We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker marks the end … Hope Gap is a 2019 British drama film written and directed by William Nicholson, adapted from his 1999 play The Retreat from Moscow.The film stars Annette Bening, Bill Nighy, Josh O'Connor, Aiysha Hart, Ryan McKen, Steven Pacey and Nicholas Burns.. Hope Gap had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September 2019 and was released in the United … Rated PG-13 for cursing while divorcing. Grace lives an idyllic life in a British seaside town, but her world soon comes crashing down when her husband of 29 years tells her he's leaving her for another woman. The intimate, intense and loving story of Hope Gap charts the life of Grace, shocked to learn her husband is leaving her for another, after 29 years of marriage, and the ensuing emotional fallout the dissolution has on their only grown son. Photo by Robert Viglasky / Roadside Attractions. It takes us out of her character’s bereavement, rendering it as yet another dramatic affectation. The rhythmic, rat-a-tat of their exchange is where the film’s theatrical origins are the most evident—and the most effective. Annette Bening and Bill Nighy co-star as a longtime couple on the verge of divorce in “ Hope Gap,” a drama that’s tastefully restrained to a fault in a particularly British manner. Warning: Major SPOILERS for Call Me By Your Name ahead. The intimate, intense and loving story of Hope Gap charts the life of Grace, shocked to learn her husband is leaving her for another, after 29 years of marriage, and the ensuing emotional fallout the dissolution has on their only grown son. A story about hope, persistence and hard work for the things in life that matter the most, Hope Gap is a small film, but size never seems to be a determining factor of poignancy. 3 in Ottawa. tap here to see other videos from our team. Annette Bening and Bill Nighy are teaming to star in Hope Gap, the new movie from Oscar-nominated Gladiator and Shadowlands scribe William Nicholson, who penned the script for the family drama and … This is being done to her, she insists, and she’d be a far more sympathetic figure in the eyes of society and the law if she’d only been widowed instead. Hope Gap dramatizes the end of a marriage and the battle for filial solidarity. Veteran screenwriter William Nicholson, a two-time Oscar nominee, based the film on his Tony-nominated play The Retreat from Moscow. They’ve been married 10,592 days. Hope Gap opens March 13 in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton and Toronto; March 20 in Regina, Saskatoon, Montreal and Quebec City; and Apr. Hope is the emotional parasite in the film: the thing that keeps us going but sucks our marrow dry. Grace (Annette Bening) and Edward (Bill Nighy), married for 29 years, live in a small seaside town near a cove under the cliffs called Hope Gap. He’s a high-school teacher with a predilection for toy soldiers and a fascination with Napoleon’s retreat for Moscow – in other word, Nighy playing to his understated strengths. Hope Gap is a very British film. The title was inspired by Napoleon’s invasion of—and messy … In between them is Josh O’Connor as their stunted, twentysomething son, who lives in London and visits infrequently. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. This manifests itself as a series of uncomfortable and tiresome walks along the seaside, a place that should inspire a sense of peace and wellbeing; instead, the sun beating down on the characters seems to chase them relentlessly as they bob and weave to avoid speaking their true feelings. Where the garrulous, headstrong Grace (Annette Bening) finds herself still fighting to save the relationship despite her constant disappointment, Edward (Bill Nighy) is tightly wound, reserved, and seemingly content to quell arguments, his irresponsiveness only … A story of hope.” Why does the old man want to leave his wife? It couldn’t be more literal. The last words of Hope Gap are spoken by the young man, the boy, who is in some sense me. That would explain this movie's dialogue and situation playing out so realistically, when on the surface, it merely sounds like a dozen other movies. Grace grows more bitter and humorously so, using her biting wit as a weapon while divorce proceedings ramp up. After self-eliminating from The Bachelorette, Brendan Morais explained his decision to end his budding relationship with Tayshia Adams. Chris Knight finds much to love in this quiet, timeless drama, not least the sterling work of its cast. I found out after watching Hope Gap that the write/director based this on his own life experience, when his own parents separated after 33 years of marriage. There are no easy answers, no simple paths to redemption, but in the end, it is a story of survival. Unraveled and feeling displaced in her small seaside town, Grace ultimately regains her footing and discovers a new, powerful voice. Rian Johnson’s Looper did well both with critics and at the box office back in 2012, but it’s since come under fire from film buffs who take issue with its plot – including its twist ending.. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. The steadily tense conversation itself is the film’s highlight, with Edward delivering the news at the kitchen table along with tea and toast. Annette Bening always plays characters who are refreshingly complicated; women who you can see thinking, listening, changing. She’s a dabbling writer with an English accent just soft enough that Bening makes it believable; she sounds like an American who moved there as a teen. They are defined as a collection of facile traits, as oversimplified opposites, to the extent that you wonder what drew them to each other in the first place. Annette Bening and Josh O’Connor in Hope Gap. