matchett79 Another lottery-funded, over-produced yet well-acted film about rich British people doing nothing apart from slightly eccentric episodes set to an over bearing score. Imagine Kenneth Brannagh doing 1920s Scotland. Does contain some slightly amusing plot devices but nothing of any significance happens. The fact that this was based on a true story about a boy who grew up to be sort of important didn't help me at least. It's not a bad film but it says nothing and does nothing new. Could have been made for much-much less money for TV but apparently some charities didn't want their lottery money. A bit more content, heart and soul would have made the difference.

yjgeja I thought this movie was overall delightful. It really captured the innocence of the narrator and the passage that we all must go through as we mature. I loved Colin Firth in this movie and his interactions with his son, the narrator, was well done. There were parts that made me laugh out loud and others that made me cringe because the awkwardness of the moment was so well portrayed and it made me feel as if I was there experiencing the moment with the characters.It is a bit of an odd movie if you do not like this genre, a bit slow and not quite so mainstream. However, it is nonetheless worth seeing, especially if you think Colin Firth is a great actor!

arizonapeanut I thought this was a very sweet, subtle, good movie. There were a few scenes that had me laughing my arse off. I usually like Colin Firth in movies, and this was no exception. I liked how they really told the story from Fraser's POV, but that it still conveyed the complexity of the adults around him. How the father and son communicate by barking was adorable, and the last scene is worth watching this movie.

FlickJunkie-2 This film had great potential, but it was too ambitious and tried to be too inclusive in telling the story. There are really two main story lines here: (1)Young Fraser's (Robbie Norman) coming of age and (2) His father Edward's (Colin Firth) misadventures.Fraser's story (which the title implies is the point of the film) is fabulous. It is a whimsical and witty look at the coming of age of a ten year old boy in 1920's Scotland. He learns about sex by furtively studying his grandfather's books and pictures of unclad women. Put in the context of a completely naive ten year old mind, he develops some funny interpretations of the subject that are routinely and innocently blurted out in the presence of adults, usually to the mortification of his parents. This was a wonderful story and his journey to manhood should have been the subject of the entire movie.The second story line was dull, and encumbered the film. This is the story of Fraser's father Edward. It centers around two key subplots. The first is his kooky childlike lifestyle, including crazy inventions and ineffective businesses. The second is his obsession with his Uncle Morris's (Malcolm McDowell) fiancée. Other subplots in this story line include a rivalry between Edward and Morris for the inheritance of the castle. This overly dramatic subplot bogs down the film ruins the comedic and mirthful elements provided in Fraser's story.The cinematography was splendid, helped greatly by the beauty of the Scottish countryside and the magnificence of the Castle the family called home. Fortunately, there was a character with an airplane that gave director Hugh Hudson a convenient excuse to show aerial views of the castle and the countryside which were simply breathtaking. The photography in this film is reason enough to see it.The acting was excellent. Though I wish the character had less emphasis, Colin Firth was excellent as Edward, the quirky father figure. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio gave a fine performance in a minor role as Moira, Edward's wife and the mother of his ten children. Once again, she had an opportunity to showcase her beautiful singing voice (see "Limbo" if you want to really hear her sing). Malcolm McDowell and Irene Jacob were also excellent as the uncle and aunt.The best performance by far was that of Robbie Norman as young Fraser. He was full of innocent mischief and gave a convincing portrayal of the curiosity and nescience of youth.I gave this film a 7/10. If you enjoy interesting character studies, slice of life films, beautiful scenery and comedy spawned of innocence, you will love this film. Had they stayed with the main story line, I probably would have given it a 10.