high flier and she the stay-at-home mum) had caused problems, Anna was powerful and single, but had thankfully given up the booze. Warren had taken his years of therapy and become a life-coach, while Miles had also given up the law and made millions in business, with a trophy Asian wife to match. The bringing back together of the group produced old tensions - did Miles even like Warren? How much were Anna and Milly judging each other? The addition of Claire, who was filming the whole weekend for a program on Egg's book, was grating - you didn't particularly warm to her and she seemed to get in the way. However this was the point, it was a comment on the obsession with reality TV (which had developed in the intervening 10 years of course) and was a way of getting the characters to talk directly to camera about their feelings, in the same way that the therapist did in the original series.
It didn't fall foul to sweet sentimentality - the characters didn't claim to have kept in touch massively over the 10 years, with Anna and Milly having particularly fallen out. And the ending was the same, there was no staying together for Anna and Miles despite them finally both admitting their love for each other - these were two characters that couldn't ever live together and make a relationship work, and after one night together Miles left to go travelling, leaving Anna to have a baby with Warren. All the endings were neatly died up - Milly and Egg were back on track after he gave up his writing career, Anna was getting the chance at motherhood and with it, helping Warren get over his grief at losing Ferdy, and Miles was off to get some perspective in Timbuktu. It was nice that everything was left in a tidy way - unlike the massive cliffhanger of the original series where we were always left wondering 'what happened?!' The whole thing seemed a bit rushed and pointless, but it was certainly great to see the original characters and re-live the original series. My advice? Buy the DVD's and see just how great the original was. If you liked this, you'll LOVE 'This Life'.
8/10
Awful
chantelle-321008 February 2020
a satisfactory re union
steve-12413 January 2007
Incredibly good attempt to tie up up the time elapsed since the original series. Anna seems to be the only one not to have moved on, she seems just the same as 1997. Egg is now a success on the writing front but still he has issues with Millie,perhaps the addition to the family is the glue keeping them together. Miles with his shaggy hair looks more carefree these days, but I remembered him as a focused individual, who I am sure would not have got into the trouble he has at present. Warren has moved on professionally but at what cost to his private life? The documentary format works quite well and the constant sight of black and white images in the camera view finder perhaps indicates that all of the group are bearing their soles with gritty honesty. The music(especially) Portishead really does take you back ten years. A searing. marvellous piece of TV drama.
insult to the series
clairemader13 March 2009
The excitement around this a appearing at Christmas 2007 was everywhere. Radio 4 was discussing it. Everyone who was a fun of this series was eager. Jekins is a great writer. The characters had received a great deal of affection. Finally the long awaited episode was aired. Finally the silence was broken after we were able to lift our jaws from the floor after watching this.
First was the direction. There didn't seem to be any. Evcveryone on screen wandered around without purpose and aimlessly. The script always a high point of this show must be as good as ever? A couple of ideas were thrown in the air then ignored by the writers to wander and ramble through the remaining screen time.
It had to get better it couldn't continue this way. The series was set in London with a group of lawyers flat sharing and the wildly moving camera work reflected the hectic pace of London and their life styles and demands. Here in the countryside at Miles's country retreat the pace was missing as there was no cut an thrust or purpose to them.
The script idea appeared to be to concentrate on their relationships between the characters and leave out all their hectic lives, sensible since they weren't all lawyers anymore. So the country setting should work. But the writing and directing ensured this ingenious conceit was a failure.
First was the direction. There didn't seem to be any. Evcveryone on screen wandered around without purpose and aimlessly. The script always a high point of this show must be as good as ever? A couple of ideas were thrown in the air then ignored by the writers to wander and ramble through the remaining screen time.
It had to get better it couldn't continue this way. The series was set in London with a group of lawyers flat sharing and the wildly moving camera work reflected the hectic pace of London and their life styles and demands. Here in the countryside at Miles's country retreat the pace was missing as there was no cut an thrust or purpose to them.
The script idea appeared to be to concentrate on their relationships between the characters and leave out all their hectic lives, sensible since they weren't all lawyers anymore. So the country setting should work. But the writing and directing ensured this ingenious conceit was a failure.
Should've left it at end of series 2 ( spoilers)
John_Tom_Stu16 February 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This one off TV film was a nice idea, badly executed.
The plot is the main characters meeting up at Ferdys funeral, then being filmed for some documentary for a one of get together to celebrate their lives based on Eggs fictional successful book based on their time as housemates.
To me, the script is contrived, it lacks depth, like they forgot eat made the show good.
Starting off, music. During the series, it was generally subtle, and it really worked, but for + 10 it based overbearing, like they are trying to drown out the fact that the script, the plot is pretty empty.
Other gripes include, how did Ferdy actually die? Its like they thought that leaving it a mystery would enhance it, but it backfired, if someone's friend/acquaintance had died young, you'd be guaranteed they would talking about it in some way.
Other gripes are more about how it doesn't tie in well with the ending of the second series. For instance, Milly and Egg getting back together, after she two timed him? It's possible, but not the most likeliest, no mention of Miles first wife on real terms.
The documentary subplot seems a bit ridiculous, as does the ending scenes, such as the "suicide" attempt - do you really think thr documentary maker was interested in making a snuff movie?
The whole thing seems like a legendary band reforming, to record a new album, said new album gets hyped to the gills, and although passable, you just know if your heart of hearts, is s***.
The plot is the main characters meeting up at Ferdys funeral, then being filmed for some documentary for a one of get together to celebrate their lives based on Eggs fictional successful book based on their time as housemates.
To me, the script is contrived, it lacks depth, like they forgot eat made the show good.
Starting off, music. During the series, it was generally subtle, and it really worked, but for + 10 it based overbearing, like they are trying to drown out the fact that the script, the plot is pretty empty.
Other gripes include, how did Ferdy actually die? Its like they thought that leaving it a mystery would enhance it, but it backfired, if someone's friend/acquaintance had died young, you'd be guaranteed they would talking about it in some way.
Other gripes are more about how it doesn't tie in well with the ending of the second series. For instance, Milly and Egg getting back together, after she two timed him? It's possible, but not the most likeliest, no mention of Miles first wife on real terms.
The documentary subplot seems a bit ridiculous, as does the ending scenes, such as the "suicide" attempt - do you really think thr documentary maker was interested in making a snuff movie?
The whole thing seems like a legendary band reforming, to record a new album, said new album gets hyped to the gills, and although passable, you just know if your heart of hearts, is s***.
:)
warren-barley3 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This Life is one of the best shows of all UK times. When I heard they were doing a reunion some months back I was all excited. Watched +10 last night and it was brilliant. Was so nice to see the characters again and how they have grown up or have they? 10/10 for BBC2! I think the ending was good but I wanted to see more. Another reunion in 10 years time who knows? If you have not seen this reunion yet then make a plan and do so! One thing that was not shown was how Ferdy died. Who was Warren in love with? Does this matter No but would have made the viewing easier! Sorry do not want to spoil it for anyone but you know how it goes wanting to know all!
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