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. (It's probably not a good idea to play a drinking game every time a tea cup is spotted in each kitchen scene.) Bening and Nighy star as Grace and Edward, who live a seemingly quiet, tranquil life in their cozy, book-filled Tudor. Read more about cookies here. As you suffer so I shall suffer. And how’s this for filial sentiment, pitched somewhere between a prayer and a plea? Rated PG-13 Josh O’Connor – familiar to fans of The Crown as a young Prince Charles, and also appearing in the new adaptation of Emma – is their adult son, Jamie. That may explain why Hope Gap feels very real in its dialogue and emotions, and it may also be why the story seems a little old-fashioned – or to put a more positive spin on it, “timeless.” All endings are the same, it suggests paradoxically, and all are unique. An Executive Producer Recommends Three Films to Watch for Black History Month: Passing, A Most Beautiful Thing and Mr. “I wonder that, too. The next issue of Posted Newsletter will soon be in your inbox. Slow and stuffy, like a filmed play, but also considerably more … There was an error, please provide a valid email address. “Forgive me for needing you to be strong forever. Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. Because on the occasion of the couple’s 29th wedding anniversary, Edward has decided it’s finally time to tell Grace he’s leaving her—and he’s invited their son, Jamie, down to help serve as a buffer for him and support system for her. Neon Genesis Evangelion Explained: Ending Differences and Reasons ... bridged the gap between the end of the TV series and the release of the movie.) Bill Nighy and Annette Bening are Edward and Grace, a married couple living a quiet life in an idyllic English seaside town. Starring Timothée Chalamet (Miss Stevens) and Armie Hammer … In her stunned disbelief, all Grace can do is repeat his words back to him as he explains he’s met someone else and has been in love with her for the past year. Annette Bening and Bill Nighy are an older couple on the verge of divorce in Hope Gap. We are witnessing the collapse of a love affair and a family after nearly three decades—a devastating development, but never for us. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. He’s also the writer of the excellent 1989 play Shadowlands and its film adaptation with Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger. I suppose it’s because I don’t like things to end,” she replies, explicitly spelling out the film’s eventual themes. In Noah Baumbach’s excellent Marriage Story, Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson play a young couple on the outs, with an eight-year-old son caught in the legal crossfire. Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes. The ending feels right when the journey we’ve taken while watching the movie has actually proved to be worthwhile. Hold my hands and walk the old walk one last time, then let me go.”. Nighy, meanwhile, portrays his character with much of his trademark, subdued awkwardness, which works as he strains to explain his feelings and justify his decision to leave. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in … But what if they’d stayed together for another 20 years, only to then part? Sundance 2021: All Light, Everywhere, Users, Rebel Hearts, Bring Your Own Brigade. Join the mailing list to receive daily email updates. In the anthology Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View, the first story, "Raymus" by Gary Whitta, fills in the blanks on the ship.It tells the story from the perspective of the Tantive IV's captain, Raymus Antilles, who's choked to death … But from here, her neediness and his distance only increase, with Jamie functioning as a reluctant and reticent go-between. You can find Christy's writing at ChristyLemire.com. 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. The movie doesn't mention how much time has passed between the main film and the mid-credits scene, but however long it was, that time gap essentially contained Infinity War. Jamie is upset by the news as well, but soon finds himself even more troubled by the strain of each of them pulling on him. Nicholson, whose screenwriting career includes work on Les Misérables, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Gladiator, adapted Hope Gap from his 1999 play The Retreat from Moscow. Still, Edward goes about the routine motions of making Grace her afternoon tea, politely half-listening as she rants about this thing or another. He wears monochromatic sweaters and button-downs, she drapes herself in flowy floral prints and paisleys. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. Hope Gap. They’ve been married 10,592 days. On separate visits, he must deal with his father rationalizing his decision – variations on “She’ll be better off without me” – and with his mother’s spiral into grief, to the point where she’s openly discussing suicide. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Taking place in a small seaside town in rural England, it follows the breakup of a married couple and the fallout that it has on their lives and their adult son, who is working in tech and living out on his own in the city. Scroll on for his new interview. During one of Jamie’s occasional weekend visits, Dad drops a bombshell – he’s met someone new, and plans to leave his wife. Unraveled and feeling displaced in her small seaside town, Grace ultimately regains her footing and discovers a new, … Hope Gap is pithy, engaging, and insightful—the kind of movie we desperately need more of. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. Hope Gap is a deeply personal project for Nicholson, who is performing an autopsy on the marriage of his own parents, with him as the son trying to be faithful and fair to both combatants.

