There are very few constants in Hollywood. One of those rare constants is Michael Caine. No matter what movie he makes, you know his is going to be a fantastic performance. His appearance in this film is the only thing that saves it from being utterly forgettable.
Bill Milner (Son of Rambow) plays Edward, a sad little boy whose parents have turned their house into an old folks home. Edward Mum is too busy with the elderly to pay him any attention, while his Dad is too busy chasing the hired help. Edward is obsessed with death and more specifically, what happens afterwards.
The Amazing Clarence (Caine) is a retired magician is mourning the death of his beloved. He reluctantly goes to live in the home and he and Edward quickly form an unlikely friendship.
This is a pretty dark film, and mostly unhappy throughout. It’s also, sadly, rather dull and uninteresting. The only thing that really makes it worth sitting through is Caine’s fantastic performance as well as young Milner. The two have fantastic chemistry together and despite all the clichés throughout the film, the relationship between these two is wholly believable.
Director John Crowley’s debut was the fantastic Intermission, and it’s a shame that this isn’t nearly as strong. He’s certainly a fine director, he just needs to pick stronger material.
The film is presented in 2.35:1 Anamorphic widescreen. Sound is in 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound and 2.0 Stereo. The film looks fine and sounds fine.
Deleted Scenes: (7 min.) Nothing interesting or of note here.
Trailers
If you’re a die hard Michael Caine fan then you’ll want to watch this for yet another amazing performance from the master. That’s pretty much the only reason to want to sit through Is Anybody There? It’s got some interesting ideas in it, but it doesn’t share them in a very engaging way.
Magnolia Home Entertainment presents Is Anybody There?. Directed by John Crowley. Written by Peter Harness. Starring Michael Caine and Bill Milner. 94 minutes. Rated PG-13 for language including sexual references and some disturbing images. Released on DVD: November 17, 2009. Available at Amazon.com.
