User Reviews

The headline is a compliment. For me the film was about a range of issues faced by people all over the world: the secrets we choose or feel we have to keep: the impact of our past, especially the brutality of war, on our lives and the lives of everyone we are close to: the chosen landscapes that suggest options and choices; resolution and moving forward with renewed energy and wisdom as we learn and free ourselves. The discussion with the script writer was helpful in coming to a deeper understanding of the process. I do not know how to award stars other than to say it is a film worth seeing. MB

Slightly disappointed with the film given its high review average score.

Took a long time to get to the climax which was slightly underwhelming.

Movie did have an atmosphere feel to it though, and Morgan is always watchable and the lead French Actress was very classy

Charming. It's a fun little tale, with some twists and turns. When someone dies, they drop hints of a treasure that rightfully belongs to paul's family. So he invents a cover story, based in reality, so he can go investigate. For me, the real suspense was waiting to see if paul was going to get caught each time he start nosing around the nooks and crannies of someone's house. The only truly nice people in here are silvie, the girl paul meets, and ahmed, the caretaker. Everyone else has overt or hidden motives, and is openly rude or mean to those around them. It's a lovely little story that unfolds as we go along. A mix of english and french languages spoken. I think this deserves a higher rating than shown here. But that's just me. Directed by charles garrad. This seems to be his one full length feature direction so far. Currently showing on free tubi streaming.

Colin Morgan and Fanny Ardent sizzle. They have a fascination for each other that lights up the old house and gardens. A box is found under the ground. A young girl has no chemistry like the older one. Morgan's father was captivated by Ardent and now so is his son. Ardent wants to give him the house in Languedoc, but he refuses. She did love his father. A toy car is found. What baby lived in the house? This film is testament to film's ability to pick up chemistry. It could have been a silent film. The cinematography is hand held I read. There is a split personality to this film I also read. The plot line is unclear about what happened in the past. Maybe that lack of clarity is this film's weakness. I don't know what happened in the past. I don't know what was in the buried box. I don't know what child lived in that house. If the screenplay by Stoddard stayed with boy meets father's old love as the springboard to much more between the two that could work.

I feel I could not write a plot line for this film.

This is a great film - subtle and slow, tense and interesting. It offers a new take on the French country house, and seems to have in the background shades of Le Grand Meaulnes....it's not a love story yet it is (x 2) - and it also speaks of family and passion, secrets and lies. It celebrates all those aspects of French small town delights at the same time as being critical and then disarmingly frank about the nature of war crimes. To describe this film as charming does not do it justice as it is also a kind of thriller. There is great attention to detail and the narrative propels us firmly along, without revealing too much too soon. Additionally, the use of colloquial French by Silvie (the younger woman) is genuine and adds a credibility often lost in similar but badly translated equivalent French/British films. There is much to recommend about this personal long term project with its surprising denouement.

A SIMPLE AND LOVELY MOVIE. THERE ARE MANY TWISTS IN THE MOVIE.

Waiting for You had me transported inside a bubble where there was nothing but the film and me. The cinematography is stunning, especially when in France, but also the scenes in dreary England are lifted by the special points of view, close-ups and setting in the story. When used the music is wonderful and each time maximises the impact of the scenes. The story seems uncomplicated, but has great depths and addresses serious issues in a thoughtful way. The spare use of flashbacks adds to the realisation that there is more going on than first impressions might suggest. The performances of Fanny Ardant and Colin Morgan are subtle and superb, greatly enhancing the intentions of the writers and producers Charles Gerrad and Hugh Stoddart. This film is clearly a labour of love from everyone involved and deserves a lot more exposure to the main public than it has received so far. If you can, you must go and see !

This movie is successful because of its nuances. It lacks significant action, yet the pace is perfect. It lacks a big reveal, yet has many small reveals that build the suspense and keep the storyline moving along.

The acting is terrific. The cinematography is great, each scene is perfectly framed. The musical score is subtle and complimentary, never gratuitous or annoying. The plot is not complicated, yet offers just enough intrigue to make you wonder what might happen next.

It's a wonderful example of balance: a little of this and a touch that - never too much of anything. And the result when all ingredients come together is a terrific blend. Minus any of those pieces, or overdoing one and underdoing another, it would have been too bland and off balance. This movie came together perfectly with all the right ingredients.

I think so. Take a satisfying blend of visual beauty and thoughtful dialogue, add a taught story line and superb acting and the result, for me, is the perfect film. Before leaving the cinema I knew that I wanted to see the film again.

What a joy to come across such a beautiful, compelling and entertaining film, when I wasn't gripped by tension I was bowled over by its rich visual language and charmed by the story unveiled in it's narrative. A simple tale, with intriguing and gripping twists, shot with stunning style. Loved it!