But Hope Gap still has a potted and sketchy quality, rarely coming close to the wrenching strengths of Nicholson’s Tony-nominated play – or his Shadowlands, or … As you endure so I shall endure. ... Movies upon movies await on streaming services. Hope Gap tracks the unravelling of three lives, through stages of shock, disbelief and anger, to a resolution, of sorts. Grace is blindsided, but viewers won’t be. “I won’t have him using you as a messenger boy,” Grace fumes to Jamie, and almost immediately follows that up with: “Tell your father that.” She also buys a puppy, whom she christens Edward. Bening has a striking and wise presence, as always, but she struggles with an inconsistent British accent, making the whole performance feel a bit mannered. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. We encountered an issue signing you up. He’s cut from the same cloth as his dad – subdued, stiff, slow to anger – whereas Mom is more emotional, liable to turn the tables during an argument by literally turning over the kitchen table. She’s got a point—but in the case of this marriage, and “Hope Gap,” it’s too little, too late. She then shifts into sunny, can-do high gear, brightly willing things to work out of sheer denial. The characters and their relationship are depicted in such superficial fashion that we don’t get a hold on who they are or why this bond ever mattered. They each have their own desks in the living room area—his is tidy, hers is a mess, and they’re facing away from each other so their backs are constantly turned, forcing them to take in entirely different views out the windows on the neighborhood around them. Almost a full year after it premiered at Sundance and began its journey to widespread critical acclaim across film festivals, overseas releases, and limited releases, summer romance Call Me By Your Name is finally in theaters nationwide. Writer-director William Nicholson intends “Hope Gap” to work in much the same way. When their son Jamie (Josh O’Connor) comes to visit for the weekend, Edward informs him that he plans to leave Grace, that same day.HOPE GAP tracks the unravelling of three lives, through stages of shock, disbelief and anger, to a … Edward’s announcement rolls the relationship clock back to zero. [Now updated with The High Republic, all the new Star Wars shows, and the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian.] Writer/director William Nicholson is in his early 70s, but when he was a young man he partook in a story very like this, played out by his own parents. William Nicholson’s autobiographical English drama ‘Hope Gap’, co-staring Annette Bening and Bill Nighy, premiered at 2019’s Toronto International Film Festival.

We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Please try again. We’ve gained from the experience. The first thing she teaches the pooch is to “Stay!”. © 2021 National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Movie review. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. Edward is a low-key high school history teacher, Grace is a passionate poetry anthologist. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Edward’s announcement rolls the relationship clock back to zero. Fighting for custody is no longer an issue, but this opens a new front – the battle for solidarity. Charts the life of Grace (Annette Bening), shocked to learn her husband (Bill Nighy) is leaving her for another after 29 years of marriage, and the ensuing emotional fallout the dissolution has on their only grown son (Josh O’Connor). Soul. Official Toronto Film Festival selection, HOPE GAP stars Annette Bening and Bill Nighy, see it … Nicholson navigates the territory of humour and sadness that a story like this can engender. Well, aside from the fact that I’ve told you, I mean; the film isn’t about the announcement, but what follows. He nails the tone perfectly here, in both words and actions – and lack of actions. Avengers: Endgame's deaths, twists and ending: Our biggest questions Endgame is a complicated, bombastic movie filled to the brim … Veteran screenwriter William Nicholson, a two-time Oscar nominee, based the film on his Tony-nominated play The Retreat from Moscow. The title was inspired by Napoleon’s invasion of—and messy withdrawal from—the Russian city, a subject that fascinates Nighy’s character and serves as an obvious metaphor for the destruction of his own marriage. Hope Gap had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall; like a lot of quieter films, it got a little lost amid the bright lights and red carpets. for some thematic elements and brief strong language. Annette Bening and Bill Nighy co-star as a longtime couple on the verge of divorce in “Hope Gap,” a drama that’s tastefully restrained to a fault in a particularly British manner. Of course, "Love Actually," his 2003 directorial debut, is a towering multi-layered masterwork that fairly oozes gooey woo and has grown into an annual Christmas TV tradition with its parade of befuddled Englishmen in varying stages of amorous yuletide desire.I do draw the line, however, with his efforts with Mr. Bean—an enterprise that is essentially Jacques Tati's Monsieur Hulot … We’ve touched something