It's also charming, despite the dark subject matter. You could say the same about Caine's performance.
Comment
05/15/09
Is Anybody There? (2009)
66
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:114
Fresh:75
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 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... [More]
Starring: Michael Caine, Bill Milner, Anne-Marie Duff, David Morrissey
Director: John Crowley
Reviews for Is Anybody There?
Michael Caine raises this odd-couple comedy to highly agreeable levels.
05/15/09
The bravura acting is unsupported by a script that's content to settle for the dramatic equivalent of English comfort food, with moments of pathos and whimsy doled out like spoonfuls of dough and treacle.
05/15/09
[A] funny and moving drama about the mysteries of the grave.
05/15/09
There's a touch of magic at play here but it is of the understated variety, delivering a finale that is unexpectedly hopeful, moving and emotionally satisfying.
05/15/09
Occasionally wistful, often melancholy but always charming.
05/13/09
a bittersweet film about life, death, and magic. It's also one of Michael Caine's best performances, and that's saying a great deal
05/09/09
The patrons of the old age home have small supporting roles and often steal the show with the comedic relief provided by sporadically funny moments.
05/09/09
The results are wildly uneven. The good news is that certain individual scenes work well, provided you don’t take offense at the manipulative nature of the enterprise.
05/08/09
The result is a film that's funny, sad and oddly brave.
05/08/09
Working from a screenplay by Peter Harness, director John Crowley elicits strong performances and conjures a realistic atmosphere. But the story is predictable.
05/08/09
There doesn't seem to be any real purpose to telling this story. It doesn't enlighten us on the tasks of growing up or of growing old.
05/08/09
It probably wouldn't work at all without [Caine]. He's so charismatic and so watchable that we can forgive the film's occasional lapses in logic and storytelling.
05/07/09
Is Anybody There? provides an insightful and sensitive look at the pain of isolation and the connections between people, no matter their ages.
05/07/09
The story’s main elements are the stuff of broadbrush, bittersweet television drama.
05/07/09
Caine and Milner, who was so unaffectedly good in Son of Rambow, play beautifully together, and the movie is about Edward coming to terms with life and mortality.
05/07/09
It's clunky at times and predictable sentimental nonsense at heart, but the film gets there in an endearing way and is certainly entertaining.
05/07/09
Caine's magnificent curmudgeon doesn't have enough magic to dispel death, but he works miracles on a lost little boy, snapping him back to life with an impassioned, 'Make contact with the living, son!'
05/06/09
While this farcical dramedy is bemusing and beguiling, it's two-time Oscar-winner Michael Caine's graceful, subtly nuanced performance that lingers in the memory.
05/02/09
You'll either find [it] hilarious or excruciating.
05/01/09
Latest News for Is Anybody There?
April 16, 2009:
Critics Consensus: 17 Again Is Sweet And Poignant
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...
April 01, 2009:
Michael Caine Talks Batman 3 
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
More...
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