Filmmaking written shot and played just right. I was drawn in and momentum only stopped when and where it should, that is to take in, to sense the moment. Several of which will stay with me for some time.

Very enjoyable and thought-provoking film. Very well acted. I would highly recommend it.

This film requires full attention and does not disappoint. I was intrigued from the start and constantly trying to work out what was happening (in a good way). Points made were very subtle, characters convincing and the 'look' of the film was gorgeous. The pace is quite slow and I liked this. Full marks for a very intelligent well made piece of art.

An extraordinary movie - it manages to be thrilling and thoughtful at the same time. Great acting and beautifully directed: it left me wanting to see it again, and again.

A long time in the making, this tautly plotted and extremely economical film gradually peels back the layers of a recently dead parent's past. Superbly intense acting from Paul Ashton, the troubled son (Colin Morgan) on the one hand, and Madeleine Brown, a mysterious older woman (the fabulous Fanny Ardant) who is living a Miss Havisham-like existence in a crumbling 18th century mansion in rural France, find themselves caught in a duplicitous game of cat and mouse. He wants to know 'the truth'; she wants to protect her own knowledge of what 'really happened'. Nothing is what it at first seems, of course, or not as we expect. It may or may not be a sort of ghost story. How much are we entitled to know about someone else's past? How far should we go in pursuit of such knowledge? How much are we allowed to keep secret about our own---perhaps to shield the person who thinks they deserve this information, or perhaps to protect ourselves? There are a number of minor but important characters, none of whom is irrelevant to the action of the film. That fine director and actor, Abdelkrim Bahloul, has a key role as Ahmed, the handyman and gardener who grows his own vegetables on part of Madeleine Brown's overgrown estate. Sylvie, the waitress temping in the village's only bar (Audrey Bastien), who feels attracted to Paul, but is also frustrated by his secretiveness and obsessiveness, is sensitively portrayed. Complex themes (colonialism, military atrocities, trauma, bereavement, guilt, the complexities of family relationships) are handled with great subtlety. The camerawork is never less than precise and often very beautiful: the writing and direction are both deft and confident. Even if the multiplexes won't go for this (no huge explosions, breathless car-chases or blockbuster CGI, though there's plenty of genuine suspense), it deserves the widest possible showing in art-house cinemas.

An odd tale which ended with not much happening. Great to hear Sitting in the Park - I've been playing the Georgie Fame version - great song.

Great acting, lovely scenery and of course the wonderful Colin Morgan.

Paul (Morgan) has been told something by his dying father and off he goes to France. It's a lovely drama with not much happening, but whilst nothing is happening, it's great just relaxing and watching it.

A beautiful film with captivating performances. Colin Morgan and Fanny Ardent are standout. Atmospheric and mysterious storytelling. Highly recommend.

Superb script, excellent cast... all in all outstanding film on every level and at every stage. Intelligent, captivating, thought provoking - superbly shot and edited... can't wait for Charles' next film. Enjoyed it immensely THANK YOU!

'Waiting For You' is a beautiful and moving film. The characters draw you in from the start; the tragic story portrays so well the hidden emotions we all carry inside before ultimately bringing the smile of hope; and the timeless photography makes you fall in love with the house. This movie is refreshing by its simplicity yet depth. And the charismatic French actress Fanny Ardant and the young English actor Colin Morgan gave excellent performances, too.

Waiting for You is a superb movie - a really satisfying cinematic experience. A beautiful, intelligent and engrossing narrative - visually stunning and coherent, yet full of subtle surprises. Somehow the director has managed to combine a delicately observed love story with a tale of loss and a search for truth. This is a film in which each frame has been carefully considered both for its importance to the story and for its aesthetic beauty. The storyline unfolds in a sequence of carefully revealed hints and clues that are both enigmatic and robust. The dialogue is beautifully written and the house in France becomes a character in itself, telling its own story. The acting is excellent throughout, but particularly the two leads, who interact in ways that are wholly believable and yet full of surprises. The whole movie has a measured pace and eloquence that will sustain repeated viewing. Wonderful.

Thoroughly enjoyed this British film. Beautifully shot with sensitive performances from the whole cast. Tackled some difficult subjects without being horrific. Left me thinking . . .

What a feast for the eye and ears-but so much more as well. This film is a very clever combination of stunning photography and compelling storytelling, acting and editing-I was drawn in right at the beginning and sitting on the edge of my seat throughout. It is rare that I want to see a film more than once, but I would really love to see this film all over again

Beautifully shot, sensitively written, this story has a cleverly orchestrated steady, engaging pace, with scenes, characters and devices that play skillfully with the viewer's emotions; taking you on a journey that surprises you, keeps you wondering, brings a tear to the eye, yet keeps you on the edge of your seat to the very end. Enchanting, with wonderful performances by the actors, this is a film I'd love to see again and highly recommend!