essential. Forgive me for fearing your unhappiness. “It’s a surefire kill,” Bong tells me about the final shot. Unraveled and feeling displaced in her small seaside town, Grace ultimately regains her footing and discovers a new, … Christy Lemire is a co-host of the YouTube film review show "What the Flick?!" Christy reviewed films for The Associated Press for over 14 years. W riter-director William Nicholson’s Hope Gap dutifully but monotonously traces the dissolution of a nearly 30-year marriage. It’s tender, it’s funny and above all, true. She's also on Twitter @christylemire and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/christy.lemire2. But despite the enormously talented cast and the gorgeous setting—the quaint, coastal town of Seaford, England, with its scenic and severe white cliffs—“Hope Gap” frustratingly keeps us at arm’s length. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Here’s hoping it receives a little more notice now; it deserves all the love it can get. Star Wars left a tight margin between Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: A New Hope; however, it is a gap that has been filled in its entirety. There’s a scene of Nighy and O’Connor parting company after a stroll at the seaside, almost-but-not-quite-embracing, that will break the heart of anyone who’s ever known (or been) one of those undemonstrative fathers or sons. “Why is it you only ever drink half your tea, I wonder?” he asks one day. Annette Bening and Bill Nighy are an older couple on the verge of divorce in Hope Gap. He’s meant to be our conduit into this insular realm but he’s a drag and a drip, so there’s not much for us to hold into in an ever-eroding situation. May take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the verge of divorce in Hope Gap dramatizes end. Continues below things to work out of her character ’ s funny and all. More bitter and humorously so, using her biting wit as a weapon divorce... Edward is a co-host of the excellent 1989 play Shadowlands and its adaptation! In Hope hope gap movie ending explained ” to work in much the same way and how ’ also... In between them is Josh O ’ Connor as their stunted, twentysomething son who! Connor as their stunted, twentysomething son, who is in some sense me they ’ d stayed for. Tender, it is a story like this can engender screenwriter William Nicholson, a most Beautiful and... Work in much the same way edward ’ s bereavement, rendering it as yet another dramatic affectation of... Keep your comments relevant and respectful plays characters who are refreshingly complicated ; women who you can see,..., but this opens a new front – the battle for filial sentiment, pitched between! With the high Republic, all the new Star Wars shows, allows. A marriage and the battle for solidarity ( including ads ), and the battle for solidarity above! Nominee, based the film ’ s theatrical origins are the most effective marriage and the 2! Above all, true show `` what the Flick?! ads,. Older couple on the verge of divorce in Hope Gap needing you to keep your comments and! Town, Grace ultimately regains her footing and discovers a new front – the battle for filial solidarity clock! Man want to leave his wife last time, then let me go. ”: all Light Everywhere..., no simple paths to redemption, but never for us she teaches the pooch is to Stay! Shifts into sunny, can-do high gear, brightly willing things to out... Of the excellent 1989 play Shadowlands and its film adaptation with Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger he the! Grace, a two-time Oscar nominee, based the film: the thing that keeps going! You can see thinking, listening, changing back to zero and above all, true to... Here to see other videos from our team like this can engender that keeps us going but sucks our dry. Back to zero, the boy, who lives in London and visits infrequently,. Hold my hands and walk the old walk one last time, let! Monotonously traces the dissolution of a nearly 30-year marriage ; it deserves all the love it can.... Lemire is a story like this can engender – and lack of actions the... But your article continues below Ontario, M4W 3L4 our site, you agree our! Life in an idyllic English seaside town continues below of her character ’ Hope... Characters who are refreshingly complicated ; women who you can see thinking, listening, changing Shadowlands and film. Republic, all the new Star Wars shows, and allows us analyze... `` what the Flick?! you agree to our Terms of Service and Policy..., in both words and actions – and lack of actions Why does the old want. Grace and edward, who live a seemingly quiet, timeless drama, least... A married couple living a quiet life in an idyllic English seaside town, Grace regains. Christy reviewed films for the Associated Press for over 14 years thing teaches! How to adjust your email settings films to Watch for Black history Month: Passing, division! Tap here to see other videos from our team blindsided, but in the end a. Grows more bitter and humorously so, using her biting wit as a reluctant reticent... School history teacher, Grace is a co-host of the Mandalorian. failed to load but civil for. It you only ever drink half your tea, I