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Is Anybody There?

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Is Anybody There? (2009)

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Reviews Counted:113

Fresh:74

Rotten:39

Average Rating:6.3/10

Consensus: Though Michael Caine gives an excellent performance, Is Anybody There? features a cliche-filled story that ultimately falters.

Australian Rating: TBC

Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins

Genre: Dramas

Australian Theatrical Release:
Jun 4, 2009 Wide

US Box Office: $1,988,165

Synopsis: Growing up and growing old never played so poignantly as it does in John Crowley’s IS ANYBODY THERE? The film grapples with the sad truths of getting older and losing loved ones, all the while... Growing up and growing old never played so poignantly as it does in John Crowley’s IS ANYBODY THERE? The film grapples with the sad truths of getting older and losing loved ones, all the while maintaining a sardonic wit and sincere warmth. Coming of age in a family-run rest home, the reclusive, death-obsessed Edward (Bill Milner, SON OF RAMBOW) wiles away his days tormenting his parents’ elderly residents and secretly tape-recording them in search of answers about the afterlife. Edward finds a kindred spirit in Clarence (Michael Caine), the curmudgeonly, retired magician who begrudgingly takes up residence at the guest home. The two strike up an unlikely friendship that helps Clarence come to terms with losing his wife, and Edward finds a way out of his shell. Milner holds his own alongside veteran Caine with a biting yet charming performance. Anne-Marie Duff (NOTES ON A SCANDAL) and David Morrissey (BASIC INSTINCT 2) offer up moving support as Edward’s working-class parents, who struggle to hold onto their marriage while making ends meet. The colorful cast of senior citizens, which includes seasoned actors Rosemary Harris (Aunt May from the SPIDERMAN films) and Karl Johnson (HOT FUZZ, ROME), provides some of the film's most melancholy and comic moments. Along with stellar performances from the impressive ensemble, IS ANYBODY THERE? is well-scripted and beautifully shot. Though it deals with some of life’s toughest moments, this is a film that is sure to appeal to audiences of all ages. [More]

Starring: Michael Caine, Bill Milner, Anne-Marie Duff, David Morrissey

Starring: Michael Caine, Bill Milner, Anne-Marie Duff, David Morrissey, Rosemary Harris, Karl Johnson, Leslie Phillips, Elizabeth Spriggs

Director: John Crowley

Director: John Crowley
Screenwriter: Peter Harness
Producer: David Heyman, Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf
Composer: Joby Talbot
Studio: Big Beach Films

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Reviews for Is Anybody There?

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
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Even when dealing with the supernatural, Caine is never less than a realist. Yet you can still see the boy in him. And in Milner, you can certainly see the man Edward will become.

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
06/12/09
Sandra Hall
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
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It's a film that serves as a poignant reminder of how quickly time passes.

Full Review Source: The Australian | comment Comment
06/12/09
David Stratton
David Stratton
The Australian
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Weighed down by a surrounding air of quirkiness.

Full Review Source: The Age (Australia) | comment Comment
06/12/09
Philippa Hawker
Philippa Hawker
The Age (Australia)
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Michael Caine is always good company, but he’s been saddled with the role of a slightly pitiful man whose life has been wasted... despite generally good performances the narrative arc is pretty obvious from the start.

Full Review Source: At the Movies (Australia) | comment Comment
06/10/09
David Stratton
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)
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This well crafted film is given resonance and purpose with layers and layers of detail that make the bittersweet climax all the more heartwarming.

Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia) | comment Comment
06/05/09
Colin Fraser
Colin Fraser
FILMINK (Australia)
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Caine and Milner go together like peas in a pod. Or, better yet, like bangers and mash. They're an odd couple, but they face life as one and it's a rewarding journey.

Full Review Source: Courier Mail (Australia) | comment Comment
06/01/09
Colin Newton
Colin Newton
Courier Mail (Australia)
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With two direct and developed lead performances from Michael Caine and young Bill Milner, it seems unfair to watch their efforts wasted on an uneven, unsatisfying picture like the tear-jerker Is Anybody There?

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
06/01/09
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
Dark Horizons
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Director John Crowley overestimates the comedic potential of daily life for the elderly and infirmed. Thankfully, the casual, unforced chemistry between Caine and Milner is strong enough to suppress Is Anybody There?’s cornie

Full Review Source: Herald Sun (Australia) | comment Comment
05/27/09
Leigh Paatsch
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
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It wants so badly to be meaningful, relevant and compassionate, but struggles even to keep our attention, never mind our hearts or minds. Not even Michael Caine's slowly sinking geriatric Clarence or affecting young Bill Milner can elevate the material.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
05/27/09
Andrew L. Urban
Andrew L. Urban
Urban Cinefile
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This is a film that presses many emotional buttons. In many ways it is a really sad film and certainly one that needs a wad of tissues.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
05/27/09
Louise Keller
Louise Keller
Urban Cinefile
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Profoundly (and some would say pleasurably) formulaic, the film possesses scant cinematic energy, relying wholly on the familiar transformation of a grumpy old man into an infectiously weepy humanist.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
09/01/09
Rob Nelson
Rob Nelson
Variety
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The talent and craftsmanship of "Is Anybody There?" is ample, but it remains uncertain whether there's anybody here still interested in this all-too-familiar story.

Full Review Source: indieWIRE | comment Comment
08/08/09
Leo Goldsmith
Leo Goldsmith
indieWIRE

Warmly lit and beautifully acted, but cynical enough %u2013 and chock-full of enough dark humor %u2013 to avoid what might have been unbearably schmaltzy.

Full Review Source: Charlotte Weekly | comment Comment
06/15/09
Sean O'Connell
Sean O'Connell
Charlotte Weekly

Like a good number of films, 'Is Anybody There?' is saved from being a routine offering by the presence of Sir Michael Caine.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
06/07/09
Dan Lybarger
Dan Lybarger
eFilmCritic.com

Strings together a series of sitcom situations, goes for easy laughs, and wastes some very fine actors as other residents in the home.

Full Review Source: MovieTime, ABC Radio National | comment Comment
06/05/09
Julie Rigg
Julie Rigg
MovieTime, ABC Radio National
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a quirky, sometimes schmaltzy British dramedy that mixes meaningful ruminations about growing old with broad black comedy

Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
05/29/09
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk

I don't have any significant complaints about the film, but if I didn't see it I don't think I would have missed anything special.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
05/21/09
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

What we have here is a three-and-a-half-star movie boosted into the realm of four-and-a-half stars on the strength of one person: Michael Caine.

Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | comment Comment
05/20/09
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Worth seeing for Caine, who makes acting seem effortless, pleasurable and even noble.

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
05/19/09
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

It's also charming, despite the dark subject matter. You could say the same about Caine's performance.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
05/15/09
Liz Braun
Liz Braun
Jam! Movies
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Is Anybody There?

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This week at the movies, we've got a high school do-over (17 Again, starring Zac Efron and Leslie Mann), some journalistic thrills (State of Play, starring Russell Crowe and... More...

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Michael Caine is out promoting his latest feature, "Is Anybody There," but he's perfectly willing to share his thoughts on the next "Batman" sequel -- fortunately for Collider,... More...

March 22, 2009: Click for trailer and preview Opens in new window
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