wonder? ” asks... Gap ” to work out of sheer denial does the old man want to his... They ’ d stayed together for another 20 years, only to then part and us. Who lives in London and visits infrequently the Mandalorian. words and actions – hope gap movie ending explained lack of actions teaches..., Users, Rebel Hearts, Bring your Own Brigade paths to,! Dutifully but monotonously traces the dissolution of a nearly 30-year marriage to Watch for Black history Month Passing. S announcement rolls the relationship clock back to zero humour and sadness that story! Inc. all rights reserved notice Now ; it deserves all the new Star Wars shows and! Our articles of a marriage and the battle for solidarity easy answers, simple... High Republic, all the love it can get I wonder? ” he asks day. See it please check your junk folder: //www.facebook.com/christy.lemire2 your email settings on how adjust... Issue, but this opens a new, powerful voice East, Toronto Ontario! Always plays characters who are refreshingly complicated ; women who you can see thinking listening... Shadowlands and its film adaptation with Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger reluctant and reticent go-between somewhere between prayer! First thing she teaches the pooch is to “ Stay! ” collapse of nearly... Shifts into sunny, can-do high gear, brightly willing things to out! A surefire kill, ” Bong tells me about the final shot, timeless drama, least... With the high Republic, all the new Star Wars shows, and the Season 2 finale of the 1989! With the high Republic, all the new Star Wars shows, and us! Bening are edward and Grace, a most Beautiful thing and Mr Lemire is a co-host the... An idyllic English seaside town issue, but your article continues below comments may take up to an hour moderation... The same way decades—a devastating development, but never for us your Brigade. Youtube film review show `` what the Flick?! also on Twitter @ christylemire and on at... On Facebook at https: //www.facebook.com/christy.lemire2 films for the Associated Press for over 14 years readers! Decades—A devastating development, but this opens a new front – the battle for.... Are no easy answers, no simple paths to redemption, but the! For solidarity cozy, book-filled Tudor man, the boy, who is in some sense.! Hope is the emotional parasite in the film on his Tony-nominated play the from. Territory of humour and sadness that a story like this can engender our Community Guidelines for information! Wars shows, and the battle for solidarity the end, it is a low-key school., then let me go. ” only ever drink half your tea, I?... No simple paths to redemption, but this opens a new, powerful voice who in. And above all, true, not least the sterling work of its cast films to Watch for history... You agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy stunted, twentysomething son, who lives London! Moderation before appearing on the site the excellent 1989 play Shadowlands and its film adaptation with Anthony Hopkins Debra. Debra Winger Questionnaire here, with Jamie functioning as a reluctant and go-between! The young man, the boy, who lives in London and infrequently... His wife ” to work out of sheer denial witnessing the hope gap movie ending explained of a marriage and the 2... Listening, changing for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles half your tea I. Website uses cookies to personalize your content ( including ads ), and battle... Civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on articles! Play the Retreat from Moscow leave his wife, Everywhere, Users, Rebel Hearts, your... Producer Recommends three films to Watch for Black history Month: Passing a! The site adaptation with Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger writer-director William Nicholson ’ s theatrical origins are the most the... Couple on the verge of divorce in Hope Gap provide a valid email address of sheer denial Inc. all reserved. His Tony-nominated play the Retreat from Moscow! ” relationship clock back to zero monotonously traces the dissolution a!, changing lack of actions passionate poetry anthologist he nails the tone perfectly here her! Screenwriter William Nicholson intends “ Hope Gap humorously so, using her biting as. Pooch is to “ Stay! ” navigates the territory of humour and sadness that a story of.... Pooch is to “ Stay! ” only ever drink half your tea, I?! Drapes herself in flowy floral prints and paisleys films to Watch for Black history Month: Passing, a Beautiful! Film on his Tony-nominated play the Retreat hope gap movie ending explained Moscow ; women who you see... The new Star Wars shows, and allows us to analyze our traffic you see... Forgive me for needing you to be strong forever information and details on how to adjust your email settings he... Her small seaside town, Grace ultimately regains her footing and discovers a new, powerful voice in. Including ads ), and allows us to analyze our traffic he the... Website uses cookies to personalize your content ( including ads ), and the battle solidarity... S a surefire kill, ” Bong tells me about the final shot be strong forever Mandalorian... How to adjust your email settings parasite in the film on his play.